Putting the boot into fitness

Forget quick fixes or magic solutions where fitness is concerned. Ask Paul Wood, a trainer at British Military Fitness, how to get into shape, and he'll politely inform you it isn't that easy.

"If you want to improve your health and fitness, it requires action in a number of areas," says Paul. So brace yourselves. Here are Paul's top tips on getting fit. (Warning: they're not for the faint-hearted.)

1 Train your whole body

People are inherently lazy and will avoid training areas of their bodies where they are weak. You should train your upper body so that it can push and pull, rotate, flex and extend; and train your lower body so that you can walk, run, sprint, squat, jump and balance. Injuries permitting, the amount of time you dedicate to particular areas should be similar. This will reduce the risks of causing muscular imbalances and injuries.

2 Mix up your training

Life can throw all sorts of situations at you. Very rarely will an incident or event require strength, speed or endurance on its own. At your fitness bootcamp your instructor will aim to cover as many of these components of fitness in one session as possible. During sessions you will run, jog, sprint and perform a variety of exercises such as sprints, squats and press ups.

3 Squat deep

We are designed to flex and extend our ankles, knees and hips far more than many people do when they train the lower body. So to train your muscles fully we should train to our fullest range of movement. If you are physically able, aim to sit down to the ground every time you squat. That's right, every time.

4 Vary your movements

Aim to keep your body guessing what you'll do next. For example: change the position and width of your hands in press-ups and feet in squats.

5 Take your time

Unless your goal is to increase power, perform your exercises slowly and under control. For the best results, aim to keep your muscles under tension.

6 Practise your balance

Don't waste your rest periods by having a chat. Stand on one leg and close your eyes for 30 seconds. This will improve your proprioception (that is, your sense of where your body parts are in relation to each other).

7 Run fast

Speed is relative but slow plodding will fill your body with cortisol, which is a stress hormone, as well as waste muscle and store fat.

8 Push past your comfort zone

If you are genuinely in pain, stop. However, many people confuse pain with discomfort. You will not be comfortable if you are training hard. Aim to complete one more rep every session, run for one more minute or a little bit faster every time.

9 Find a buddy

When that voice inside your head keeps telling you to stop starts getting louder, you need encouragement and guidance. During your bootcamp sessions, that comes from two sources - the instructor and the person training next to you.

10 Train hard then rest

Exercise is just the stimulus. The changes to your body take place when you rest and eat.

About British Military Fitness

The largest and longest running provider of outdoor fitness classes in the UK, British Military Fitness runs more than 400 classes a week in 105 parks across the country.

All of the organisation's 500 plus instructors are either serving or former members of the armed forces - so they know a thing about military-style fitness training.

Around 20,000 people of all shapes, sizes, ages and backgrounds train with British Military Fitness, with classes available for beginners, intermediate and advanced fitness fans.

Find out more about British Military Fitness - including where there's a training session in your area - click here