Thermal socks, runners, leggings, trackies, singlet, long sleeve thermal shirt, regular t-shirt, thick warm jumper, gloves and perhaps a jacket if there was rain.
That was my standard get up for training clients on those crisp 2℃ Melbourne mornings. I could only waddle around, and I looked like the guy below, but at least I was somewhat warm.
Meanwhile, one of my clients, Simon, a 45 year old landscape designer, attended in shorts and a singlet all year round. On the rare occasion that it got below freezing, he’d ‘rug up’ by wearing a long sleeved rugby shirt over his singlet.
He was an awesome client to have.
Unfortunately, not all of our clients are as keen beans as Simon. Some find the idea of training during winter a bit daunting and uncomfortable.
As the weather gets cooler it can not be uncommon to one day you look up to realise that half of your clients are missing.
The Yearly Cycle of Group Fitness
Losing clients during winter sucks.
Less money coming in, less of a happy vibe in your classes and it feels like your business is failing.
But it’s actually a very natural cycle in the fitness industry and I want you to know that, just like spring brings an influx of new clients, losing some clients during winter is very normal.
Winter is all about keeping as many of your existing clients committed to coming to sessions so that when spring hits, you’ll be in a great position to grow your sessions.
We’ve put together our best tips for keeping attendance high at your sessions during winter plus some great workouts you can run when it’s wet and cold.
If it’s not winter for you yet, bookmark this page and come back to it when things start cooling down.

BCI Boost: The Winter Edition
Below we’ve got running club workout ideas (a great thing to focus on during winter), indoor workouts if you’ve opted to hibernate for the winter, some tips for keeping your clients coming during the cold and a checklist you can send your clients so they’re ready for winter.
5 Indoor Small Space Workouts
This time of year in Australia the weather is getting cold and wet which means if you have an outdoor bootcamp you are probably going to find yourself indoors and undercover more often without as much space at your disposal. (Those of you in the Northern Hemisphere might want to bookmark this to use in November.)…
🎶 Runnin’ In The Rain 🎶 4 Warming Winter Cardio Bootcamp Workouts
Keep your campers Hap Hap Happy Again with these running focused workouts, for those days when it’s cold and wet. These drills are all missing one feature – lots of mat work. No one likes getting wetter or muddier than they need to, so keep your campers engaged this Winter with these tried and tested…
Continue Reading 🎶 Runnin’ In The Rain 🎶 4 Warming Winter Cardio Bootcamp Workouts
How To Retain (and Grow) Your Bootcamp Numbers During The Wet and Cold Winter
Around 30,000 BC, a woman named Rebecca Bootcampicus created the first ever bootcamp. Wanting to be different to the group fitness classes held in caves and primitive huts, she decided to run her workouts outdoors. Rain, hail or shine her clients got to experience the elements. In fact, that’s why they came to her. No…
Continue Reading How To Retain (and Grow) Your Bootcamp Numbers During The Wet and Cold Winter
Winter Training Success – A Checklist for Trainers and Clients
As the days get shorter, as the air gets chillier and as the mornings are frostier, it can be really tempting for your clients to ditch their workout and take their active wear to sip coffee in a cosy café instead. But Winter does not have to spell the end of your clients’ amazing movement…
Continue Reading Winter Training Success – A Checklist for Trainers and Clients
Extras:
Here are a few articles and ideas from the archives that will also help you survive and thrive during winter.
Boxing Drills
Another style of training I love to use during winter because it keeps clients high and dry (up off the wet ground) is boxing. Here are 28 boxing drills to mix and match:
- 10 Boxing Bootcamp Drills For Small Spaces
- 10 Boxing Drills For A D.I.Y. Boxing Group Fitness Workout
- 8 Go-To Boxing Class Ideas
Articles & Exercises
That wraps up this issue of the Bootcamp Ideas Boost. When we add new winter related content we’ll be sure to update this post.
Kyle Wood created Bootcamp Ideas in 2010 when he was hunting around on the internet for workout ideas. He ran a successful bootcamp in Victoria, Australia and spends his spare time managing this site, adventuring (or lazying) with his wife and find new ways to make bootcamps even better.
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