The Benefits of British Military Fitness

BMF places a big emphasis on teamwork

Founded in 1999, British Military Fitness (BMF) is the all-natural alternative to group gym classes. From humble beginnings – just three people attended the first ever session in Hyde Park – BMF has become a fitness phenomenon, with over 400 classes held in 145 parks across the UK.

Led by military-trained instructors, the all-inclusive 60-minute classes combine a variety of high-intensity exercises for a complete full-body workout that, despite its location, is no walk in the park…

MENTALITY

Just as you learn a lot about your own resolve when you hit ‘the wall’, there’s nothing quite like burpees till exhaustion to forge an iron will.

BMF’s emphasis on high-intensity repetitions, with short periods of rest, tests your mental and physical stamina.

BODY SHAPE

If you want to become a leaner runner, there’s no better cross-training activity; you can expect to burn up to 800 calories in a typical BMF class.

“Those who regularly attend BMF classes can expect to see a good change in body composition, with body fat dropping and muscle increasing,” says Kevin Stokes, BMF park manager at Tooting Bec and Old Deer Park.

FITNESS

“Regular members will see both their aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels increase, as well as their muscular strength and endurance,” says Kevin.

And I can’t argue with that. The class I attend includes squats, jumping squats, burpees, sprints, sit-ups, press-ups, inverted rows and mountain climbers – performed in a lung-busting Tabata format (8 x 20secs work, 10secs rest).

CORE

A focus on full-body moves, like mountain climbers and burpees, ensures your stabilising core muscles are engaged at all times. Core strength comes into its own in the latter stages of a race, when your form begins to fade.

CAMARADERIE

Perhaps BMF’s biggest draw is the fact that it’s a chance to embrace the great outdoors with a group of like-minded people.

“Our classes are very interactive,” says Kevin, “meaning that you learn to work with other people in the group and therefore develop a good sense of camaraderie with your classmates. We carry this ethos with us from our time in the military and it carries over really well into the classes.”

Injury prevention

“One of the other main and often overlooked benefits for runners doing classes like this is that they ensure that all of the muscles of the body get worked to create a strong, well-balanced body,” adds Kevin.