Bootcamp Fitness in Spain

A boot camp in the sun that encourages and supports without bullying or being too rigid. If you want to train hard, lose weight, learn how to improve your diet and have fun in the almost guaranteed sun then Aurora BootCamp should be your next fitness session, day or holiday.

Just a short drive from Malaga airport and a 15 minute walk to the nearest beach Aurora's offers fun in the sun with a wide array of activities. Yoga, boxing, Zumba and trekking, with a training day followed by an active rest day designed not to push but to keep up low level activity. Go for a week long camp, weekend, day or just a session to get you leaner, fitter and healthier as well as tanned by the end.

I had the pleasure of joining a new week-long course for a day. The group of 6 of us met on Friday evening with dinner (no-carb here) and an explanatory talk about the week, or in my case day, ahead.

Camp director Roseanna talked us through the diet, the accommodation, the planned activities and answered any questions we had. With no bans and few rules I was rather relieved when someone asked about alcohol and we were able to have a glass of Spanish Cava before retiring. I needed a good nights sleep, not knowing what was in store the following day - I already ached.

I'm overweight, over 50 (but only just,) and was apprehensive. This was my first bootcamp, first fitness day and first organised group fitness activity since my aerobic heyday 30+ years ago. It was definitely time to be more active, but could I stand the pace?

The morning started with a measuring session and weigh-in for those that wanted and whose aim for the week was weightloss. I declined. Breakfast of scrambled egg, fried onions, mushrooms and peppers set us up for the first and warm-up session with Ross a great motivator, incredibly knowledgable and obviously fit, tanned (and good-looking, young) chap.

With short sharp bursts of exercise and rest, stretching and rest, being to talked to and encouraged constantly the first two hour session flew by. This was not as hard and much more fun than I'd imagined. But only the start. After a snack break of lemon-water and spicy roasted walnuts we were pretty warm in the late February sun and very warm after a circuit session with weights, squats, pulls, jumps, sprints and swings. All short bursts (that seemed longer than the rests) and with a countdown which was a great incentive to keep going and pushing yourself a bit harder (or not!)

Lunchtime was a welcome relief from sun, exercise and groaning. A chance to get to know the group a little better, chat about what we'd done and wonder what was in store for us after lunch. I learnt a lot about bootcamps (and how strict some are) from some other veterans around the table and felt very relieved that this and no other had been my first experience.

The afternoon also flew by, no worries needed about keeping up. The pace is your own, no pressure (unless Ross thought you weren't working enough) but lots of encouragement.

I'm not sure how I'd have coped staying for the active recovery day (although I did go for a 5km walk) because I was in agony the next day. Sitting down on the loo hurt! Getting off it again hurt! Hanging out the washing was noisy but survived I did. Enjoy it? Yes, I did. Would I do it again? Yes, definitely. It was fun, enlightening and best of all I (more or less) kept up.

Fun in the sun - go for it.

Aurora Bootcamp is more like home. Based in a lovely villa with lounge and dining area we all felt comfortable leaving personal items around and having bedrooms without locks on the doors. A great place to lose weight (I should have stayed longer) to get fitter.