Want to strut your stuff on the beach — without looking like something that washed ashore? These boot camps will have you tight and toned in time for summer. 
STRATTON FITNESS: SOUTH BOSTON BOOT CAMP
Great for: Getting fit fast
Motto: Love your body, love yourself
Cost: $119 for four weeks, three classes per week
Set your alarm: Class starts at 6:15 a.m.
Where to meet: The corner of East Broadway and Farragut Road in South Boston
Lead trainer: Victoria Stratton
What you’ll get: A quick, intense workout. These 45-minute “express” classes are perfect for time-crunched trainees. And Stratton is a natural-born cheerleader: “I encourage people and pump them up, making them feel really positive,” she says. Classes work your whole body, incorporating cardio, elements of Pilates and yoga, obstacle courses, and weights. “You might find us doing the inchworm down Beacon Street!” she laughs.
Special feature: Switching between medium and high intensity, Statton alternates cardio and strength training in a circuit interval style. Those unused to exercise “will definitely feel sore at first,” she warns.
Sign up: www.strattonfitness.com, 617.378.1706
BOSTON ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP FOR WOMEN
Great for: Ladies tired of the treadmill
Motto: Always ask your body to do new things
Cost: $199 per month for three classes per week, $299 for five classes per week
Set your alarm: Class starts at 5:30 a.m.
Where to meet: Warren School Field, 311 Chestnut Street, Wellesley
Lead trainer: Andy Maus
What you’ll get: An eclectic workout. Maus incorporates strength training, cardio, and anaerobic work, plus “field trips” like hiking through the woods. “You’ll never see the same workout twice,” he says. Classes grow more intense throughout the program.
Special feature: This is a woman-only camp with a focus on nutrition. Trainees are issued a nutrition kit and can consult with a nutritionist.
Sign up: www.bostonbootcamp.com, 617.830.1672
ULTIMATE BOOTCAMP
Great for: Sporty types looking for like-minded pals
Motto: Work hard, play hard
Cost: $229–$279 for four weeks, four classes per week
Set your alarm: Class generally begins at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m.
Where to meet: Seven locations in Metro Boston
Lead trainers: Jill Tomich and Peter Lavelle
What you’ll get: A new bod — and new pals. “We push people as far as they will go, sometimes a little bit further,” says Tomich. The tough workouts help participants forge strong connections outside class. “They go skiing together or to the Cape,” she says.
Special feature: Students bond through wacky drills, like wheelbarrow races and commando crawls through the mud.
Sign up: www.ultimatebootcamp.com, 617.787.1224
AIR PERSONAL FITNESS
Great for: Free spirits who want to meld mind and body
Motto: Fitness is a hobby, not a chore
Cost: $199 for four weeks, three classes per week
Set your alarm: Class begins at 6:30 a.m. for women and 7:15 a.m. for gay men
Where to meet: The Hatch Shell
Lead trainer: Jaylin Allen
What you’ll get: A comfort zone. Air Personal Fitness runs boot camp classes for two demographics: women and gay men. “I want people to be entirely comfortable, without other drama,” says Allen. The emphasis is on camaraderie and well-being, with attention paid to nutrition and core strength.
Special feature: Allen runs a charity drop-in boot camp on Saturday mornings. A $15 suggested donation goes to FANtastic Kids, a local children’s fitness program.
Sign up: www.airpersonalfitness.com, 617.869.8786
FITBOOT
Great for: An authentic boot-camp workout
Motto: Discipline, structure, accountability, results
Cost: $375 for six weeks, five classes per week
Set your alarm: Class starts at 7 a.m.
Where to meet: Sherborn Street footbridge, near Kenmore Square
Lead trainers: Charla McMillian and Heather Ryder
What you’ll get: Intense military-style training designed by a former Marine Corps officer (McMillian) and led by a wrestling and aikido champ (Ryder). There’s no crying, no coaxing, and no hand holding; “recruits” are put through a demanding repertoire of calisthenics, weight training, and running … rain or shine.
Special feature: Combat-style drills in a small class setting — each class has no more than 15 students.
Sign up: www.fitboot.com, 877.348.2668
