If your idea of fitness boot camp is a drill sergeant barking orders to "drop and give me 50," you'd be wrong. This exercise trend, a favorite of Hollywood celebrities, incorporates intense physical workouts, done with a minimum of equipment, usually in an outdoor setting. While the workouts can be grueling and the instructors intense, the payoff comes not just from getting fit but taking charge of one's health.

“I (had) been wanting to do some kind of outdoor activity,” said Jennifer Lawson-Molinets, 34, who dropped 120 pounds over two years.

She enrolled in The Boot, a regimen developed by Jason Ventetuolo, a personal trainer from North County. In two months, she has lost another six pounds, whittled inches off her waist and decreased her body fat by 2 percent.

“I know a lot of people amazed at the results,” said Lawson-Molinets, a former resident of Encinitas who has since moved to Los Angeles.

PT basics

Physical readiness is a key requirement of all military personnel, so PT – slang for “physical training” – is a part of daily life for service members. That gritty, no-nonsense philosophy is at the core of fitness boot camps.

“Everything is affected by your physical health, your physical state,” said Ventetuolo, who began offering The Boot classes in February (for a schedule, go to igottheboot.com). “Obviously it's a little more aggressive than your regular routine. You get better results that way, but you work hard.”

Participants can expect boot-camp classes to be held outdoors, at locations such as the beach or parks, rain or shine. Sessions typically incorporate several types of exercise to benefit cardiovascular health, flexibility, strength and weight loss. Recruits include men and women of all ages and all fitness levels. “The workouts are totally scalable,” Ventetuolo said.

Gung-ho fun

“Being able to enjoy your workout is one of the hardest things for people,” said Ventetuolo, adding that many are attracted by the affordability and diversity of boot-camp workouts but then discover the joys of being outdoors and making new friends. Recruits arriving for one of Ventetuolo's evening classes at Stagecoach Park in Carlsbad prep by stretching or walking laps around the park. Beneath the friendly welcomes and good-natured complaining is a sense of determination.

For the next hour, every participant responds to Ventetuolo's commands and encouragement. The drill moves from stationary repetitions of crunches and lunges across the park's open space to weight training with kettle bells and intervals of fierce exertion. At the end of class, there are calls of “Good job” and “See you next week.”

Students walk away feeling healthy inside and out, Ventetuolo said.

“When you do what you know you're supposed to be doing for your body, there's a real sense of accomplishment, and that feels good.”

Enlist for active duty

There are several companies in San Diego County that offer fitness boot camps, and Google search results are a testament to the genre's increasing popularity. Women's-only and bridal boot camps are two popular programs. Most companies can accommodate differing fitness levels. Prices vary, averaging between $12 and $35 per session. San Diego's temperate climate makes boot camps accessible year-round, and participants need a minimal amount of equipment. Ventetuolo said new students are instructed to wear sunscreen, bring a mat or towel and water, and wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes.

For office-bound workers, the allure is breaking a sweat in the great outdoors. For stay-at-home moms, it's a way to connect with others. For those trying to lose weight, boot camps are a surefire way to break through plateaus.

Participants, across the board, garner satisfaction in meeting the physical and mental challenges of fitness boot camp. For Lawson-Molinets, going head-to-head with Ventetuolo is just one measure of success.

“I think making one change in your life carries over, and I think this is something everyone can do,” she said.

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