Things You'll Need:
- Fitness attire
- Cross-training shoes
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Step 1
Jog in place. Boot camp classes are full of intense, high-impact moves such as jumping jacks, jump squats and push-ups. While jogging will keep your heart rate elevated, it will also help return it to a neutral, steady zone. Do this for 2 to 4 minutes.
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Step 2
March in place. Once your heart rate has stabilized from the steady jogging, you can take it down a notch. As you march, you'll notice your heart rate will come down even more.
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Step 3
Continue marching until your heart rate reaches its cool down rate. This is 50 to 65 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you wear a heart rate monitor, you'll be able to gauge your workout much better and cool down more efficiently. If you don't, perform a simple heart rate test by counting your heart beats for 15 seconds. Multiply that number by 4 to calculate your beats per minute.
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Step 4
Breathe deeply and evenly as you cool down. During high-intensity exercise, your breaths tend to be short and quick. Slow, controlled breathing will help to slow your heart rate and help your body recover.
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Step 5
Drink cool water. You undoubtedly sweat a lot during your boot camp class so it's important to rehydrate.
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Step 6
Stretch your upper body. You should keep your head above your heart until your heart rate has returned to its normal level. As you stretch your neck, shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest and back, your head should remain erect.
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Step 7
Perform lower-body stretches. You can perform these either standing or sitting, depending on the stretches you prefer. Stretch your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves and core muscles.
