Hey guys, I’m looking for some input on something I’m considering.
Over the last month or two, I’ve been collecting kegs, tractor tires, regular tires, sledges, a few good logs, and I’ve even grabbed up a few 4 cylinder engine blocks.
What I’m looking to do with all this stuff I’ve been amassing is put together some alternative training bootcamps towards the end of summer. I’m going to rent a shelter at one of the local lakes and have different stations set up for different ‘events’. There will be tire flipping, sledge work, keg throws, keg lifts, block carries, sled pulls, log toss, and various other things.
After the sessions are done (I’m figuring on 90 minute sessions), I’ll have turkey burgers, buffalo burgers (found a guy locally who has fresh buffalo meat pretty much any time I want it), baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, and a few other healthy goodies.
What I would like to know from you guys is:
Does this sound like something you’d want to give a try if you had the opportunity?
What other ‘events’ would you be interested in?
What would you be willing to pay to have a day like this at the lake? Would $50-$75 be unreasonable?
I’ve always thought boot camps were lame. A friend of mine who didn’t even develop the business much just sold his interest in one for 10K, though, so obviously you can make some coin. You need to cater to women and overweight/douche bag types of guys.
If you’re in Missouri, it’s really not too helpful knowing what other people across the country would pay. Even where I live, where the cost of living is high, I think you’d have a really hard time getting $50.
Here’s the problem. You want to have “hard core” implements like kegs, tires, etc. But the type of people who would use those things are the ones who would mock your “boot camp.” Think about it. If you went into a serious powerlifting gym and started mentioning boot camps, you would literally get laughed out of the gym.
So I think you have things all screwed up and that you need to return to the drawing board.
If you want to start up a “boot camp,” determine what types of people go to these things. Then get the right equipment and exercises for those types of people.
I don’t know if I would go to one, but it doesn’t sound like a horribly lame or stupid idea. I just kinda want a buffalo burger, and if I got to go hang out with some people who were doing that too, and it only cost about 50 bucks for a whole day…I might do it.
There must be something horribly wrong with me because I couldn’t give a goddamn one way or another how “hardcore” I’d seem for going there. I know, I know, ridiculous. I must be crazy.
[quote]Deserteaglle wrote:
I don’t know if I would go to one, but it doesn’t sound like a horribly lame or stupid idea. I just kinda want a buffalo burger, and if I got to go hang out with some people who were doing that too, and it only cost about 50 bucks for a whole day…I might do it.[/quote]
Might is the key word here. Why are there no “Test Fests”? Because EVERYONE posts that they will go. But when it comes time to actually do it, no one shows. The world is populated with “might dos” like yourself.
Do you think, by giving false hopes OP, you are doing him a favor?
Telling someone his business venture is likely to fail is actually the polite thing to do. Unless you think encouraging someone to lose money is somehow kind or polite.
The OP has described a training regime that would interest a very narrow subset of people. Those same people who would be interested in the strong man type of training involved are actually the people least likely to attend one of these group love fests.
As it seems the OP is making money, I told him how. There IS money in boot camps. But not in boot camps directed at people who throw kegs and hit sledge hammers.
Some friends and I do something like this on Saturdays. Its GPP day, we head out to a park, throw stuff, hit stuff, drag stuff, and then head to Hooters for beer, burgers, boobs, and wings.
The gal behind stumptuous.com does something similar as well, though I don’t know if she makes any money off of it.
I know several marathoners/triatheletes who run (or began running) because the gym environment doesn’t appeal to them, and they fell in love with my sandbag on the first ‘date’. There are always weightlifters looking for something extra, and considering the number of Crossfit and Bodyweightculture fans out there, you could have a decent demographic to appeal to. Marketing would be your toughest obstacle.
[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Deserteaglle wrote:
I don’t know if I would go to one, but it doesn’t sound like a horribly lame or stupid idea. I just kinda want a buffalo burger, and if I got to go hang out with some people who were doing that too, and it only cost about 50 bucks for a whole day…I might do it.
Might is the key word here. Why are there no “Test Fests”? Because EVERYONE posts that they will go. But when it comes time to actually do it, no one shows. The world is populated with “might dos” like yourself.
Do you think, by giving false hopes OP, you are doing him a favor?
Telling someone his business venture is likely to fail is actually the polite thing to do. Unless you think encouraging someone to lose money is somehow kind or polite.
The OP has described a training regime that would interest a very narrow subset of people. Those same people who would be interested in the strong man type of training involved are actually the people least likely to attend one of these group love fests.
As it seems the OP is making money, I told him how. There IS money in boot camps. But not in boot camps directed at people who throw kegs and hit sledge hammers.[/quote]
Well you’re obviously right, there’s nothing else to say in the face of CaliforniaLaw logic.
If you check out the FAQ section on the Crossfit website (section 9, I think), they give some ideas about how to market the concept and how to be successful. They cite the ability to build relationships as a key. I tend to agree with this idea, as it seems true for any business. They mention that folks with a successful one on one personal training background and good interpersonal skills can succeed in a group training situation. They also say word of mouth is your most effective promotional tool.
I wonder, is this a one time only event? Is there an element of competition? Would there be prizes? Could you invite a featured guest with competitive experience? Or, would this happen in an ongoing fashion? This might influence how you promote your workout and how much you charge. Sounds cool.
I might do that as a one time thing, just for exposure to those events, but that would be way too much money to spend on a regular basis. Consider that most gyms are less than that per month.