| The first Dating Bootcamps teaching dating advice | | | | show. The show is basically a broadcast of the |
| for men appeared at the beginning of the century, | | | | experience of a bootcamp with the exception that |
| around 2001. | | | | the dating coach doesn't accompany them and gives |
| Surprisingly, while women have traditionally taken a | | | | them feedback afterwards based on video footage |
| much bigger interest in relationships books and | | | | captured by hidden cameras. The result, if more |
| magazines (browsing your nearest bookstore you will | | | | sophisticated, is the same. |
| see relationships as by far the biggest content area), | | | | Surprising Facts |
| bootcamps have been solely designed to help men | | | | As of January 2010 there were over 133 bootcamp |
| with their dating issues. It is the most popular form | | | | services. A number that has been growing fast. |
| of dating advice for men today. | | | | The prices of these bootcamps range from as little |
| What is a Dating Bootcamp? | | | | as $100 to over $10,000! |
| A coach will take one or more students under his | | | | Feedback on student satisfaction with dating |
| wing to mentor them typically during a weekend. He | | | | bootcamps varies widely according to the dating |
| will coach them with seminar content, where he | | | | company, dating coach, and sometimes the students |
| explains dating concepts and tactics, and then he will | | | | giving it. It ranges from "Absolutely life changing!" to |
| take them out into the real world so that they can | | | | "Complete waste of time". |
| practice. While they are practicing their skills in | | | | Women dating coaches have also begun to appear |
| meeting women in bars or just simply in coffee | | | | to provide dating advice for men, and are now |
| shops or other random places the dating guru | | | | running their own versions of dating bootcamps. In |
| observes them, and provides feedback afterwards. | | | | some of these the women (who are attractive) |
| He may even sometimes step into the interaction, | | | | accompany the men in the bootcamp to make them |
| and interrupt correcting the behavior subtly while the | | | | appear more attractive to other women. |
| conversation between the man and the woman | | | | Controversy and Fan Bases of the Dating Bootcamp |
| develops. | | | | There is a lot of controversy associated with dating |
| The bootcamp's essential component is the live | | | | bootcamps. Dating students tend to have strong |
| in-field training. This is what separates it from dating | | | | attachments to their favorite dating coaches and |
| seminars and other dating services that came before | | | | their methods. Students act as fans, and will put |
| it. Many students prefer the bootcamp for this | | | | down other bootcamps aggressively and you can find |
| reason, and are also more willing to pay higher prices. | | | | many arguments in forums on the internet about |
| It is assumed that because they will get to practice | | | | which bootcamps are the best and which are a |
| their skills in real situations, they will learn a lot more. | | | | waste of time. |
| The First Dating Bootcamp Coaches | | | | All the controversy and the biased information this |
| Amongst the first men to run these services were | | | | generates makes it difficult for men who are looking |
| David Wygant (upon which the film Hitch with Will | | | | for dating advice to choose between the dating |
| Smith was loosely based), Mystery (Erik Von | | | | bootcamp services. If you are considering a dating |
| Markovich) and Ross Jeffries (whom Tom Cruise's | | | | bootcamp, beware of listening to students who have |
| character in Magnolia is based on). Mystery led the | | | | very strong views (emotionally laden) about one |
| spread of the concept the widest when he started | | | | dating coach and his dating bootcamp or another. |
| his reality TV show "The Pick Up Artist". In the show | | | | Base your decision on the less emotionally laden |
| his students are shown to go out into the real world | | | | opinions or information you can find. |
| and try their hand at skills he has taught them on the | | | | |