A few months in, we’re seeing exactly what ways to keep fit have taken on this year. If the shiny excitement of those New Year’s resolutions has rubbed off but you are truly committed to that health-related goal, the hottest exercise trends might be for you. Let the spring sunshine motivate you to try out one or a combination of these techniques to keep going strong:
Group training
Defined as organized exercise in groups of five or more, the joint fun and accountability factors of getting together can really help out the health factor, physically and mentally. You can do any physical activity with a group of friends or strangers to get the best of that group energy high. You may not even have to meet in-person: live group exercise online is a hot trend that meets the needs of people with busy schedules in diverse places. Get a little help from your friends, we say!
Two very distinct trends this year are no surprise because they consistently rank high on the charts:
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT is the newest interpretation on old exercise wisdom: by changing the speed or intensity of your activity every few minutes, you change your heart rate, which keeps your body attentive when it would otherwise get too used to the rhythm of a mono-speed activity. This strategy makes it easy to get a good workout in no matter what you do and see results - fast - even with shorter workouts.
Yoga
Yoga truly is its own culture as a philosophy and exercise program rolled into one. It’s now so well-known across the globe that yoga practices have diversified and specialized into lots of small groups catering to varied specific interests. That means it’s easy to find classes that fit your schedule, lifestyle and interests.
Other trends focus on specific techniques or training programs to develop overall fitness:
Acrogym
Put some art into the way you move. Short for “acrobatic gymnastics”, acrogym is the hottest new way to feel the burn. It’s great for kids in terms of flexibility and balance and it’s also the perfect fitness complement for adults with a flair for performance. Acrogym develops and demands some serious core stability and often means working with others (group training!), strengthening muscle and lengthening stamina through sustained poses, and tops, what a gorgeous way to work out!
Crossfit
This brand has made it huge on a global scale with a track record of intense results, turning out athletic bodies. The brand’s success incorporates a dual focus on comprehensive workout and a nutrition plan. Crossfit simultaneously meets individual needs directly with trainers while bringing everyone together in fun and fierce competition. They have been truly successful at sparking the fire of excitement and creating support communities whose powerful, positive glows aren’t fading any time soon.
Bodyweight exercise
What simpler exercise solution could there be than to use your own body? Instead of acquiring equipment, bodyweight exercises use your own strength and isometric resistance to get fit for free, indoors or outdoors. In our opinion, this technique can actually be more intense than working with weights because you’ve got no choice but to develop those muscles; here, perfect technique is everything.
Ballet Fit
This new fitness plan is based on ballet training for a long, graceful silhouette with the powerful lower body and tight core that come with it. Ballet fit incorporates Pilates exercises, another time-honored fitness regimen, that was, in fact, developed as a training program for ballerinas. Offering both intense technique and the fun of dance, don’t expect this trend to disappear any time soon.
Senior Fitness & Exercise Programs
The influx of older generations into organized fitness programs is a clear reflection of the importance of staying active at all ages. With a special focus on functional fitness, programs geared to the aging and elderly help participants retain their physical and mental abilities for longer and stave off the health problems brought on by sedentarism and aging. Exercise as medicine to cure and prevent disease is not just a buzzword; it’s had very real results, and let’s not overlook the social aspect. On the other hand, the specialized knowledge and skills of properly-trained fitness professionals are particularly important to these programs.
Apps & wearables
We’ve raved about it and tried them all. Whether it’s the treadmill screen or a wearable device that measures, fitness technology is here to stay, making it even easier to know if you’re really reaching your heart rate, distance, duration goals. They give you a very concrete sense of the day-to-day effects of your movement and nutrition for a big boost in motivation.
Let us know about your experience: which trend do you like best?
