Top New Fitness Trends To Pay Attention To
Every few months it seems like there is a new workout, diet or piece of fitness gear that has caught everyone’s eye. The latest fitness trends are debated around the water cooler at work and discussed among your friends at home. Trying to keep up with the constantly changing fitness trends can seem like a full time job, especially if you are also trying to see if they live up to their hype.
To make sure that you are up on the latest trends and know which ones might be worth paying attention to, here are a few of our favorites. Who knows, maybe one of these fitness trends will be just what you need to reach your goals.
Top New Trend in Exercise
This exercise isn’t really new, it was introduced in 2011 by Tim Anderson co-founder of Original Strength. The human education company is promoting crawling as the “new plank”.
The argument for this exercise is that unilateral strength is improved simultaneously in the arms and legs during crawling, and this promotes a healthy gait for walking and running. A proper gait can dramatically decrease an athlete’s risk for certain injuries, and this is always a bonus. When adults include “crawling exercises” in their workout plans it is thought that they can improve their gait, which in turn can enhance their mobility.
If you are like many adults and just don’t see yourself crawling around on the floor at your local gym or even at home, don’t worry you can still get the benefits from this exercise.
The point of “crawling” is to work your joints through their full range of motion, and this is what you are doing in most Yoga and Pilates workout classes. Fitness experts expect to see these types of workout programs continue to increase in popularity, especially now that there are some geared especially towards men.
Best New Time to Workout
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) listed walking among the top new fitness trends, and many millennials are foregoing their vehicles and using their feet. Biking to work is also a popular fitness trend that has been around for years.
Millennials living in larger cities often find it impractical to own a car, along with simply being too expensive. Instead of taking public transportation or even carpooling with co-workers, many are using the commute to get in their daily cardio workout. Studies have shown that just twenty minutes of cardio exercise a day is enough to prevent many heart related problems.
Walking and biking are both excellent forms of cardio, and are definitely better for the environment than driving or riding in a vehicle.
There’s a New Trend in Rest Days
One of the biggest trends over the last couple of years has been the importance of “rest” days. If you have ever participated in a CrossFit or other grueling advanced workout program than you know how sore and tired you feel after a routine. Rest and recovery days are absolutely necessary, and chances are something that you look forward to.
This year’s trend is taking rest and recovery days to an entirely new level.
Not only are fitness enthusiasts posting pictures of their workouts on social media, but their rest days as well. This is because there is an increased interest and popularity in a variety of recuperative therapies. Cryotherapy, halotherapy and hydrotherapy are a few that are getting noticed, along with specialized “nap classes”.
Sales in recovery pillows and mattresses are also expected to increase as more people realize the importance of developing good sleep patterns for their overall health.
Experienced trainers also expect to see the popularity continue to increase in mind and body workout programs where rest and recovery periods are standard.
A New Trend in Training
“Intuitive eating” was a popular diet fad several years ago, and now it is becoming a popular exercise trend. While “intuitive eating” focused on listening to the needs of the body and choosing foods accordingly, there is a little more structure when it is applied to exercise.
If you are using “intuitive training” you are still following a workout program, only now you are listening to your body before you start the daily routine. If your body is telling you that the day’s scheduled HIIT workout is too strenuous, you might want to shift over to a low cardio exercise instead. While this can help prevent some injuries, this new training trend does come with disadvantages.
Since you are “listening” to your body, chances are you aren’t committing to just one workout plan. This can make it difficult for you to get the results you are hoping to achieve. Switching back and forth between various workout programs will make it difficult for you to actually target the areas you are trying to improve.
It is also really easy to start using your body as an excuse to not workout. If your body “tells” you it is too tired pretty soon you’ll find that you aren’t exercising at all.
Experienced trainers recommend choosing a few workout programs that are geared to produce similar results, and pick the one that best suits your body’s needs that day. This way you can still be a part of this latest workout trend and still get results.
Online Workouts are the Newest Trend
You can now find apps for every type of workout. Online training and virtual studios are online 24 hours a day, seven days of weeks, and the same goes for personal fitness instructors. Some of the popular media outlets where you can get in your daily exercise by yourself or with others include Snapchat, Facebook Live, YouTube and even Instagram.
Some classes and workout programs are free of charge and open to everyone, while others require a fee before you can participate.
Many experienced trainers are also taking advantage of this new platform, and using it to expand their client base. If it is almost impossible for you to schedule regular workouts in at the gym this might be the perfect way for you to ensure that you are meeting your fitness goals.
The New Trend in Fitness Vacations
Vacations are no longer just trips where you get away to relax and unwind. Now people want to improve their mental and physical health when they are away from home. Life altering experiences made popular in movies about personal betterment are the latest trend when it comes to vacations.
Wellness retreats of all kinds are opening across the nation. According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism is increasing at a rate twice as fast as those traveling for pleasure. With wellness resorts offering everything from horseback riding, cycling and walking to body detoxifying spas, there is a vacation retreat design to meet everyone’s health needs.
While a wellness vacation can help you improve yourself mentally and physically, they can be more expensive than some common pleasure trips.
A New Trend in Boutique Fitness
Boutique fitness clubs are popular with a large number of exercise enthusiasts. Their small classes are a welcome change for many people that are uncomfortable working out at a crowded gym, and the personal attention from the trainers is another reason for the continued popularity of these exercise studios.
The only downside to boutique fitness studios is that their classes can be expensive.
Top Trend in Wearables
Fitbit, the Apple Watch, Garmin and other “wearables” are literally everywhere. Simply by pressing a button you can track everything from the number of steps taken and calories burned to your pulse and heart rate. Being able to monitor these different aspects makes it easier for you to track your progress through the workout.
The latest trend in wearables is that they are now even “smarter” and this has some fitness experts referring to them as “awareables”. Technology has made it possible for these devices to be even more aware of your body’s physiology. With more data being gathered throughout your workout or on your movements throughout the day you’ll find it easier to meet your daily fitness goals.
One wearable rapidly gaining attention with fitness enthusiasts are earbuds. Lightweight, convenient and comfortable to wear, they are already popular workout accessories. The latest earbuds now track almost every aspect of your workout, and provide you with helpful advice in real time. It is just like having a personal trainer with you throughout your exercise routine.
Are the New Fitness Trends Worth It?
When it comes to deciding if the latest gadgets and workout trends are worth paying attention to, it really is up to you. What works great for one person might not necessarily be the right choice for you. One of the other fitness trends is the use of an experienced trainer, and this is something that can be beneficial for anyone.
They can help you create a workout plan that is perfect for your level of fitness and designed with your goals in mind. A certified fitness trainer can also recommend some of the latest trends, and advise you on the ones that might not help you reach your goals.
Whether you decide to stick with your regular exercise routine or try one of the top fitness trends should be entirely your decision. Before you do start or try anything new it is always best to first speak with your primary health care provider.