One of the best things about my job is that I get to be at the forefront of fitness. I’m constantly learning about cool trends and news, and I must say that 2014 is a ridiculously awesome time in the era of fitness and general wellness. So for all you out there making personal declarations to get fit in 2014, I’d definitely check out these 6 trends as a means to that end.
In fact, there are so many more fitness trends I’d like to share (and in the near future I’ll be doing just that), but for right now, let’s kick things off with a rundown of my first 6 must try fitness trends of 2014.
1. Wearable fitness trackers
Wearable fitness devices have become all the rage, and as technology continues to advance, I can’t wait to see how these neat little fitness trackers and biofeedback devices will evolve. Personally, I’m a big fan of trackers like FitBit (as some of you may have noticed from my Instagram pics), and I highly recommend fitness trackers to anyone who wants valuable daily feedback about their activity levels and fitness progress. And here’s a bonus: Many fitness trackers enable you to sync with other users thereby creating a virtual community where you can interact for things like moral support and fun fitness challenges.
2. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
When it comes to getting in shape, a very good rule of thumb is to “train smarter, not longer.” Which is why shorter and more intense workouts like HIIT and Tabata are blowin’ up. Moreover, workouts like HIIT and Tabata are a growing trend because studies have shown that these short, intense workouts− usually lasting 30 minutes or less− are much more efficient at calorie burn when compared to long bouts of steady state cardio.
Learn How to Burn Fat Faster With High Intensity Interval Training
3. Yoga hybrids and mash-ups
If you’ve ever popped your head into a yoga class and thought, “Meh, that’s sooooo vanilla”, you may want to rethink that sentiment. Yoga, which is based on an ancient tradition of postures, breathing, and meditation, has exploded into a wide array of styles like flow yoga, hot yoga, and power yoga, not to mention naked yoga and marijuana yoga (yes, you read that right). In addition, some studios are now offering yoga combo classes with interesting mash-ups like Spin-Yoga, Pilates-Yoga, TRX-Yoga, and Crossfit-Yoga.
4. Eucalyptus steam rooms
If you’re a fan of both saunas and aromatherapy, you’ll definitely want to put this at the top of your must-try fitness list. Words really can’t describe a eucalyptus steam session, so you’ll just need to experience it for yourself. But what I will say is from detoxing to de-stressing, eucalyptus steam rooms will totally transform your perception of the gym locker room as somewhere that’s “shower shoes mandatory,” to somewhere you’ll actually want to lounge and linger around.
5. Kettlebell workouts
Kettlebell workouts are one of the hottest fitness trends right now, and they’re a must-have in many of my training protocols, whether I’m trying to improve strength or decrease body fat.
Fit Fact: A study by the American Council on Exercise found that using moderate to heavy kettlebells (12, 16, or 20 kgs relative to the lifter’s gender, size and experience level) could burn 20.2 calories per minute. To put that into more appreciable terms, that kind of calorie burn is comparable to jogging at six miles per hour or biking at 15 miles per hour!
6. TRX
TRX proves that a tough workout doesn’t require fancy, complicated or space hogging equipment. In its most basic sense, TRX is comprised of two highly-portable, adjustable straps that can be hung from a variety of sturdy, elevated surfaces, like a mounted bar or a door frame. Once set up, TRX simply uses your bodyweight to construct a wide array of cardio and strength building workouts. Also, because TRX relies solely on an individual’s bodyweight for resistance, exercises can be easily manipulated to fit a variety of exercise levels- from beginner to advanced.
And that wraps up my first 6 must try fitness trends of 2014! What do you think of the above fitness trends? Have you tried them, will you try them? – Doc
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