Fitness fads come and go, but if you’re bored with the same old routine, many are at least worth trying to break the monotony and help keep you motivated and meeting those important regular exercise goals!
Mud runs
Signing up for almost any type of race is a great way to get motivated to become more fit, and theme races like mud runs, including the Tough Mudder and Dirty Girl Runs, have recently become popular fitness trends.
Not only do they encourage fitness, but they give participants a chance to play in the mud. These obstacle races are definitely not your typical 5K – they include things like wall climbs, wading through freezing water, and crawling through mud pits.
For those who want a new challenge and are ready to push themselves, they’re a fun and competitive way to burn calories. The caveat is that if you’re not in good physical shape already, you may need to up your fitness level first, as you’ll need lots of strength and stamina in order to finish.
Trampoline workouts
Trampoline workouts aren’t just for kids. They’ve become a popular way to get an intense workout, especially with indoor trampoline parks around the country offering trampoline classes that combine strength-building aerobics, calisthenics and core exercises.
You don’t have to take a class if there isn’t a park near you – just jumping on a mini-trampoline, or rebounding as it’s technically referred to, offers a great low-impact cardio workout that helps boost muscle tone and balance, as well as burning 160 calories per 30 minutes. Not only is it an amazing workout, it’s great fun.
Flywheel
Flywheel is an indoor cycling experiencing that’s been gaining momentum for a while, and it seems that the trend is only becoming more popular, with a number of celebrities like Jessica Alba and Sofia Vergara also loving it. This fitness fad may be here to stay – it’s definitely a step up from standard spinning or cycling, with lots of climbs and descents while also working the arms with weighted bars.
Each studio offering the classes features bikes that are set up in stadium-style seating with theater lighting that dims, helping riders to tune out to-do lists and focus on the workout. Popular, heart-pounding tunes are choreographed for each workout to help make the time go by quickly.
While flywheeling can be extremely challenging, a very effective overall workout and even great fun, classes aren’t cheap – expect to pay $25 to $30 a class.
Dance fusion
Zumba used to be everything, but now danced-based fitness has grown into a whole new subset of classes – like Doonya and GROOV3. Doonya is an intense dance workout to Bollywood music, working your entire body, while GROOV3 is a hip-hop inspired workout created by choreographer and performer Ben Allen, who has performed at the American Music Awards. It’s a fun class filled with cardio funk for all ages and abilities.
Barre workouts are especially popular in Hollywood, with stars like Zooey Deschanel and Natalie Portman loving The Booty Barre, which combines techniques from dance, Pilates and yoga that help to tone, lengthen and define the entire body. It was developed by celebrity fitness expert Tracey Mallett.
Which fitness fad will you try? No matter which you choose, just keep moving for better health!
-The Alternative Daily