It promises to be an interesting year ahead for the fitness industry. We’ll see the continuation of some popular trends, and the emergence of some more unconventional ones.
Here are just a few of the fitness trends we predict will take the world by storm in 2018.
Yoga
There are so many reasons yoga remains a firm favourite among fitness fanatics – it’s relaxing, it tones the entire body and it improves core strength.
Over the years, it has undergone some variations over the years to retain its popularity, and this seems set to continue in 2018.
Whether it’s laughing yoga, power yoga or yoga wheel workouts (see above), there’s some form of yoga for everyone this year.
Trampolining
In the words of House of Pain, another of this year’s big fitness trends is to “jump around” – only this time, on a trampoline.
Research has shown that bouncing on a trampoline is 68% more effective than jogging, and it requires less effort! It’s also a great way of developing upper and lower body strength, improving balance and coordination and releasing endorphins.
With trampolining parks popping up all over the UK, why not revisit your younger years and give this trend a try!
Barre classes
A civilised dance class might not be the first thing you think of when you’re looking to burn some calories. However, barre completely disproves this idea.
Such are barre’s wide-ranging health benefits that a Florida couple lost nearly 9 stone between them from the ballet-inspired workout.
Results like this, while incredible, are not so surprising when you consider how many muscle groups dancing targets. In short, if you want a lean, strong physique, go to a few barre classes.
LIIT (Low Intensity Interval Training)
While High Intensity interval training will no doubt continue as a trend in 2018, LIIT is hot on its heels.
Rather than focusing on short, sharp bursts of exercise followed by short recovery periods, LIIT involves slower intensity workouts followed by a longer recovery time – for example, a 90-second jog on the treadmill followed by a walking recovery of three to five minutes.
As it’s less hardcore than other types of exercise, LIIT is ideal for fitness novices, and it’s just as effective as more intense workouts for weight loss. What’s not to love?
Passive recovery
Effective post-workout recovery is arguably just as important as a workout itself – and while passive recovery is not a new phenomenon, it will undergo something of a resurgence in 2018. In a nutshell, passive recovery involves doing almost nothing, as opposed to active recovery, which involves stretching and low-intensity exercises.
Cryotherapy, a form of passive recovery which works by surrounding the body with a cold -150°C mist for 1-3 minutes, will become even bigger in 2018, as will infrared saunas.
Ultimately, if passive recovery is good enough for Victoria’s Secret models and Olympic athletes, it’s good enough for us!
Wearable technology
Like yoga and passive recovery, this is a trend which has been around for a while and, at this rate, it will be around for a while longer.
Garmin’s newest model, the Forerunner 645 Music, looks like being one of the most popular pieces of wearable technology this year. Not only does it offer 500 songs worth of local music storage, it features a wrist-based heart rate monitor which analyses exercise history and performance indicators to help you reach your goals.
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