These days, fitness is about so much more than just pumping iron, hitting the treadmill or performing aerobics exercises to a Daniel Bedingfield track. We live in an age where originality is key and there are many unconventional fitness trends out there – so let us narrow them down.
Here are Insure4Sport’s top 7 fitness trends of 2017. You might want to try some of these with your clients – and if they go down a treat, thank us later!
1. Water-based HIIT workouts
When doing short bursts of high intensity exercises, most people will ‘hiit’ the gym (sorry). More recently, though, HIIT workouts have moved from land to water. Because pool-based exercise is weightless, this allows participants to work their body’s core muscles in different ways.
A far cry from the aqua aerobics group your parents did on holiday, these classes include timed sprints, planks, aquajogging, jumping jacks and squat jumps. These workouts can be performed with or without equipment – the choice is yours.
2. Dance fitness classes in the dark
We’ve all heard the Bruce Springsteen classic ‘Dancing In The Dark’, but who would’ve thought that people would actually try it as part of an exercise routine? Well, it’s really catching on across the world – dance fitness classes with the lights down are an ideal way of losing your inhibitions and exercising in a judgement-free environment.
Sydney-based No Lights No Lycra is among those pioneering the movement. Dance fitness classes are also hugely popular this side of the world, as we highlighted in a recent blog.
3. Exercises for the elderly
The percentage of the UK population aged 65 or older is growing all the time. Not only are there are an increasing number of over-65s alive today, they’re fitter and more active than ever before. This is most likely down to the fitness revolution led by the baby boomers who were born between 1946 and 1964.
As a result, more personal trainers and fitness instructors are creating exercise classes which are tailored to this ageing population.
These classes are aimed at improving balance and lowering muscle deterioration and fracture risk.
There are even instructional workout videos for elderly people on YouTube:
However, it is extremely important to cover yourself in the event of an unfortunate injury. Insure4Sport offers sport liability insurance if a client injures themselves following your advice or instruction.
4. Wearable technology you can take anywhere
Fitness trackers are the literal definition of wearing your heart on your sleeve. It’s not just your heart rate they track, either – they can allow you to monitor various aspects of your day-to-day activities, including step count, sleep quality and calories burned.
Their ability to provide such granular levels of detail may explain why more than 100 million wearable fitness trackers were sold in 2016. You can even get activity trackers in the form of smartwatches and lightweight bands, so don’t feel like you have to compromise on style to wear one! Click here to read up on some of the most popular fitness trackers right now.
5. Boutique group rowing
Going back and forth on a rowing machine in a gym can be a lonely and repetitive experience. However, this preconception is becoming a thing of the past, thanks to a surge in boutique rowing classes.
These are designed to make you feel like you’re taking part in a real Boat Race and the focus is on speed, strength and competition.
The Metabolic London fitness studio in Camden is spearheading boutique group rowing – its Meta-Row class, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, is aimed at groups of 16, in two teams of eight. Quite simply, there’s nowhere to hide… which in the context of exercise can only be a good thing for keeping you going.
While we’re not suggesting you start investing in more rowing machines – why not use boutique group rowing as an inspiration to get more competitive with your clients?
6. Multi-sensory yoga
Yoga is designed to expand your mind through breathing and stretching – but the mind is set to expand even further thanks to multi-sensory yoga, an innovative trend in the exercise world. Special studios have separate themed spaces in them – promoting a different ‘head-space’ in each to maximise the effect.
Two of the most popular multi-sensory yoga studios are in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. Each called ‘Humming Puppy’, these use ‘immersive’ experiences, including music and lights, to get the most out of each class.
7. Hybrid exercises for the body and mind
2017 is the year of hybrid workouts – which promise to challenge the status quo around exercise. Instead of settling for one type of exercise, you can combine several. Instead of just improving your physical health, you can combine this with a focus on mindfulness and mental health.
Whether it’s kickboxing followed by meditation, or HIIT mixed with pilates, there’s something for everyone in 2017. This article lists some of London’s most popular combination classes. Want to really challenge your clients? Mix it up!
Sharing or perhaps even testing out these fitness trends with your clients might be just the thing they need to kickstart the rest of their year. However, should they sustain an injury or encounter any unexpected mishaps following your instructions, it’s essential you have Public Liability insurance, to guard against legal fees and more.
Insure4Sport offers a flexible insurance policy which is tailored to your requirements. So, what are you waiting for? Get an instant online quote today and discover how affordable peace of mind can be.
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