There are some pretty far out fitness trends out there like pogo jogging, popularized by Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, spotted bouncing about on the low-impact boots on Miami Beach. If you are looking for a more accessible way to be fashionably fit try these hot fitness trends according to personal trainers, health experts and other fitness fans like you.
Zumba. This latin dance fitness craze is not just a fad according to the American College of Sports Medicine, which predicted Zumba as one of the top 20 fitness trends of 2012. The workouts incorporating salsa, soca and samba dance moves have gained more than mass appeal and gone global with 110,000 classes in more than 250 countries.
Workplace Wellness. More and more companies are embracing better employee health with gym membership discounts or fitness challenges and programs. Since studies show that exercise can reduce stress and improve mood, this trend benefits employers seeking more productive workers and employees seeking a healthier work environment.
Professional Functional Training. This type of training is meant to build strength for real-life, everyday activities, whether you are a golf player who wants to improve your swing or a mom who wants to build strength to carry the kids or the groceries. More trainers will be evaluating clients and designing specialized programs for the type of strength their clients want to build. And, according to the American Council on Exercise, more people will be turning to trainers for individual fitness attention and healthy lifestyle advice in 2012.
Technology. Fitness is following all the latest trends in technology and finding its way onto tablets, smartphones and other digital devices. You can download workouts to your iPad, join a weight-loss program and track calories online or work up a sweat via a gaming device in your living room. With more and more apps and newer models of the latest gadgets, technology promises to play an even bigger role in your fitness routine.
Hula Hooping. You’ve seen First Lady Michelle Obama hula hooping it up to promote kids’ health and celebs like Beyonce, Marisa Tomei and Liv Tyler have incorporated the hula hoop in their workouts. But this isn’t the same hula hoop from your childhood games, this one is weighted, moving slower around your waist and burning more calories per minute than step aerobics, boot camp or a brisk walk, according to an American Council on Exercise study. Hooping can improve balance and flexibility, while improving arm, abdominal and back strength. If you can swivel a hoop 142 times in one effort as done by the First Lady, you are bound for a slimmer waist in no time.
