There are thousands of ways to keep fit, from team sports to individual workouts. For health fanatics and those looking to get fit,a lot of common activities can soon become a bit dull or, be unappealing to have a go at.
Thankfully there are people out there always thinking of fresh and exciting fitness activities, whether to push themselves even further or just for a different, more fun way to improve their health. Here are some of the newest fitness trends for 2016 that focus on cardio, strength and all round health.
Obstacle Course Training
With events like Tough Mudder growing in stature and other extreme outdoor obstacle courses becoming ever more popular, it’s little surprise training sessions dedicated to them have been developed. There are some military style courses and specially designed outdoor training runs which are open for training sessions if you want to practise before entering the main event. Or these provide a good mix of cardio and strength exercises in a fun manner.
Competitive Fitness Classes
For some people, finding the motivation to get active can be a struggle if there’s no competition involved. The general spin class can greatly improve fitness levels but some would rather see the stats than just feel good. Competitive fitness classes such as the recently developed Orange Theory, display workout data on screens during and after sessions, so you can see the live effects of your workout and how you compare to others. Certain ones include a leader board as competition is a major part of the class.
High Tech Home Workouts
The advancements in technology have seen home workouts almost replace the need to go to a gym in many cases. With apps like SuperBody that allow you to input data about your lifestyle to receive a personalised training and nutrition plan, to exercise bikes that are linked up to online streams of spin classes so you can get involved from your living room, this new flurry of technology doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon.
Animal Flow
A unique exercise class that you could replicate at home, Animal Flow is a mix of gymnastics, parkour, capoeira and more. It essentially gets you moving low to the ground like an animal, inspired by the movements of creatures from the jungle. That may sound like fun (though it may look a bit odd practising outside by yourself) but at the end you’re bound to be dripping in sweat having worked out muscles you never knew existed.