The Weirdest, the (Soon-to-Be) Past and the (Near) Future Fitness Trends: An Overview

Fitness Trends!

We’re about to say goodbye to 2014, but before we do that, let’s discuss the weirdest fitness trends of this year as well as what made it to the top five list, and then touch on the newest (but not actually the weirdest fitness trends predicted for 2015).

Weirdest Exercise Trends 2014

According to an SMH article, entitled “The six weirdest fitness trends of  2014” written by Michael Jarosky, a personal trainer in Sydney Central Business District, the fitness and health business is continuously reinventing itself, even if the basics of a fit and healthy lifestyle are almost the same. In the article, he listed his six ‘weirdest’ fitness trends 2014. Do you agree?

  1. Prancercise
  2. Barefoot running
  3. Naked Yoga
  4. Gojjing
  5. Anti-gravity yoga
  6. Oil pulling

These sound weird for him but not necessarily for those who have tried any of the regimes. Anyway, they can be beneficial in one way or another to other fitness enthusiasts but does not necessarily apply to all people. You judge!

After that, let’s now move on to our next section, but this time talk about the ones that millions do for their fitness programs. Let’s get started.

The American College of Sports Medicine, a reputable fitness authority all over the United States and in the world, released its list of the top exercise trends for this year, and here is a brief overview of them. Sad enough, Pilates and Zumba were outdated so no longer made it to the list.

In this survey with 3,800 respondents composed of exercise physiologists, trainers and fitness professionals, the top fitness trends are high intensity interval training, body weight training, including gym class style, old school, planks and pull-ups, strength training, functional exercise and group personal training programs.

A Brief about the American College of Sports Medicine

…Is the most respected and largest sport medicine and exercise science organization with over 50,000 regional, national and international members composed of certified fitness professionals and experts for integrating and advancing scientific research in providing practical and educational applications for sports and science medicine.

About the Annual Fitness Trends Survey

Now on its ninth year of conducting research and survey of the most used and well-sought after fitness trends, the Worldwide Survey Fitness Trends 2015 has came up with not-so surprising results. So, here are the top 10 trends driving the fitness industry and market next year:

Top 10 Fitness Trends 2015, Survey Says…

  1. Body Weight Training appeals for most individuals and groups because of ease of exercise and requiring little to no machine or tool resistance at all but the body. It does not only require minimal equipment use but also very economical and now very popular for gym classes, composed of planks, pushups, pull-ups, squats and lunges.
  2. HIIT or high intensity interval training makes it to the second spot next year. This type of workout is performed in less than 30 minutes working best for people with a busy schedule but want to lose weight or improve endurance and stamina for sports and daily functions.
  3. Certified fitness professionals are no surprise and remained at third for next year. Because of high demand, employment of licensed fitness trainers is predicted to grow at a rate of 24 percent between 2010 and 2020.
  4. Strength training, a popular fitness regime appealing to almost all types of markets, including seniors, rehab patients, fitness seekers and sports players, is at number four! People train for strength to enhance overall body power and physical appearance. Certainly, weight training will remain strong and will keep on impressing fitness enthusiasts for the positive results it offers.
  5. Personal training is the solution sought after by most fitness seekers, not mentioning that the government recently allows the licensing of personal trainers in states, including the Washington DC, New Jersey, California, Georgia and Massachusetts, among others. Right now, personal trainers play an important part in established and startup fitness centers, as demand from trainees rises even further.
  6. Exercise and weight loss, an all-time trend, has made it to #6 for next year. Why not? Obesity cases in the United States are a prevalent condition and if it will continue to keep its pace, it is predicted that 75 percent of American adults and about 24 percent of adolescents and children will be overweight by 2015.
  7. Yoga, with forms including Ashtanga, Sivanada and Kundalini, lands at the seventh spot. Every year, this fitness regime seems to reinvent itself and comes out with various styles making it very exciting for mothers and women looking to lose weight, especially after birth.
  8. Older adult fitness programs cater to the baby boomers, people in the retirement age, because as they grow old, they experience illnesses, some chronic. Prevention is better than cure, so on your mark grandma, exercise and develop your immune system using a program that’s right for you!
  9. Functional fitness, which replicates real life movements, helps people improve functional performance of their joints and muscles by letting them work on coordination, balance, endurance, posture and strength.
  10. Group personal training, a solution chosen by many due to the ever-dragging economy, is what weight losers and exercisers select to enhance physical performance and strength, in which they take gym classes, circuit training and exercises in a group. Well, a win-win for both the personal trainer, who gets to serve more clients and the exercisers, who get to pay lower for being able to divide the professional fee among themselves or pay him at a discounted price.

Have you selected a workout solution from this list? Nevertheless, trends will come and go, but one thing is sure worth keeping in your life, “Exercise”—one word means much for you, your pocket and your life.

Before any exercise, go and ask your doctor for an assessment of your condition to avoid health hazards that might complicate an existing medical condition in case you have one. When you have his go signal, consult a fitness professional to devise a workout plan that’s right for you.