What's trending with health and fitness for 2015
Judd Jones/Special to The Press | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 5 months AGO
This week, let's take a look at what is happening with health and fitness trends for 2015. What is different between 2014 and what's coming in 2015? Much of what we saw in 2014 will continue into 2015. However, this year, I think we will see shifts toward a much more aware and driven group of people trying to get their health in check and moving more toward a wellness lifestyle.
Here is a look at some great trends that are popular across the country.
* High intensity interval training or HIIT is still trending up this year. HIIT is described as bursts of intense activity for short periods followed by a longer recovery period of less intense activity. There will be more options and variations of unique programs in this category. More and more HIIT programs are moving out of the gym and incorporating basic training methods. These programs are truly effective as a full body, low impact and short duration workout.
* Wellness Coaching. As mentioned last year, wellness coaching is another area that is trending at a rapid pace. There is both good and bad in these programs since there are so many people starting these services. Many are trained and certified health and fitness professionals and many are not. There are a number of new start-ups who are new to wellness coaching who are shifting their business to the dieting sector, which is only one aspect of full body wellness. If you choose a Wellness Coach in 2015, be sure they have a full course of fitness, nutrition, and in some cases, mental wellness programs. Be comfortable with their programs and check references on how successful they have been with their clients.
* Booty Barre Workout. I was looking at this program last year and wondered if it was going to take off. Although it may be a fad and time will tell, it is a great workout. The booty barre workout was developed by a former professional dancer in L.A. This fitness format is really attracting a large following and gained popularity. Barre workouts are big in large metro areas and we have a few barre studios in our area. This workout consists of an hour-long class where ballet meets intense cardio moves. It usually starts with a dynamic warmup and upper body work followed by 30 minutes at the barre working in different directions that keeps your heart rate up and your muscles flexed. High-energy music keeps you moving while you get a great full body workout.
* Body Weight Training. As mentioned last year, Body Weight Training is becoming more popular than ever. These programs are becoming very popular with younger people looking for more than local gyms can give them. These types of exercises also tie back to high intensity interval training. Also as stated last year, more and more personal trainers are using this form of exercise in their programs. When you think of body weight training, think of standard PT type training like push-ups and jumping jacks that have been used for centuries as a form of resistance training. There is a shift by many fitness professionals to re-packaging these long-standing exercise programs along with adding a few new exercises to the mix. Body Weight Training uses minimal equipment, which makes it an inexpensive way to exercise effectively.
* Strength Training for adults over 50. The trend going on in local gyms is a shift in memberships mostly made up of younger gym goers to a huge influx of baby boomers. As the baby boomers start to hit retirement, gyms, fitness trainers and other health professionals are developing new weight based program to meet the need to keep muscle on and help with mobility. Our highly active older adult population is doing everything from mild NIA (Non-Impact Aerobics, Neuromuscular Integrative Action) to a bit more extreme, like training for triathlons. This trend has been growing at one of the fastest paces worldwide. Expect the same this year and beyond.
* Health through lifestyle eating. This category is growing and shifting quickly. With diets and diet programs having such a high failure rate, which is around 98 percent, most people are growing tired of those results. Eating healthy whole foods and cutting back on boxed processed foods is trending up. With obesity at such high levels in the U.S., people are starting to realize they need to get back to health foods to address their weight concerns. I think you can expect more people choosing a specific lifestyle eating plan that they can handle on a daily basis. Remember it is estimated that 70 percent of your health and fitness is tied back to good nutrition.
* Yoga. Yoga is always at the top of fitness trends each year with new and different variations popping up across the country. Traditional yoga continues to be one of the most popular health and fitness regimens. There are many new and completely revamped forms of yoga appealing to a new generation such as Yogafit, Power Yoga, Yogalates, Prenatal Yoga and a number of new hot yoga programs. Although in my book, traditional is the best, any form of yoga is worth a try and can have a very positive impact on your health.
* Batuka. Batuka, which is trending up quickly and may be just another fad, is an intense cardio dance routine, similar to Zumba. Batuka puts a focus on a total body workout. Batuka, is also known as QiDance and, like Zumba, originated in Latin America and places an emphasis on high impact cardio around dance and music. Zumba was tied to a Latin beat where Batuka uses a much wider array of music and beats. The other difference is the intensity of the workout. Batuka is designed to drive your heart rate higher, burning more calories.
The great thing that I see happening across the health and fitness world in 2015 is the increase in people's drive to get healthy and take action. The biggest benefit of all these traditional fitness programs and fitness fads are how they build awareness and increase participation. We are a nation of people who struggle with sedentary behavior and fight obesity issues. There are so many ways to achieve health and fitness and there is something out there for everyone, so get up and get a program started today.
Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.
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