Fitness Trends for 2015… The Good, The Bad, The Strange?

Many of the media outlets put together their list of predictions for 2015 Fitness Trends. As a former personal trainer, I’m letting you know what trends are likely to be good, bad and some that are rather strange.

The Good

Bodyweight Training

This trend appeared for the first time on the American College of Sports Medicine in 2013, but jumped to #1 for the 2015 trend list. Bodyweight exercises are actually my favorite. They can be done anywhere and anytime. Essentially, your body is your personal gym. Their is no equipment needed, which makes bodyweight training an inexpensive and effective method of exercise.

Short Workouts

Sometimes less is more. For those of us challenged to find time for lengthy workouts, 15-30 minute workouts may be just what you need. This trend was beginning to take hold last year, but predictions are that shorter workouts will be more widely available in 2015. Gyms are providing express workouts for their patrons. You can also find great short workouts for free on blogs, websites and YouTube.

Barre Classes

If you have ever looked at a dancer’s body with envy, you might want to check out a Barre inspired class. This new style of fitness uses the traditional ballet barre (pronounced ‘bar’) to all of the muscles in your lower body. These classes are a blend of dance, yoga and Pilates (but don’w worry, no dance experience is required). Most classes also incorporate some cardio and upper body conditioning. See if you can find a barre-based workout in your area. These workouts are definitely on my to-do list for 2015.

Activity Trackers

Activity trackers were beginning to take hold last year, but now everyone under the sun seems to be selling one. Unlike old fashioned pedometers, new tracking devices track your distance, average speed and calories burned. Some of the newer trackers come with accompanying apps that act like your own personal trainer and nutritionist providing recipes and daily motivational quotes. The tricky part about some trackers is that they are either not comfortable or not very fashionable to wear. If you think you might want to try an activity tracker, do your research and find one that works best for you (and that you will actually wear).

The Bad

Gluten Free Diets

It seems that Gluten Free is a continuing trend. While many people have a sensitivity to gluten, the average person do not truly need to go gluten free. Folks seeing this as a “get thin quick” diet are having trouble. With the rise in Gluten Free popularity, a ton of gluten-free foods that are loaded with sugar and fat have come to market. This is causing weight gain instead of weight loss. It’s all about moderation. Unless you truly need to be gluten free, keep a well-balanced diet and skip the fads.

Vibration Machines

The claims are that these jiggly machines will help tone muscles, boost your metabolism, and reduce cellulite. According to a recent study, women who tried these machines for 24 weeks did not lose any more fat than women who used tradition exercise classes and equipment. If your gym or trainer tries to “sell” you on one of these, skip it!

CrossFit

Folks who are super passionate about CrossFit will bash me for saying this, but this high intensity style of workout can be really dangerous. CrossFit exercises take a lot of practice and guidance to execute correctly. Before you consider to jumping on the CrossFit bandwagon you might want to seek out a trainer who can help you ramp up SLOWLY and minimize the risk of injury.

The Strange

In doing my research, I found these trends have been popping up around the country. I suppose some people are getting fit doing them, but not me.

• Paddleboard yoga – Seroiusly? It’s challenging enough to just stand up on one of these things and paddle.
• Underwater Spin – Really? Won’t the bike rust?
• Zombie Run – I suppose it might make me run faster
• Gyms with open bars post workout – WHAT?
• Running backwards – You can see where you’ve been, but what about where you are going?

What do you think? Will you be trying any of these new trends? Have you tried any trends that you are glad are on the way out.

Stop by my blog at ComebackMomma.com for more healthy living tips, recipes and more. Have a happy and healthy new year.