The fitness trends you need to know this year
With a new year comes new fitness goals, but if you're yet to discover the workout that's right for you, our definitive guide might provide just the inspiration you need.
We've told you the fitness wear labels you need to know, and now GLAMOUR UK has rounded up the top fitness trends from around the world for 2018 to get you fighting fit and help you reach your fitness goals.
From handstand training to mindful boxing, pop on your trainers and get ready to run...
iStockHandstand training
Master Trainer, Physiotherapist and certified Precision Nutrition coach, Tim Blakey, creator of PR1MEBODY training app www.pr1mebody.com, maintains that handstand training is one of this year's hottest fitness trends.
The concept is part of callisthenic-based training, a body-weight training where resistance and strength is gained from using your own body weight in various poses.
From chin ups, to handstands, huge demands on the abs, and single leg (pistol) squats – callisthenics is the discipline that will train everything, provided client care and quality of technique are high on your coach’s agenda.
iStockMindful boxing
2018 will see many continuing to choose exercise as a stress-reliever, but will also see gym goers turning to alternative forms of exercise which enables them to learn a skill at the same time; specifically boxing.
Boxing classes, like those at BXR, teaches immense skill and discipline, whilst helping to improve confidence levels and boost mood. Boxing has attracted a growing constituency of fitness enthusiasts as it caters for all ages and abilities and helps to provide a rush of endorphins, a natural mood booster, which in turn makes you feel happier and less stressed.
iStockDNA fitness testing
Know your genes, change your life. Contrary to popular belief, science is now proving that nobody is, or ever was, bound to their genes. Through DNA fitness testing, fitness goers can check in on their microbiome activity and tailor fitness regimes and nutrition plans to optimise healthy living whilst constantly re-programming their genetic identity. With a need for quick fitness gains, 2018 will see a spike in this sort of testing, according to 38 Degrees North Retreat.
Ludovic Rossignol, Balance Festival founder, says: “Being able to fine-tune our bodies to ensure that we get the very most out of our workouts and food is an amazing development in modern fitness. As a nation, we are increasingly looking for bigger, faster improvements to our workouts and overall fitness, this is where DNA Fitness Testing really comes into play to enable our success.”
VersaClimbing
Love spinning? It's time to get off your bike in favour of VersaClimber classes. Incorporating the upper and lower body, the Versaclimber burns calories, improves fitness and increases strength. ‘Climb to the Beat’ from Sweat by BXR is Europe’s first VersaClimber based group exercise class. Race you to the top?
iStockSlacklining
While it might look simple, comprising of a tightrope elevated just a few inches off the ground, holding your balance on a slackline is no easy feat. This workout really engages the core and can be done anywhere (within reason!), making it the perfect park exercise. Just grab a line, gather your mates and set it up between two trees. It’s guaranteed Instagram-gold too, where do we sign up?
iStockAnimalistic workouts
It’s time to get primal with your training, according to the experts at Kobox. Try super-trainer Miranda's classes, where you'll find functional training with an animalistic twist. She told GLAMOUR: "Primal exercises are not only challenging but extremely fun. It takes my clients out their comfort zones of bicep curls and squats and they get to explore what they're bodies are actually designed to do. This type of training is great for full body strength. With correct form, everything is engaged, especially your core so you're getting your abs firing the whole time. Think bear crawls, inch worms, spider push ups, and loads of plyometric exercises. I promise after a class like this you'll come out feeling like an Amazonian queen with a hint of super woman.'
