Looking forward: emerging fitness trends for 2016

One good way to beat fitness boredom is by staying current with emerging trends. Trying what’s new can add more interest to your exercise and help you avoid burnout, too. Whether you’re looking for a few ways to liven up your routine or a great reason to get started, here are some trends to try.

Still on the list

There are some holdovers from 2015. These include high intensity interval training and body weight training. If you haven’t done much of either – give them a try. The benefits include convenience, better fat burning, stamina, balance and endurance.

Technology

Specifically wearable technology is a hot trend for 2016. Like last year, we wanted to monitor our progress. More manufacturers are developing stylish products that monitor heart rate, activity and even sleep patterns. These devices can track our progress over time and even send us prompts if we have been sitting for too long. Sales show the market for wearable technology has grown considerably. In fact, this trend has knocked body weight training out of the top spot.

Yoga

More people are interested in cultivating a mind-body connection. Yoga is not as high on the list as it was in 2015 but it remains a popular choice because the variations offer something for everyone. Yoga is also a good way to manage stress and still the mind while challenging the body.

Functional fitness

We are all aging and when we consider the alternative that’s not a bad thing. Healthy aging is a popular concern and functional fitness has emerged as a response. As we reach middle age muscle loss accelerates. We may also begin to have challenges with strength and balance. Functional fitness extends our quality of life by helping our muscles continue to do the things that support activities of daily living. Functional fitness supports activities such as bending, reaching, lifting, pushing and climbing.

Strength training

Strength training isn’t just for Arnold wannabe’s, it is for everyone that wants to maintain healthy bone density, manage weight and preserve quality of life. Again, we lose muscle as we age and strength training is one way to slow the decline. Building muscle also helps to boost metabolism making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.

Whatever the trends are the good news is that we are still exercising. That’s important because exercise is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Scheduling a sweat session can also help you beat stress, insomnia and depression. Find the kind of exercise that feels really fun for you and go for it at least three times a week.