Every year, the American College of Sports Medicine publishes a list of fitness trends to look out for. As a long-time fitness instructor, I always kept an eye on that list to see if the classes I was teaching were on par with the grand generalization of what people were looking for.
I was sort of surprised and really delighted by this year’s list. The “trends” aren’t really trendy at all; in fact, almost all of them go back to basics: functional fitness (#9), body-weight training (#1), boot camp (#20), weight loss (#6), and outdoor activities (#12). Yoga (#7)–the 5,000-year-old trend–is also on the list. A couple of the items deal with working with fitness professionals, which I would also recommend, especially if you are just starting a fitness journey.
So, that’s nice to know, but trends mean nothing if they don’t mean something to YOU. Sure, you might see a lot of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training, #2 on the list) programs at your gym, but that doesn’t mean you have to join if that doesn’t resonate with you. For example, this is my list of personal fitness trends for 2015.
Rumba
I discovered this fast-paced dance class just a few blocks from where I live, and I love it. I’m learning dance steps, sweating like crazy, and leaving exhausted. It is one of the best cardio workouts I’ve come across; you have to work incredibly hard to make your body follow each intricate movement.
CrossFit
I finally tried it back in November. And I really liked it. I haven’t joined the CrossFit gym yet, because of some travel plans, but I do think I will go on a low-level CrossFit mission this year, maybe a couple of classes per week. I promise I won’t talk about it all the time.
Outdoor Activities
My boyfriend and I both love hiking, so it’s a great activity we can do together. With all the hills around here, it’s an especially good workout.
Running
It’s always there for me when I need it, but I want to up my game a little bit this year. Maybe even enter a few more races. Stay tuned.
Yoga
The trend that keeps on trending.
Tell me: what’s on your go-to fitness list this year? What type of workouts do you see yourself doing forever, no matter how trendy or un-trendy they become?