Keeping up with all the different fitness fads that come and go can be an exercise in itself. As the year draws to a close, we’ll no doubt discover a few more weird and wonderful ways to keep fit to coincide with the usual New Year’s surge of health promises. But before that, let’s explore some of the strangest fads we’ve already endured in the last decade.
Plogging along with a new Scandinavian based trend
The start of 2018 saw the Scandinavian based trend take off. Plogging encourages people to pick up litter while out running — improving health and the environment. The word ‘plogging’ comes from the word jogging and the Swedish phrase ‘plocka upp’ which means pick up. The exercise part comes from running with intermittent squatting and lunging so you can pick up rubbish from the ground. It is an effective calorie burner too — fitness app Lifesum estimates that a typical user will burn 288 calories from 30 minutes of plogging.
It’s fair to say, if it hasn’t hit Instagram, it may as well never have happened, so people are flocking to social media to share photos of them plogging-ready. Could we see this trend become widespread sometime soon?
Ditching shoes when it comes to running
Who needs shoes? People who follow the barefoot running fad may be aware that it is better to run without shoes because trainers or running shoes encourage your feet into unnatural forms, leading to injuries. It’s also said that running barefoot strengthens the tiny muscles found in feet, ankles and legs which can also reduce the risk of injury.
The trend may have slowed down in popularity, but experts have publicised that switching to barefoot running without properly transitioning makes you prone to injuries. Only try this one if you’re willing to practise walking barefoot before running.
A workout in stilettos?
If you’re looking for scientific support, research has suggested that even walking in high-heels (below three inches) can shape the calves and improve muscle tone and shape. By lunging, squatting and lifting small weights while wearing high-heels, balance can also be improved. It hasn’t been fully determined whether wearing high-heels for a workout can result in weight loss, but it can help you learn how to walk better in them.
Some sweatier fitness fads
‘Hot barre’ may be one you haven’t come across yet? This trend involves doing classical ballet moves in a room heated to 40 degrees and it took off around 2015. Advocates of the fad say that hot barre encourages you to gain a deeper stretch while helping you release toxins and feel detoxed. Then, as the body has to work hard to cool itself down, you can expect your metabolism to boost and number of burnt calories to increase.
If you enjoy normal yoga, why not give ‘Hotyoga’ a shot? Normal yoga already has a strong following as being useful forback pain relief. Look out for ‘Hot yoga’ classes performed in heated pods ata gym near you.
Who knows what the top fitness fad of 2019 will be, but based off the last ten years, it’s probably going to be weird…
Sources
http://www.mandatory.com/living/1059872-twerking-fitness-classes-now-exist https://footwearnews.com/2017/fashion/womens/high-heel-workouts-lose-weight-449703/
