Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2016

A new year brings with it new trends in all aspects of live and when it comes to fitness, the annual canfitpro fitness trends survey lets us know the best ways to stay fit and healthy in the coming year. Similar to last year, this year’s list taps functional fitness training and high-intensity interval training as the top Canadian fitness trends. The annual survey is the result of what 1500 fitness professionals, from coaches to personal trainers, ranked as their top choice for the best fitness trend of 2016. If you’re curious about how best to get or stay in shape this year, here are the top 10 trends that can help you out.

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Functional fitness

First on the list of fitness trends for 2016 is functional fitness, moving up one spot from its place on last year’s list. This method of getting into shape involves exercises that use more than one muscle group and train your muscles to work together as a way to build strength, improve balance and help you perform everyday tasks more easily. Functional fitness helps you get in shape, but it's also meant to help you do other things more easily, like carrying groceries or lifting your toddler.

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High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

Falling one spot from number one, HIIT remains near the top for go-to ways to get fit this year. This popular form of fitness involves intense bursts of exercise followed by periods of rest and is known to be one of the best ways to blast calories in a short amount of time. HIIT is a great workout for the time-crunched or for days when you just can’t squeeze in a full hour at the gym.

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Life/wellness coaching

Sometimes setting an intention to lead a healthier life isn’t enough to stay motivated. That’s where life or wellness coaches come in. Coaches, whether you physically go to see them or communicate via Skype or email, can help with anything from losing weight to quitting smoking to overcoming anxiety. Coaches help motivate you, aid in overcoming obstacles and offer tips on how best to succeed.

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Nutrition and healthy eating programs

Losing weight isn’t all about exercise. It would be nice that an hour at the gym meant we could go home and indulge in an extra-large pizza, but that simply isn’t the case. Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight is also about calories consumed and sometimes it can be tough to figure out just what to eat to complement your workout efforts. Signing up for a nutrition or healthy eating program, whether through your gym or elsewhere can put you on the right track when it comes to how to eat in a way that will benefit your body.

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Express workouts

Being short on time is one of the most popular excuses for not working out so it’s no surprise that express workouts ended up on the list of canfitpro’s trends for 2016. Express workouts typically last 30 minutes and have you doing exercises in a circuit at a high intensity before moving to the next exercise. Some examples include the PF 30-Minute Express Circuit at Planet Fitness and the Fit Fix Circuit at GoodLife Fitness.

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Older adult training

It’s no secret that we’re dealing with an aging population. According to Statistics Canada, by the year 2030, nearly one in four Canadians will be 65 or older so it makes sense that older adult training is on this year’s list of trends. This involves lower impact workouts that offer a safe yet effective way to stay fit.

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Fusion-style group fitness

Over the past several years, fusion fitness classes have become more and more popular, for example combining yoga with spinning (Spynga) or Pilates with boxing (Piloxing). These classes offer a great way to mix up your workouts with activities that force your body to adapt to new ways of using your muscles.

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Personal training

For anyone who’s really serious about getting into shape or who has a specific fitness goal in mind, personal trainers can often be the best way to get a desired result. They can customize workout routines for any goal and one-on-one attention means no slacking off.

More: How to Pick the Perfect Personal Trainer

Working with certified and experienced fitness professionals

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Working with certified and experienced fitness professionals

Working with a trainer or other fitness professional doesn’t usually come cheap, so you want to make sure the person you hire is certified and experienced in order to ensure you’re getting the most effective help available. You can use repscanada, the Canadian Register of Exercise and Fitness Professionals, to search for the credentials of registered fitness professionals in your area.

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Bodyweight training

Bodyweight training remains a popular, effective and affordable way to stay fit. Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, lunges and pull-ups can be done anywhere and since they rely on your own body weight to be effective, there’s no equipment necessary.