The Biggest Fitness Trends for 2016

Flexitarianism will be a game changer and personal trainers are redundant.

21 March, 2018
The Biggest Fitness Trends for 2016

Another year, another fitness trend. BLAH BLAH BLAH. But this year, there are a few big differences which will actually be game changers for your rigatoni.

And no, this is not a drill.

It seems the fitness industry have finally addressed some workout loopholes that'll give you an edge this year (unlike the online training programs of the past where nobody is really monitoring your progress effectively).

Yep, 2016 has brought its A-game and you'll be making like Kanye West and going harder, better, faster, stronger.

So we asked Celebrity Personal Trainer, Blake Worrall-Thompson, to spill on exactly how things will be different this year, and sh*t is looking up.

Online Training

Online training is becoming more advanced (think: Skype), meaning you can work out at home without the risk of slacking off because you're being held accountable.

 "Online training is growing. Three years ago it was just Michelle Bridges, and despite the fact that there's a lot of sportspeople and models who aren't necessarily qualified to be giving advice, there are still a lot of fitness sites that people can sign up to which are a good source of training, like Jeff Cavaliere's Athlean-X and Chalene Johnson.

"People will also find access to the best worldwide coaches easier than before. You might find it's expensive to have a Skype training call with a coach in the US, but previous to that, you had to fly over there to see them. So private coaching calls will also be really big this year."

Mindfulness

We've seen the colouring books, but we'll actually all be practicing mindfulness in '16 with more than just crayons, because it's about recognising what works for you and your body. 1000 squats and a smoothie blend of kale and unicorn's tears might work for some Insta fitness peeps, but that doesn't mean it'll work for you. And it's about time we realised. 

"Being mindful is about figuring out what works for you. A lot of that inspo that people are attached to on Instagram will still be strong, but there will be a lot more awareness around mindfulness and the importance of it. It's about making sure you're in a happy and healthy place."

Flexitarianism

It's the same deal with food too. We'll all be more mindful of what we're putting into our body and how it makes us feel, picking and choosing different aspects of different diets that work for us (AKA we'll all be "flexitarians").

"Personalised dieting will become more popular as people start to notice that dieting is not a 'one size fits all'. People will start being more mindful of how their body responds, and mindful of the fact that paleo might work for us and our group, but paleo might not work for someone who has an intolerance to a certain fruit or something.

"I think people will be more educated on how to create their own personalised diets as well. There is no perfect diet. People need to start understanding the importance of personalised diets and listening to their body's response to particular foods."

PREACH. 

Coaches will kick personal trainers to the kerb

"Personal trainers are now needing to become coaches. So, three to five years ago, you were qualified to teach someone how to do lunges and bench presses and you'd count their sets and reps as a personal trainer. But to stand out from the crowd now, you need to be better equipped to be a coach. So instead of just counting sets and reps, coaches will look at someone's whole life and they'll assess it from that level. So you'll find people referring to themselves now as coaches as opposed to personal trainers."

Niche styles

If there's never been a fitness regime that's ever spoken to you (READ: "Oh, running marathons is a trend this year? That's not really my thing so I guess I just won't exercise until I see what next year's trends are"), then your finally about to hustle that body of yours, because as cliché as it might seem, there's now something for everyone.

"The health and fitness industry is really 'nichey', which is really exciting for the consumer as they can finally find something that really fits them. Three to five years ago you would go to the gym and run on the treadmill or do weights. Now, it's Crossfit, it's Barre Body, Yogilates, F45, you've got any and every option and, as a consumer, I think you keep going until you find one that works for you.

"Three years ago, Michelle Bridges had her twelve week body transformation and she was trying to cover running, fat loss, muscle gain, she was trying to cover everything. But now, with specific experts coming out, they're better equipped to get specific in their niche. If you want running, don't go to Michelle Bridges, go to the ex-Olympian who has his program from the US. The point is, find someone who's specialised in your niche because there out there now."

Tech

Watches and apps will get smarter. 

"We'll be using more apps and watches to keep people accountable. One of the problems with online apps in the past, is that it was really hard to track people. You'd pay your seventy five dollars and you'd get your booklet in the mail trying to keep you on track. But most people will know that's only successful if you're super motivated. So this year, there'll be more tools and watches to help keep people accountable properly."

So with all that in mind, let's get physical people. 


The article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com.au


[embed type="article"]3370[/embed]

[embed type="article"]3259[/embed]

Comment