Fitness fads throughout the decade

Year after year we have the pleasure of a new fitness craze which dominates gyms and exercise classes all over the world as people are in a constant search for more exciting ways to shed some weight and get fit.  For some people, the focus is not just losing weight — a lot of people who are suffering significant pain are looking to relieve said pain as well as relieve their stress levels. But, what are some of the strangest fitness fads that we’ve seen over the past decade?

What on earth is plogging?

This strange fitness fad entered our lives in the beginning of 2018, with a lot of people stating they’ve never looked back since but a lot of people still don’t quite know what plogging is. So, this fad is a Scandinavian based trend that encourages people to pick up litter while out running — improving health and the environment.

‘Plogging’ is a phrase that forms from the word jogging with the Swedish phrase ‘plocka upp’ translating to pick up. The exercise part comes from running with intermittent squatting and lunging so you can pick up rubbish from the ground which could strengthen your joints to relieve some Pain in Knee Joints. It is an effective calorie burner too — fitness app Lifesum estimates that a typical user will burn 288 calories from 30 minutes of plogging.

Social media has taken an active role in this trend with plenty showing images of themselves in running gear carrying plastic bags ready to clear their surroundings of litter. Could we see this trend become widespread sometime soon?

The lowdown on barefoot jogging

2010 provided a fad that saw runners trading in their running shoes for a form of running ‘sock’.

Those who endorse this trend shared that running in trainers or running shoes makes you more likely to gain injury since the shoes encourage running with unnatural form. 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.

This trend has died down over the past 8 years with only a few still taking part in this exercise. Experts have said 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.

Workouts in heels

It has ben recognised over the decade that working out in heels can actually provide a lot of benefits to your fitness regime. Research suggests that just walking in high-heels (below three inches) can shape the calves and improve muscle tone and shape.

Through squatting, doing lunges and completing a small weight lifting session while wearing high-heels, you can also improve overall balance. 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.

What about Hot barre?

As do a lot of wonderfully strange fitness fad, the trend we now know as ‘hot barre’ first took off in New York and Los Angeles.

The odd trend consists of doing classical ballet moves in while in a room of up to 40 degrees heat which really became popular 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.

As of recent, ‘hot yoga’ has gained popularity in which classic mindfulness movements are performed in a heated pod — a guaranteed sweat stimulator.

With all these fads being rather bizarre, it’s difficult to predict what could be the top trend on 2019

Sources

https://mashable.com/2018/02/13/plogging-fitness-trend/?europe=true#RFlZ5e3n0mq6

http://www.mandatory.com/living/1059872-twerking-fitness-classes-now-exist

https://footwearnews.com/2017/fashion/womens/high-heel-workouts-lose-weight-449703/