5 fitness trends for 2018

The world of health and fitness is ever-evolving, and we have picked five interesting trends that have increased in popularity this year. 

• High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) A HIIT training session involves bursts of maximum-effort, very hard work (typically about 20 to 90 seconds), followed by a period of low-intensity recovery. The goal is to recover enough that you can go hard again during your next work interval. HIIT workouts are typically 30 minutes or less, although they can be longer. But while they may be short, they definitely aren't sweet. As the name suggests, HIIT workouts are designed to be high intensity, and a major part of the appeal is that they're an incredibly efficient and effective way to get your cardio in and burn lots of calories (if that's something that matters to you) without requiring a lot of time.

• Regeneration Classes.  High-intensity exercise sessions should be alternated with gentler sessions to aid recovery and improve your fitness. Power down with a Yoga class, or give your muscles a chance to  heal and strengthen with stretching classes. 'Active Regeneration' focuses on self-massage using rollers and Yoga wheels, controlled breathing techniques, stretching and flexibility. 

• Wearable Technology. Activity trackers, smart watches, and heart rate monitors are as popular as ever—if you're into seeing your workouts by the numbers, wearable technology can give you interesting feedback about how you move. Many estimate your steps, sleep, standing time, calories burned, and time spent working out. Heart rate monitors in particular can also give you objective information about how hard you're actually working during a session, which can be helpful if you're training to be in a specific heart rate zone. How you feel isn't always an effective measure of how hard you're working—factors including the room temperature and how much you like your workout can also influence how hard a workout feels to you, so monitoring your performance in other ways is useful. 

• Functional Fitness. Formerly known as 'taking the stairs instead of the escalator', making a conscious effort to incorporate fitness into our everyday lives is becoming more widely accepted. For example, many workplaces now offer changing and showering facilities for those who wish to run/walk/cycle to work - meaning that your commute can also be a daily workout. There are other ways to incorporate exercise into your day: if the sun is out, and you're lucky enough to work somewhere suitable, why not hold 1:1 meetings whilst out for a walk? 

• Running Groups.  Whether training for a marathon, a 5K, or just to keep in shape, running remains one of the most popular and practiced sports worldwide. Running with a group or as part of a team adds a social aspect to the sport that can be very beneficial. Adding a social element encourages a strong bond between teammates, and we know team support can be incredibly motivating—when you have a friend pushing you to work harder, you can achieve more. Running groups are popping up everywhere: if you can't join one at the Health Club, have a look online, or ask one of our Health Coaches.