Health & Diet

Watch Out For These New Fitness Trends In 2016

fitness

Photo: womenshealthnl on Instagram

With the holiday season over, it’s time to get your body back in gear to prep for the New Year. Whether you’re looking for ways to revamp your workout routine or are aiming to shed a few extra pounds to squeeze into that little black dress, here are 2016’s fitness trends to give you a healthy start for the New Year.

1) Bodyweight Training: For fitness addicts looking for ways to save in the New Year, skip the gym and workout right on your living room floor for a full 30-minute bodyweight session. From push-ups and lunges to high-knees and squats, bodyweight training improves balance and flexibility while strengthening your core. Its simple routines and minimalistic style provide an efficient workout perfect for women on-the go. Combine cardio and strength training for a simple yet effective routine that will get you toned arms and a flat belly without needing any equipment or spending a dime.

2) High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Sweat through your workout and burn more calories with high-intensity interval training. HIIT alternates between short bursts of intense anaerobic workouts with slower-paced recovery periods to improve your stamina and shed more fat. It also claims to improve your heart and metabolism to help you achieve a slimmer body. Push yourself between accelerated cardio routines and strength exercises to get your heart racing and all your muscles engaged to see quicker results.

3) Strength Training: Incorporate some weight lifting into your workout routine to get toned triceps, lean calves and a fit physique. Strength training is said to burn fat while building muscles. It also improves your bone health and prevents muscle loss. Although you may be sweating through the last repetition of barbell lift, the payoff is worth it since you’ll have that sexy body you’ve always dreamed of. So whether you bench press 20 pounds or do a couple bicep curl repetition, you’ll find it easier to stay in shape while also having more energy and strength to get through a long day.

 4) Functional Fitness: Turn your daily, mundane tasks into fun, functional exercises to help you breeze through your everyday routine. The idea of functional fitness is to mimic common movements you do at home, school or work, such as getting up from a chair, climbing the stairs and pushing doors, to enhance your daily life. This type of fitness combines both upper and lower body exercises with multi-joint and multi-muscle movements for a total body workout. Incorporating this into your workout will not only boost your muscle endurance but it will also improve your core stability and posture. For fitness lovers wanting to embrace this trend, try a pilates or tai chi class to help you achieve that hour-glass figure.