Author: Alexa Gandy

It’s safe to say 2020 has shaken up the fitness industry, and we’ve had to be inventive and adapt to new ways of working out to keep fit. This year in particular, we’ve seen a huge growth in home workouts and virtual training streamed live into living rooms. From celebrity workouts to a running boom, we’ve explored the top trends of this year.

Here’s some of the top fitness trends of 2020.

1. Celebrity Workouts 

From Joe Wicks’ PE lessons to Chris Hemsworth’s ‘Centr’ fitness workouts, we’ve had the opportunity to train virtually with some big names in 2020.

And what a motivation it has been! Joe Wick’s, known as the Nation’s PE Teacher, captured the attention of thousands of us across the country to work out with him virtually every morning during lockdown. Whilst Chris Hemsworth launched ‘Centr’, an online training platform for adults to train with him virtually.

2. Online Workouts With Your Gym

Unfortunately, gyms across the country have been forced to close due to Covid-19. Luckily, with an injection of innovation, many of our gyms have now gone online. Gyms now hold virtual online workouts, to help avoid the spread of Covid-19 and keep people fit during this difficult time.

Users can live-stream workouts into their homes, and from the comfort of their living rooms take part in online group workouts. Taking part in group exercises helps increase motivation and improve fitness levels, so we’re a big fan of this new way of working out.

3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT workouts are short bursts of high-intensity training with less intense exercise or complete resting periods. This is repeated for a number of rounds, over a timeframe of 15-30 minutes on average.

And whilst they aren’t a brand-new trend, they are a growing one. HIIT workouts are gaining popularity because you can pack in a full workout in a short amount of time, in your own home. Not to mention, they have glowing reviews for increasing fat burn, improving your stamina, and getting you fit, fast.

4. Running

As gyms have closed, fitness classes are on pause and people are stuck at home, running has seen a BOOM. It’s one of the easiest and cheapest ways for people to get out and do some exercise, and gives you the opportunity to help control and manage stress. Especially during these tough periods, it’s been a source of relief for many as it’s a great method to improve mental health & well-being.

5. Wearable, Trackable Technology

Wearable fitness technology includes smart health watches, GPS tracking devices and heart rate monitors. It enables users to track performance, sleeping patterns, heart rate, recovery, and much more.

Tracking your performance during exercise can help users to improve their fitness levels and develop over time. And with technology advancing every day, fitness wearables’ popularity will only continue to grow.

Exercise doesn’t just improve your physical fitness, aerobic capacity and muscle mass, it can benefit your mental health too. From reducing stress to decreasing the risk of depression, encouraging sports activities in the workplace has numerous benefits.

Here’s our top 5 reasons why:

1.Exercise Reduces Stress

If you’re feeling stressed you’ll likely not only suffer mentally but incur physical symptoms too. These include tension in your body, an increased heart rate, and the inability to get a good night’s sleep.

As physical symptoms develop, stresses develop, and the cycle continues. Relieving these symptoms can be supported by exercise as it helps reduce stress hormones. The rhythm of your movement whilst running, for example, helps you block out worries and encourages you to focus solely on your body.

2. ‘Healthy Body, Healthy Mind’

Many people notice a significant positive impact on their mood after taking part in physical activity. We’ve all heard about ‘runners high’ – it describes the ‘good feeling’ you have when you exercise, which is caused by chemicals being released in your brain during exercise. The good chemicals help improve your mood and make you feel more alert.

3. Productivity Increases with Exercise

When you experience stress, a common reaction is to not go to work at all. By introducing exercise at work, like a short lunchtime run or an exercise class you may see a reduction in high levels of absenteeism. Exercise is a stress reliever and a positive method of reducing the time taken off work.

4. Job Performance Improves

Employee job performance has a direct impact on business, so increasing the quality of work can make a huge difference in profitability. Even small amounts of exercise including a 15-minute walk around the block or a short jog at lunchtime can improve job performance and productivity.

5. Exercise Encourages Team Building

You’re more likely to spend time with colleagues in your team compared to colleagues in the office who you don’t often interact with for work purposes. Creating sports teams, clubs or groups can be the chance you need to speak to new people and meet new people outside of your ‘work bubble’. Interacting with new people, and spending quality time with work colleagues improves internal relationships.

As a result, you can see spikes in team morale, motivation, and energy levels.