Expert Shares Most Popular Fitness Trends Of 2020

The year 2020 was unique and rather challenging for the fitness enthusiasts who had to stay back indoors for months with no fitness equipment at their disposal. But adverse times lead to extreme innovations. With the pandemic hitting the world, people became opened to technology and focused on virtual training sessions and methods. Their focus shifted towards adapting to a healthy lifestyle. This led to some unique trends, from new exercise styles, challenges to some rather interesting ways of doing exercises. Let us have a look at some these.

5 popular forms of exercise in 2020

1. Yoga: With work from home becoming the new normal, people have extensively adapted to Yoga. Spending hours on computer screens with minimal movement, Yoga became a great option for all age groups in order to acquire a healthy mind and body.

2. Strength and cardio: With limited gym equipment at home online gym trainers strongly recommend the fitness enthusiast for cardio which helps in building body strength along with weight loss with excessive sweating.

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3. Zumba: This is a rather fun and relaxing fitness exercise and with boring work from home and inbound life, zumba can be really relaxing as it's a relieving experience to groove with music and stay fit. This is the reason why virtual zumba classes saw huge enrollments in 2020.

4. Pilates: The trend for Pilates has seen a sudden upsurge with people's strong inclination towards having a toned and fit body. Also, because this exercise form can be simply done at home without the use of any equipment or causing any hassle. Also it has proven highly effective for developing proper postural alignment and muscle balance.

5. HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or sprint interval training is a cardiovascular exercise done at alternative intervals with lesser intense recovery period that helps in weight loss in a short period of time. While it may be very tough and exhausting, it has shown great results.

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5 digital fitness trends of 2020

1. Virtual fitness classes: The pandemic normalised the trend of virtual fitness classes across the country. This opened the gates for gyms adapting to hybrid training models and flexible training schedules. It also provided an opportunity to the fitness enthusiasts to work with the best of trainers and influencers across the globe. Virtual world not just made it easier for people to workout but also made the fitness community more connected at large.

The pandemic normalised the trend of virtual fitness classes
Photo Credit: iStock

2. Virtual wellness: The lockdown phase in 2020 led to opening up of several avenues in the fitness industry such as the acknowledgment of the concept of holistic wellness. Several live sessions were organized over the year on social media platforms to raise awareness about the same. The trend to normalize discussions around self-growth and fitness is a revolutionary trend that has changed how we perceive fitness in our lives.

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3. Digital Fitness challenges: #21Days, #3Weeks, #15Days Challenges on social media by various brands and influencers which went viral was one of the many fitness trends that emerged in 2020. Some others to add on are plank challenge, pushup challenge, etc. These trends have normalized the need of fitness workouts in our lives which is a positive step towards a healthier India.

4. Wellness at home: Another major emphasis was laid on being physically, mentally and psychologically fit. The pandemic opened the avenues and doctor consultations became easily available at home. People also openly came forward to discuss not just their physical but also mental well being.

5. Customised fitness programs: With special attention, 1-1 interaction, this has created a huge impact on people and the way they perceive themselves and fitness. Individual training sessions and easy online interactions with dieticians, instructors have made fitness accessible and understandable by all.

We all ride on trends. How many have you been a part of? Have you also had a 2020 where you focused more on yourself and your mental and physical health? Most importantly do you plan to adapt to or continue the healthy lifestyle habits in 2021? With these questions we hope you make good choices in the upcoming New Year.

Also read: Are Home Workouts Here To Stay? Here's What Our Expert Fitness Trainer Has To Say

(Solomon Gomes, LEAD Trainers Program, TREAD)

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