Anticipating trends in the fitness universe is not easy. But the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) takes this task seriously. So much so that, every year, specialists from the entity consult several professionals from all over the world to identify the best of the moment when it comes to physical exercise.
This time, 4 133 opinions were collected from personal trainers, physiologists, university professors, doctors and other experts in the field of physical education. From there comes the list of activities that should be successful in 2018. The most popular fitness exercises and technologies.
Who took the cup were the high-intensity interval exercises or HIIT. It is not the first time that this type of training has taken the podium. In 2014, it was in the first place and, in 2017, it appeared in the third position. “This demonstrates that, in addition to doing good for health, HIIT is gaining popularity,” says Walter Thompson, president of ACSM.
But it is not just modalities that stand out. “Fitness trends can also be behavioral,” explains Thompson. So, sweating your shirt in order to dry the measures and seek follow-up with certified professionals is also in the top 20. To help you decide how to work out this year, let’s take a look at some of the ranking champions. Prepared?
The most popular fitness exercises and technologies
The most popular fitness exercises and technologies
1. High-intensity interval training
Dry your body using just 20 or 30 minutes. This is what the winning trend of 2018 promises. The training, known as HIIT on fitness wheels, consists of intermingling efforts at maximum intensity with recovery intervals.
One of its assets is to detonate the extra vapt-vupt pounds. “In this type of exercise, more calories are burned per minute because the demand for energy is greater”, justifies the doctor Fernando Torres, director of the Brazilian Society of Exercise and Sports Medicine (SBMEE).
The weak point: it increases the risk of injury. Therefore, to ensure safety, the ideal is to undergo an evaluation with a professional.
“The time of execution of the exercises, the rest period and the movements to be performed depend on the degree of conditioning of the practitioner”, points out physical educator Rafael Mathias Pitta, from Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, in São Paulo. The most popular fitness exercises and technologies.
HIIT in practice
An example of training for beginners – but seek guidance
- Heat 2 to 3 minutes.
- Take a 1-minute break.
- Begin the series with an intense exercise (squat, jumping jump …) for 30 seconds.
- Rest for 1 minute.
- Work out in an intense way, changing the exercise, if applicable, for another 30 seconds.
- Rest 1 more minute.
- Repeat the process, starting from step 3, six more times.
2. Group activities
Enjoy working out with other people? For there is a good reason for that. Scholars at the University of New England, Australia, found that opting for a physical activity together can improve emotional health.
They analyzed participants who did HIIT accompanied and volunteers who ran or lifted weight alone. Result? After three months, those who worked out in a group saw stress plummet 26%. Just be careful, in the enthusiasm, not to end up going beyond your limits.
3. Electronic devices
Bracelets that monitor the heart, watches that calculate the number of steps and even clothes that tell you how much your muscle contracts during a movement.
The technology is here to stay in the fitness area. Proof of this is that last year, these devices were at the top of the ranking. The main advantage is the possibility of having greater control of sports practice.
“These gadgets offer immediate feedback on the activity performed”, notes physical educator Mauro Barros, a professor at the University of Pernambuco (UPE).
4. Training with your own body weight
In recent years, videos of people exercising without the aid of equipment have exploded on the internet. The wave takes on a name: calisthenics. The goal is to make people use only their own weight to work out. The advantages? Increased strength, agility, and flexibility. You can train anywhere.
However, care is needed. “Depending on the weight of the practitioner, the load may be greater than that recommended for the musculature. In traditional exercise, with devices or free weights, this would be adjusted ”, ponders Torres. The most popular fitness exercises and technologies.
5. Strength training
6. Search for qualified professionals
7. Yoga
Yes, this age-old technique is among the hot bets of 2018. Not surprising. There are countless benefits to the practice. Relaxation, balance, muscle definition, strength, and motor coordination are some of them. The postures performed during the sessions also contribute to breathing and concentration.
The most popular fitness exercises and technologies – The most popular fitness exercises and technologies
“It is a complete modality since within each class you can unite all these elements, working them in the best possible way”, defends Simone Murai, a yoga teacher at the Cia Athletica academy at Morumbi Shopping, in São Paulo.
In a study by Harvard University, in the United States, the activity proved to be capable of influencing even the genes. The scientists took into account two groups: one practiced yoga and meditation and the other, nothing.
After eight weeks, yogis had a better DNA response to so-called oxidative stress, a process that, once exacerbated, facilitates the onset of disease.
Yoga 2.0
Today there are versions of the modality for all tastes
- Power Yoga
It is a more vigorous variety, which intersperses positions that require strength and balance. Ideal for boosting fitness.
- Hot Yoga
Held in a room heated between 38 ° C and 40 ° C, it helps to relax the muscles and detoxify the body.
- SUP Yoga
Inspired by the stand-up paddle, it proposes to do the positions on a board in the sea or in a deep pool.
8. Personal training
9. Fitness programs for the elderly
10. Functional exercises
11. Weight loss exercises
12. Exercises to treat diseases
13. Personal group training
14. Outdoor activities
If you are one of those who are not excited about the loud music and the ringing of the gyms, there are many options out there. Parks, squares, and beaches can become the perfect environment to move your body.
“Exercising outdoors allows contact with different landscapes and stimuli. Not to mention that there is the possibility of taking the amount of sun necessary to produce vitamin D ”, observes Bruno Gion, a physical educator at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.
However, applying sunscreen and taking care of hydration are essential precautions for outdoor training and do not become a problem. Avoiding the period between 10 am and 4 pm is also welcome because of the high ultraviolet radiation.
“It is still worth escaping from environments with a lot of pollution, like big avenues”, guides Gion. The most popular fitness exercises and technologies.
15. Rollers for flexibility and mobility
Have you heard of foam rollers? These are cylinder-shaped accessories used to massage body parts and stimulate circulation. They also help to relax the muscles and increase the range of motion of the joints. This roller technique appeared in the 1920s, but it is only now gaining ground.
Cylinders can be made of foam, wood or rubber and are usually used on the lower back, hips, hamstrings and gluteal muscles. Research from the University of Rhode Island in the United States investigated the use of rollers in athletes before they train.
Result: the participants’ feeling of fatigue decreased with the cylinders – according to the researchers, this can prolong training time, volume and gains.
More than an exercise modality or a health program, this is almost a philosophy of life oriented towards the commitment to well-being. The method involves a specialist (the coach) who helps the individual (the coachee) to gain awareness about their choices regarding physical activity, food, and well-being.
The goal is to set goals in the short and long term according to your values, needs, and aspirations. Did you like the idea and want to try it? It is essential to pay attention when choosing the expert who will guide you in this process.
As the profession is neither regulated nor necessarily exercised by physical educators or nutritionists, it is worth informing yourself about the coach’s curriculum, his career, and his certifications.
19. Core training
The core has increasingly gained the spotlight in the fitness universe. If you do not know it yet, it is worth learning: it forms one of the most important regions of our body, which includes the abdominal, lumbar, pelvis and hip muscles. No wonder, he is responsible for sustaining and stabilizing during virtually all the gestures we perform.
Hence the reason to focus on the core. “Training the musculature of this region allows to increase the stability and efficiency of the movements, in addition to improving posture and balance”, says Gion. In fact, several snags would be avoided if we were in the habit of including core training in our workout routine. After all, when he is in great shape, there is a reduced risk of injury to his knees and spine.
Core strong
The region can be worked in different ways
- Yoga
Some postures adopted in this practice help to tone the abdominal muscles and strengthen the lower back.
- Pilates
The pelvis and abdomen movements performed in these classes contribute to the activation of the core.
- Functional
Strengthening the core is one of the pillars of this training, which is based on movements of squatting, jumping and turning.
