We all tend to want a healthier lifestyle for the same reasons. We want to keep up with kids, feel great for an upcoming event, or get ready for swimsuit season. Maybe you’ve realized your BMI has an effect on life insurance, or maybe you just want to shed that stubborn ten pounds. But have you ever been motivated to become healthier because it’s trendy?
Fitness trends have been pervasive, money-making parts of our culture for centuries. There’s no doubt those words bring celebrity-endorsed workout videos and miracle weight loss pills to mind.
But just because something is a trend, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a scam or waste of time. So to prove it, we’ve rounded up these five fitness trends to try in 2020.
#1 – “Functional Fitness” and the Daily Grind of Life
With popular motivational sayings like Strong is the new skinny circulating recently, it’s apparent that the fitness community is craving a reclassification of what constitutes terms like health, strength, and even exercise.
Enter: functional fitness.
Functional fitness has the idea that our strength, balance, and flexibility should serve us in our daily routines. Instead of preparing for a singular competition or an event, those focusing on functional fitness will prioritize exercises that are important for everyday life like squatting, lifting, pulling, etc.
Though it’s a term that’s been around for a while, look for this philosophy to be totally (and finally) embraced in 2020. A greater focus on total well being as opposed to a certain size or shape? Yes, please.
#2 – “Active Recovery” and the Need for Restful Strength
In recent years, the hustle mindset, which seemed to permeate everything from the corporate world to kids’ extracurriculars, powered fitness enthusiasts to train hard day in and day out.
But serious athletes and gym aficionados will be the first to tell you that muscle break down is an essential part of building muscle, and to achieve this wisely, one must punctuate workouts with periods of active recovery.
Finally, this notion is catching on and is being championed by the fitness world. Activities like yoga, which stretch and restore the mind and body, are being sought out as a critical part of a fitness routine to complement healthy lifestyles. Even when you’re short on time, quick options like meditation or foam rolling also fall into the active recovery category. Fitness experts are promoting these active recovery methods throughout the fitness world.
Anything that promotes overall health and restoration is a positive trend in our book!
#3 – At-Home Workouts that Save Time and Space
If you hear “at-home workout” and think of your parents’ ancient weight machine that sat untouched in a basement, a new era has arrived. Of course, time-pressed fitness lovers have been exercising from home for ages, but in 2020, saving time is only one of the reasons people will be enjoying this trend even more.
As the popularity of bodyweight training and HIIT workouts have grown, many former gym rats are realizing their living rooms or neighborhood running paths are just as great for breaking a sweat. Classic moves like jump squats, walking lunges, pushups, and crunches are just a few of these exercises that can be done at home.
And because no equipment is necessary and workouts can be tailored to fitness levels, working out from home is currently being celebrated.
The onslaught of fitness apps (trends in their own right) and streaming services also means you can often get in a fun, unique workout in front of your tv. For those who are into multitasking (say, catching up on your favorite Netflix show while working out), this is right up your alley.
This trend seems to hit on some of the common themes of simplification that will be growing in the fitness world, and we’re here for it!
#4 – Plant-Based Eating Isn’t Just for Vegetarians Anymore!
We can’t talk about fitness trends without mentioning nutrition, and plant-based eating is continuing to gain ground as the “in” way to think about food.
People are beginning to appreciate meals for what they’re comprised of, not just the end result.
Over-processed, mystery-sourced ingredients aren’t getting the pass they have in years past.
Increased awareness about sustainability, coupled with high-profile testimonies from successful athletes, has pulled this trend into sharper focus in 2020. And if this approach to nutrition works for the pros, there’s at least something to look into for the rest of us.
With greater mindfulness and overall health as payoffs of plant-based eating, this is one trend you can feel great about giving a go.
#5 – One-Stop Shops for Convenient Health and Wellness
In 2020, you’ll see more and more businesses incorporating nutritionists, trainers, doctors, and other health professionals all under one roof. When you think about it, such a setup makes perfect sense.
Viewing an individual in segmented compartments—with nutrition separated from fitness, or mental health separated from physical health, for example—undercuts the beautiful complexity of being a whole person. Each component plays off of and affects the other.
So in 2020, look for more comprehensive establishments where you can grab a smoothie, hit the weights, and get a post-workout massage without driving to three different locations.
We don’t know what’s taken so long for this trend to hit the mainstream, but the convenience factor alone makes us glad it’s here now!
Try out a Trend–It’s Not Always a Scam!
Armed with the knowledge that not all fitness trends are flash-in-the-pan scams and can instead be fun steps towards a healthier lifestyle, go out and enjoy the trend that gets you most excited about your fitness future!
