If you're like most people, the start of the new year signals a time to recommit to a regular fitness routine. The thing is, it's easy to get bored at the gym, especially if all you do is run on the treadmill. That's why we asked top fitness and wellness experts for what they think is going to be popular in 2019. The following nine trends will make working out more fun so that you can reach your goals this year.
Image via Halfpoint Images/Moment/Getty
Boxing
Boxing is in right now, due to the fact that celebrities, models and sports figures have been helping to spread the word on social media (think: Adriana Lima and the Kardashians), says Roger Martin, co-founder of RockBox Fitness in Charlotte, North Carolina. Boxing benefits include increased stamina, agility, strength and overall fitness and confidence. "People from all walks of life enjoy the intensity and the great feeling of catching a heavy bag flush with a right hook," he says. Plus, these days boxing studios look more like SoulCycle than a typical gym. For example, Martin's studio features color-changing lighting and hi-def sound.
Colin Anderson Productions Pty Ltd/DigitalVision/Getty
Fitness Challenges
To prevent boredom, many studios will offer timed fitness challenges in 2019, predicts Raj Gupta, chiropractor and founder of Soul Focus, a wellness center in New Jersey. Timed fitness challenges are a way to reach a specific goal in a set amount of time under the oversight of an instructor, which helps keep you accountable, says Gupta. For example, Gupta offers a challenge called the Focus 40. "The definitive time of the challenge, which is a 40-day period, results in a loss of anywhere between 15-25 pounds," he says.
Image via Mireya Acierto/DigitalVision/Getty
Virtual Group Fitness Classes
Just because you don't live near a fancy-schmancy boutique fitness class doesn't mean you can't try it. Arianne Perry, certified health coach and CEO and co-founder of Sweet Defeat, says virtual group fitness is an emerging trend for 2019. Peloton has on-demand cycling and running classes, points out Perry. Another example is Mirror, which offers live or on-demand boot camps and yoga classes where the instructor coaches from a wall-mounted smart mirror.
Image via skynesher/E+/Getty
HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training (aka HIIT) has been around for a while, but it's about to get even bigger in 2019, says Liana Hughes, certified personal trainer and coach at Gixo. "HIIT has been shown to use your fat burning system and providing weight loss, which is what most people are looking for," says Hughes. "You can get a quick workout in and still see results."
Image via kundoy/Moment/Getty
