With 2023 coming to a close, it’s no secret that the New Year resolutions will be making their comeback, with health and fitness taking the top spot for many. I often think trends are slightly overrated, but whether you follow them or not, let’s be honest, it’s nice staying in the ‘know’. And, having spoken with numerous experts in the fitness industry, I actually think there’s quite a lot to look forward to in 2024.
Pilates, especially reformer Pilates, popular for its low-impact and strengthening abilities, has had a resurgence and Hollie Grant, founder of Pilates PT, has confirmed we can expect this to continue into the New Year. At the other end of the spectrum, Fittest PR have confirmed running is having a revival, especially run clubs.
While The Future Labratory’s Olivia Houghton says we can expect to see a rise in wellness clubs. Forget saunas and hot tubs, we're talking guided talking sessions alongside your fitness classes and newly formed health complexes that offer full-blown well-being experiences from red light therapy rooms to medical concierges.
But while these trends may be set to be big in the New Year, I’ll confess they’re not top of my list (albeit one of my fitness resolutions is to try and keep up my running). Here are the ones I’m most looking forward to…
1. Hybrid fitness for the future
Previously, when you’d ask people what type of training they did, it would either be strength or endurance-based. But in 2024, we can expect to see more people blending the two together. One hybrid fitness race set to gain even more popularity is HYROX – an indoor fitness race for everybody that combines strength and cardio movements alongside running.
“HYROX is a very inclusive sport within the functional fitness space due to the exercises being relatively low-skilled so that pretty much anybody can perform them without the need for extensive training,” says HYROX UK Master Trainer Jake Dearden. These include exercises like sled pushes/pulls, sandbag lunges, wall balls, farmer carries, rowing, burpee broad jumps and the SkiErg.
I, myself, a die-hard weightlifter, even downed the dumbbells and weight plates this year to complete my first HYROX, and not only did I have the best time ever, but it's completely changed my attitude towards training, having noticed the benefits of being strong and fit. All I’ll say is keep an eye out, because it’s going to be big and could just be the new challenge you need in 2024.
2. Everyone loves the outdoors, especially rucking
We all know spending and appreciating more time outdoors became more popular during the Lockdowns. But how many people have you noticed on your social feed this year going for long walks, climbing mountains, and hiking? Probably quite a few. But one activity that's particularly started having a moment on TikTok this year is rucking.
What's rucking? Where you fill a backpack with weight and hit the trails. It's not new as such, it actually originated from military training. But its accessibility and simplicity have seen it gain popularity in the fitness-sphere.
“Compared to high-impact activities, rucking is relatively low-impact, so it's accessible to a broad range of fitness levels and safer to perform," says Farren Morgan, Founder of The Tactical Athlete and serving PTI in the Coldstream Guards, who's done plenty of rucking himself.
"It engages muscles across your body, resulting in an increase of strength and endurance, particularly in the legs, back, and core." You don't have to go at it alone either; it's a great way to spend social time, and we know how good the outdoors is for our mental health, too.
3. Mobility is having a moment
The effects of working from home have left many of us with bad backs, sore hips and, in general, pretty poor posture, which has a negative impact on our training. So, it’s probably music to fitness trainer’s ears that people are now recognising mobility and recovery as a serious part of their training, not just a by-product.
"It's set to be a big fitness trend, reshaping the way you approach your fitness routine," says Cody Mooney Director of Performance for the mobility and recovery app, pliability . "Incorporating mobility into your regime reaps numerous benefits, correcting poor posture from sedentary living and enhancing mental well-being through stretching, breathing, and meditative poses."
Arguably, not the most exciting trend on the scene, but one that'll be a gamechanger when it comes to performance.
