The top 8 fitness trends for a fitter 2019

It’s the most asked question every time a new year arrives and our results are in. We gave this quite a thought and we have selected the top 8 fitness trends for a fitter 2019: functional training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga, boutique fitness studios, group training, strength training, bodyweight training, and exercise apps.

These eight workout tips and trends are sure to make exercising very interesting. Now this begs the question: which ones will you try?

For those of you that don’t know, Functional Training is a type of workout that mirrors actions in everyday life, such as sitting or walking. Simple as that sounds, Functional Training ticks a lot of health goals: improving your balance, strength and coordination through moves that are relatively easy to pick up. Put it on your to-try list for 2019.

Want to manage your workout time more effectively next year? Commit to HIIT. These short, incredibly intense sessions push your body to its extremes, helping you cram your usual hour-long workout into a 10-30 minute slot, instead. There are many perks to HIIT, too - particularly if your goals are weight-loss orientated - as you’ll burn plenty of calories and enjoy a high metabolic rate for ages after your session has ended.

Yoga has long been on everyone’s fitness radars and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere fast. The popular practice - of which there are 11 main types - is fantastic for both your mental and physical health, lowering your stress levels and boosting your confidence while improving your posture and flexibility.

Boutique gyms - AKA, specialised gyms which offer a more bespoke experience - are on the rise. At EVO, we push the perks of ‘being boutique’ to the next level, offering expert personal training to achieve even the most niche of fitness goals, a range of unique classes and best in-class equipment. Speaking of which, let us remind you that we’re proud to be Boutique Fitness Studio that will enhance your workout experience.

Find it hard to self-motivate when it comes to working out? Make Group Training a priority in the new year. This type of training simply involves five or more people, so it’s easy to incorporate into your routine. Instead of running alone before work, for instance, go for a group run at lunch in the local park. Training in a group has proven benefits for your mental health, and, according to a study, can even improve your pain tolerance and make you work harder, so it’s definitely worth investigating.

You don’t need to be the next Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to enjoy the myriad benefits of Strength Training, which has been consistently popular among athletes for decades (and, we’d wager, decades to come). Strength-oriented exercises help you to stay healthy in the long game, improving your bone and muscle mass and protecting you from cardiovascular diseases. The six-pack is just the cherry on top.

If you’re craving a strong core, Bodyweight Training is the way to get it, fast. These types of exercise - like push-ups or planks - are great for boosting the muscles in your midriff, and are easy to do anywhere, too. Convenience and core strength - now that’s a combo we like.

We’re all glued to our mobiles, so we may as well make use of them by downloading a couple of apps that’ll benefit our workouts. Try Nike Training Club (which features over 160 free video workouts), My Fitness by Jillian Michaels (which provides both workout tips and great meal plan ideas) and Zombies, Run!, if you want to mix up your morning cardio sesh by pretending you’re sprinting away from a deathly zombie horde (who doesn’t?). Now we might be biased here, but we suggest you use our app: equipped with Virtual PT, workouts for every level of proficiency and a full library with tons of different exercises to bring your exercise game to the next level. To have full access to it, you just have to be... an EVO member.