2019’s biggest fitness trends revealed

Here at beautyheaven, we’re all about a trend – and while most of the time this is makeup or hair related (we’re looking at you, French bobs and unicorn pits), we can’t get enough of a fitness fad either. So when ClassPass released their data from 2018 which forecasted trends for the year ahead in 2019, we were all ears.

If you’re looking to keep as up to date with your workout game as you are with the gear you wear while you’re doing it, then read on.

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Short workouts are where it’s at (everyone say, ‘hooray!’)

If you’re a member of Les Mills, then chances are you’ve probably already squeezed a 30-minute GRIT class into your lunchbreak once or twice. The good news is, with more and more people finding themselves increasingly short on time, we’re likely to see more hard and fast workouts added to timetables across a number of fitness facilities.

According to ClassPass, the length of time a class takes to complete is a major factor for gym bunnies. “ClassPass users were 33% more likely to book a class under 45 minutes in 2018 than they were in 2017. We predict this trend of shorter class times will continue to rise in 2019.”

The best part is, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts boost your heart rate quickly and keep it up for the entirety of the workout, which means you get effective results with a shorter duration of activity. Tick!

Treadmill classes could become a thing

The dreaded treadmill might be about to have its time in the spotlight again, with ClassPass predicting that treadmill-based workout classes are one of the fastest growing fitness trends. Through referencing their own data, ClassPass discovered “an 82% increase in classes that incorporated treadmills in 2018 vs 2017.”

While a quick google search doesn’t turn up many options for treadmill based classes here in New Zealand, it’s definitely a trend to keep an eye out for. Rather than just running on the spot, classes offered at gyms overseas such as Equinox in the US, involve cardio, strength training and resistance – ensuring you’re working your entire body in the one session.

Yoga and strength training outrank the rest

Yoga was one of the most popular workouts across the United States last year, and judging by how full those free Sunday morning Lululemon yoga classes always are, it’s safe to say it’s a favourite in New Zealand too. If you’re yet to delve into the body, mind and soul workout that is yoga, download the MindBody app or sign up for ClassPass and check out some studios near you. Yoga studios often offer discounts and special offers to new members as well as multi-class passes that make each session cheaper, too. If you do have a Lululemon store near you that offers free yoga classes, it’s a great way to try out different modalities to see what you like!

However, the gold medal for most popular type of workout is strength training – which means it’s only going to get bigger in 2019 as more people catch on. We’re talking weight lifting, CrossFit, free weights and basically anything that involves using muscular force against resistance – be it a heavy object such as a weight machine or medicine ball, elastic resistance or even your own body weight. It’s an excellent way to build lean muscle mass, reduce body fat and burn calories.

Do you have any predictions for workouts that will take off in 2019? Share your thoughts in our comments below!