7 Fitness Trends to Follow in 2016

So we’ve all made our list of New Year’s resolutions for 2016 and many of us will have a fitness target for the year ahead. The team at Sun & Sand Sports has put together a list of the latest fitness trends to follow this year, as you get on board with the latest craze to hit your area.

1. Body-weight training

Take the no-gym-needed approach to fitness and make your body work for you. Have you heard of Calisthenics? It’s the body-weight training routine that’s gaining a huge following right now. The aim of the game is to increase body strength and overall fitness through a series of exercises involving pushing or pulling yourself up, swinging, jumping, bending, lifting – and all using your body’s own resistance as a form of weight control. To get yourself kitted out for your session, head to our Training page for all the latest products.

2. Wearable technology

Fitness trackers, heart-rate monitors, smart watches; they’re all the craze right now so get ahead of the trend and start tracking your training. Wear your technology and track your progress as you count steps, calories, and see the results of your workout every time you train. Check out the latest products from Jawbone and Mio at Sun & Sand Sports.

3. HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training involves short bursts of high-intensity activity, packing all the action into a short amount of time – and following this with a minimal state of rest before beginning the sequence again. It’s an extremely simple and effective method of working out and an easy way to get started is by running as fast as you can for 1 minute and then either jogging or walking for 2. Repeat this sequence for 10-15 minutes and the results will be quite noticeable after a few weeks of this routine.

4. Outdoor activities

The weather in the UAE is absolutely perfect for heading outdoors, which is why outdoor training is a great way to get fit this season. Take a break from the gym and enjoy a change of scenery as you opt for a park run, or a jog along the beach. Parkour is a huge new trend in the UAE, which involves moving rapidly through an area – typically urban, negotiating various obstacles in an outdoor environment – including structures, ledges and roof tops. It’s all about the challenge you set yourself through running, jumping and climbing over these obstacles throughout the course of the route.

5. Instructor courses

Trending for 2016 – it’s all about acquiring skills on a deeper level – perfecting the skill. That’s why so many people are taking it upon themselves to take a course in becoming an instructor. Fitness and sports more generally are great things when done correctly. Accurate training leads to visible results, because there is a skill to sport. Therefore taking your understanding of a sport to the next level is important in making this a part of your life – integrating it quite naturally into your daily routine. What you then do with this knowledge and skill set is up to you; whether you continue to train solo, or start teaching others, maybe you find a niche and star a business – it’s all about applying the skills in the best way that works for you.

6. Exercise apps

It can be difficult to motivate ourselves to go to the gym for a workout, so the more convenient we make the sport, the better. Downloading an exercise app on your smartphone could be the right thing for you, especially if you have a busy routine and find it hard to schedule a workout. Simply follow the steps and choose your place of workout – from home, on your lunch break, or whilst on holiday even. These apps also have the functionality to track your progress which will motivate you to beat your personal best. Download the Nike+ Training Club App and give it a test run.

7. Wellness coaching

Known also as ‘health coaching’, wellness coaching takes a holistic approach to fitness by incorporating the sciences of behaviour, psychology, nutrition and many more aspects – understanding how these become part of the body’s response to fitness and overall wellbeing. Wellness coaching provides motivation, support and guidance to aid the general promotion of health, also branching out into rehabilitation and recovery programmes.

Choose the option that works for you and set your fitness goals for the year ahead. Whether you’re an outdoorsy type, or you respond better to hardcore workouts in a controlled environment, there are so many different options available for 2016.