A new report has revealed the worldwide fitness trends for 2024, along with those on their way out as we reach the new year.
Wall Pilates takes the crown as the trend notching up the largest growth in the lead-up to 2024, with a huge 4461 per cent jump in interest.
Riding the Pilates popularity wave, wall Pilates is a favourite with both beginners and veterans of the exercise, with the addition of a wall adding both stability, support and resistance to each movement.
As part of their second annual Fitness Report, PureGym has again revealed the workout trends set to take the year by storm.
By analysing the number of monthly google searches for more than 175 different fitness trends versus the same period one year ago, PureGym has detailed which are showing the biggest spikes in interest as we head into 2024.
Their predicted top five are:
- wall Pilates
- Tarzan movement
- Pvolve
- Hyrox
- exercise snacking.
The trends are a far cry from Australia’s fitness predictions for 2023, which were:
- fitness programs for older adults
- wearable technology
- group training
- high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- functional training
- outdoor fitness
- yoga
- Pilates
- boxing
- mindfulness.
Fitness programs specifically tailored for older adults witnessed a resurgence.
This renewed focus on the fitness needs of older adults stems from the growing recognition of the importance of physical activity in maintaining health, independence, and overall wellbeing.
The international top 10 according to the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2023 were:
- wearable technology
- strength training with free weights
- body weight training
- fitness programs for older adults
- functional fitness training
- outdoor activities
- high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- exercise for weight loss
- employing certified fitness professionals
- personal training.
Swing and a miss
Worldwide trending exercises predicted to be big in 2024 include the back-to-nature ‘Tarzan movement’ (+529 per cent), also known as the primal movement.
This bizarre trend encourages people to embrace their inner monkey and mimic ape behaviour by climbing trees, going barefoot, walking on all fours and making chimp ‘calls’.
Proponents are also encouraged to take part in ‘social grooming’. Personal prediction: this will not catch on.
Pvolve came in third. This fitness fad, a celebrity favourite, uses resistance bands for low impact, whole body toning. It looks like yoga with elastic bands.
The quickfire method of ‘exercise snacking’ (up 190 per cent) and the more widely known High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) seeing an 83 per cent were also up in popularity.
Based on the method of structuring exercise into short five-minute bouts, repeated twice a day, ‘exercise snacking’ is an easy way for anyone to exercise more – with the movements easy to complete for all abilities, without the need for a warm-up.
Up the wall
PureGym personal trainer Macallum Livock shared some tips for any beginners looking to take up wall Pilates.
“Wall Pilates is very similar to the standard Pilates workouts that we may be familiar with – though with the addition of a wall to provide both stability and resistance to the movements,” they say.
“Doing so can help to put greater focus on certain muscle groups during each movement and give a greater challenge to anyone who wants to go a level up from the basic Pilates moves.
“Wall Pilates is also great for beginners, as the wall will provide stability and enable them to build up confidence with the movements, while being more supported than with bodyweight alone.
“For anyone looking to start wall Pilates, it’s always best to begin with the basics, so wall-assisted glute bridges and wall sits would be good exercises to ease yourself into this new way of working out.”
PureGym’s study also revealed the trends on their way out. Weighted hula hooping, which found fame on TikTok, dropping in interest (-55 per cent) alongside the likes of quirky trends such as eye yoga (-19 per cent) and forehead workouts (-64 per cent).
Yogic eye exercises, also called eye yoga, are movements that claim to strengthen and condition the muscles in your eye structure. People who practice eye yoga are often hoping to improve their vision, treat symptoms of dry eye, and decrease eye strain.
As for forehead workouts, also a type of facial yoga, Harvard University has given them a definite ‘maybe’ as to being of any benefit.
Do you have a fitness regime? Have you ever enjoyed a ‘trendy’ exercise fad? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
Also read: Why balance exercises are essential for older people
