Jane Fonda VHS? Positively quaint. Barre exercise for civilians? Last year’s hot thing. Just like IT and fashion, fitness culture keeps evolving, sometimes in wonderfully wacky ways. Whether you’re the maverick who longs to escape the blah of a flouro-lit gym treadmill, or the novelty seeker looking for a high-flying way to spend a Sunday, toning up has never been less boring. Here are twelve reasons to get off the couch.
By Guest Editor Cleo Glyde
0/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Trapeze Class
Trapeze Class: Take your next Upper Body workout up, up and away – and not with the greatest of ease. Pulling your body up on the bar, planks and cardio exercises all pay dividends for strong circus performers. Now trapeze schools are offering cheat floor versions, as well as 23-metre high classes from Sydney to Santa Monica and Cypress Mountain in Vancouver. westcoastflyingtrapeze.com
1/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Reverse Running
Reverse Running: The easiest way to burn 30% more energy on your next sprint is to switch directions and head backwards. In China, the US and Germany, runners are picking up on this early boxer’s training trick, enjoying the lesser impact on knees, increased oxygenation and faster weight loss results. Clearly finding a running track is preferable, as city streets are not fitness-forward enough to cope with joggers flying blind.
2/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Kangaroo Shoes
Kangaroo Shoes: Ever seen a fat kangaroo? Didn’t think so. Now you can boing and bound across the landscape in metallic ‘skyrunner’ devices that leverage human body weight to powerfully launch the wearer into the air up to 2 metres, just like everyone’s favourite Aussie mascot. Whatever your aerobic activity, this will double the resistance to powerfully tone your legs ’til you’re ready to launch. skyrunneraustralia.com.au
3/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Sexy Chair Workout
Sexy Chair Workout: Stiletto and Chair Dancing comes off the raunchy cabaret stage and into the exercise arena with trainers like Keaira LaShae or Crunch’s online streaming ‘Sexy Series’. Doing more than batting your lashes, come-hither gestures also target abs, triceps and glutes, while toning the legs that stay taut long after posing in class. keairalashae.com
4/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Karaoke Spin Class
Karaoke Spin Class: The fusion fitness craze mashes two activities together to enhance the original’s solo appeal. In the US, spin classes have proven to be a superb cardio workout, but sometimes motivation can lag. We all love to belt out our favourite tunes, though, so this new workout allows you to sing along, adding extra huff to your puff — and if you’re horrible, no one will ever know. crunch.com
5/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Masala Bhangra Bollywood Workout
Masala Bhangra Bollywood Workout: Cross-culture fitness taps into rich traditions that predate the fitness revolution. Masala (spicy) Bhangra (traditional Punjab folk dance) is a graceful, exhilarating dance that keeps dancers’ hands in the air while their snake-like movements tone them into shape on the Bollywood sound stage. Clubs and online portals like masalabhangraworkout.com combine the cardio benefits and joyous drumbeats into a 500-calorie burn class. masalabhangraworkout.com
6/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Waterwalkerz Walking
Waterwalkerz Walking: Floating across the surface of a body of water in a giant translucent sphere may sound ethereal, but the massive abdominal engagement and leg balance required to remain upstanding and afloat like Galadriel from Lord of the Rings provides a full-body workout like no other. In urban pool settings or out in nature, the laws of gravity are your ultimate personal trainer. waterwalkerz.com
7/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Pound Drumming Workout
Pound Drumming Workout: Any drummer worth their drum solo is going to have upper arm definition to envy. So ‘Pound’ Class — created in rock n’ roll haven Los Angeles – takes air drumming to the next level. The 45-minute routine (their new video, Pound Rockout Results System was recently released) simulates the constant isometric movement, with rhythmically matched songs that make it seem more like a party. poundfit.com
8/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
M.A.M.I.Ls: Middle-Aged Men In Lycra
M.A.M.I.Ls: Middle-Aged Men In Lycra: The rise of male cycling has co-opted lycra from disco queens and personal trainers. This fitness phenomenon mirrors the rise in over-40s who prefer their fitness on two wheels, in the company of others. The Australian tourism industry has noticed and responded with MAMIL-focused promotion, such as Victoria, Australia’s High Country, Murray To Mountain and Bass Coast rail trails. railtrails.org.au
9/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Waterfall Paddling
Waterfall Paddling: For athletic bravehearts who are just not going to get the adrenaline they need from Tai Chi, kayaking over the edge of thunderous waterfalls is their preferred way to break a sweat. Their playgrounds: Palouse Falls Washington; Big Banana Falls, Mexico; Salto Belo, Brazil; Rainbow Falls, Hawaii; and Cascade Falls, British Columbia. Bracing your core isn’t just about better abs, but surviving the drop by landing at the right angle. paddling.net
10/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Tough Mudder
Tough Mudder: This series of hardcore 19-kilometre obstacle races and ‘mud runs’ are designed by British Special Forces to apply their game-changing fitness challenges to the real world. Friends and family members don’t compete with each other, but rather against their own physical and mental blocks. Running, swimming, jumping, swinging, climbing and navigating rough terrain are given a new twist with exercises like ‘Electric Eel’, ‘Walk The Plank’ and ‘Berlin Wall’. Global success shows we’re all gluttons for punishment. toughmudder.com.au
11/13
The Top 12 Unusual Fitness Trends.
Zombie Jogs
Zombie Jogs: Interval training and running meets hyper motivation as new action-packed game apps conjure a zombie apocalypse. These thrilling chases keep your speed up and the music pumping as you star in your own unfolding story, following audio instructions that help you escape the hordes. Fans find it’s far better to fear the beasts around the corner than your own lack of motivation to get off the couch. zombiesrungame.com
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