As the new year arrives, it’s time to start getting our fitness routines in order. While some of us have our favorite classes at our favorite gyms, many of us are thinking outside the box about new exercise trends we can work into our 2017 schedules. Over the past few years, we’ve seen things like boxing, aerial yoga, and HIIT gain popularity. But 2017 holds something totally new.
Here, seven workout trends you’re sure to see everywhere in 2017. (And yes, Drake yoga is one of them.)
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Getty Images/Thomas Barwick1 An emphasis on active recovery.
In 2017, you’ll be seeing the classic bodyweight workouts you know and love—except with a twist. The fitness sphere is shifting its focus to active recovery through foam rollers and stretch-based workouts like yoga.
“For years we’ve been doing high intensity stuff,” Pete McCall, M.S., certified personal trainer tells SELF. “Now we’re going to see an emphasis on active recovery, whether it be through stretching classes, yoga, or trigger point release. The focus is going to be on how you treat your body after you work out.”
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Getty Images/Jacob Ammentorp Lund2 A new spin on yoga.
Non-traditional approaches to yoga are here, and they’re taking the fitness world by storm. Box + Flow workout studio gives New Yorkers the chance to blend boxing with yoga, the WOOM center provides a multi-sensory (smell, touch, sound) yoga workout, and there are now Drake-themed hip-hop yoga classes in Los Angeles.
“I hadn’t been into yoga until this past year,” trainer Chase Weber tells SELF. “You do it on your own, and you’re listening to hip-hop music—it was something different. I didn’t think yoga was like that.” Weber says the unconventional approach to yoga hooked him and got him excited about the practice—and he anticipates the same will be true for many others.
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Getty Images/Maskot3 Wearables, apps, and live-streamed workouts.
From wearables to workout apps, the fitness sphere is becoming increasingly tech-savvy. Apps like Qinetic and Aptiv help you immerse yourself in the health and fitness world from the comfort of your own phone, and wearables like the Fitbit make exercise fun and accessible.
And McCall says he thinks live-streamed workouts are going to gain significance, as well. “I think we’re going to see a lot more live-stream programming,” he says. “At-home streaming workouts increase accessibility and affordability—making it easier for people to embrace fitness.”
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Getty Images/Westend614 A new approach to HIIT.
HIIT has had its moment in the sun, and Weber’s 3-3-3 Method is here to usher in a new era. “The 3-3-3 Method is a style of training based on strength, power, and stability,” Weber says. “It’s different from what you’re used to.”
Weber draws on the fast-paced nature of HIIT to design his workout, which features a series of challenging moves conducted at high speed. After completing a warm-up, you launch into three circuits—each of which has three moves completed in three sets. (See where the 3-3-3 is coming from? Three circuits, three moves, and three sets.) Weber’s approach to HIIT is new, fun, different—and great for 2017.
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Getty Images/Tara Moore5 A rise in self-defense classes that spike your heart rate.
Victoria’s Secret models like Gigi Hadid have popularized boxing, making it one of the hottest fitness trends of the last few years. In 2017, we’ll see this trend continue with a shift to skill-based self-defense classes that also raise your heart rate.
“In the last few years we’ve been seeing a lot of female empowerment through strength training,” McCall says. “The natural progression of that is seeing more women getting into some kind of martial arts…They’re lifting weights, and feeling strong and powerful. Now they want to do something with it.” Not to mention, McCall adds, self-defense is a practical skill to have.
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Getty Images/Klaus Vedfelt6 Even more experiential fitness.
While some people prefer to run or lift weights on their own, many others are looking for something a little more experiential. Wellness retreats—like St. Lucia’s The BodyHoliday, California’s The Ranch, and Costa Rica’s Pravassa retreat—give people the chance to escape while immersing themselves in fitness. Plus, they get the added bonus of a group dynamic. In 2017, we’ll see even more of these kinds of wellness vacations.
“There’s something about going somewhere you can bring a friend or you can team up with people,” Weber says. “You’ve got other people in the room to motivate you.”
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Getty Images/Hero Images7 A shift toward social workouts.
Social workout options—like group exercise classes, SELF’s run club, and bRUNch running membership program—are becoming increasingly popular. And as people start prioritizing fitness more heavily in the new year, we’re really going to see them take off.
“Stuff like this makes fitness more of a social outing,” McCall says. “That’s a good thing. There are only so many hours in the day, so why not combine fitness with social fun time?” McCall adds that he even met his wife at the gym, so he knows firsthand that a shared passion of fitness can go a long way. “If the social aspect is what gets you exercising, that’s a big thing,” he says.”
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