Workout Plans for Women – Popular Exercise Routines for Females
The American College of Sports and Medicine (ACSM) surveys fitness professionals around the country every year to decide the top 20 fitness trends for the coming year. Now in its tenth year, the survey aims to identify trends and changes in overall fitness behavior as opposed to fads. Some trends, such as core training, have appeared on every list since its inception, while others, like Zumba and bootcamp-style workouts, have fallen off in recent years.
Understanding what the trends are is one thing, but for most people, the hard part comes when it is time to incorporate these fitness trends into their daily lives, especially if they don’t always have access to a gym. Luckily, most of the top trends for this year don’t require exclusive gym memberships or cumbersome equipment. In fact, there are several pieces of fitness equipment, from yoga mats and hand weights to resistance bands, that will fit into any size home and allow you to participate in all of the top four trends identified in the 2016 survey.
Wearable Technology
The number one trend this year is wearable technology, which includes gadgets like fitness trackers, smartwatches, heart rate monitors and GPS trackers. Wearable tech does not prescribe a specific type of exercise, but instead motivates users to increase activity. In fact, a University of Chicago study found that fitness trackers help users lead a healthier lifestyle.
Related to the number one trend, and appearing on the list for the first time at number 17 is smartphone exercise apps. The ACMS mentions apps such as the Nike Training Club, Endomondo Pro and Yoga with Janet Stone. Some of these apps provide fitness instruction, while others track progress and provide feedback. Both wearable tech and exercise apps allow you to structure and track your activities and serve as a good compliment to many of the other fitness trends on the list.
Bodyweight Training
Bodyweight training, or exercises that only require the weight of your own body, came in at number two on the trend list. The appeal of this type of training is obvious to anyone with a busy schedule, requiring no or minimal equipment and no specific location. These types of workouts go beyond pushups and sit-ups (although these are great exercises). To find interesting and varied bodyweight training workouts, check out smartphone apps like Sworkit, which let you customize your workout and give video demonstrations and verbal instruction, or Gorilla Workout, which has over 175 different bodyweight workouts using 40 different exercises.
High-intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is generally a quick workout that involves short periods of intense exercise followed by a short recovery period. Supporters love this type of workout as a fast way to put on muscle and lose fat, although many trainers warn of the dangers of injury with high-intensity workouts. One of the most well-known HIIT workouts is the Seven Minute Scientific workout, popularized by the New York Times.
Strength Training
ACMS’s fourth trend is strength training, or training using weights. Trainers often recommend combining strength training with cardiovascular training to create a comprehensive fitness program. This type of training may be most easily achieved at a gym, but can also be done at home with space-saving equipment like hand weights or a pulley system.
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