Does the notion of gazing at the treadmill for one more labouring kilometre make you want to flinch? From time to time, changing things up is definitely an ideal approach to consistently make progress. Fortuitously, with the fitness industry being as massive as it is, individuals are continually coming up with new and ground-breaking ways to make the most out of a training session. If you’re looking for a new challenge, these three recent trends below might be well worth trying out.

Trend #1: Piloxing

Aptly named, this method of exercising incorporates elements from two extremes, namely boxing and Pilates. Allegedly, it combines the flexibility and contouring elements from Pilates and the speed and power elements from boxing into a single session. The resulting method, in essence, is a creative new take on interval training, combining conditioning and muscle-building stimuli in a single bout. The efficacy, though, is yet to be determined as it is still in its infacy.

Trend #2: Parkour

While the training ground for parkour, also known as free running, is typically urban cityscapes, the latest trend is indoor parkour, where participants can dive, leap, and backflip with the safety of padded mats and foam pits. Traditionally, parkour was reserved for experienced individuals. However, due to these safety measures, this excellent conditioning exercise method is available to beginners as well

Trend #3: Tabata

Tabata entails high-intensity interval training. Originally, it was designed to condition speed skaters in a variety of manners, incorporating exercises stemming from bodyweight movements to rapid sprints. These movements are typically performed at maximal intensity for twenty seconds with a ten second rest period between each set eight times (totalling four minutes). The idea behind it is to execute these four minute workouts several times a day at your convenience, which is ideal for a lot of people these days.