boiMAG.com "Fitness Article"

For years, restrictive diets, Instagram influencers, and misinformed trainers have conflated fitness with losing weight and achieving a certain “look.” But more recently, the conversation around fitness started to change, as more people focused on the well-being and mental health benefits of exercise instead of aesthetic goals. The pandemic propelled this shift even more because quarantine and grieving in isolation forced many to see exercise as a form of practicing selfcare.

“People are becoming much more aware of fitness being about wellness and not necessarily weight loss. People are taking a holistic approach to health care by evaluating their lifestyle, and fitness is part of that,” says Pete McCall, host of the All About Fitness Podcast and author of Ageless Intensity: High-Intensity Workouts to Slow the Aging Process.

According to Mindbody’s 2022 wellness trends report, which surveyed more than 16,000 Americans, exercise became an outlet for relieving stress and anxiety for many in 2021. The survey showed that 43% of respondents exercise to feel better mentally, and 37% of Americans incorporated a fitness routine to help support their mental well-being.

So if you want to make 2022 the year to transform your health and fitness, the following workout trends can help you find a deeper purpose for making movement a priority in your life. Whether you want to build up some confidence, combat stress and anxiety with good ol’ endorphins, or simply make more time for yourself in the new year, these fitness trends can help you get there.

Hybrid Virtual & In-Person Training

If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that you can essentially work out wherever you are, in or outside of the home. Hybrid training, in which you do a mix of both virtual and in-person workouts, will continue to soar in 2022.

In fact, Equinox members who use the Equinox+ app and visit the gym are already working out an additional six times per month than those using the gym alone, says Keith Irace, vice president of group fitness at Equinox.

Studios like CityRow, CorePower Yoga, and Barry’s also offer both on-demand and digital live classes, and FlexIt, a virtual personal training app, connects people to trainers at big-box gyms and fitness franchises, like New York Sports Club, 24-Hour Fitness, Blink Fitness, Physique 57, solidcore, and Gold’s Gym, for oneon-one sessions.

But one aspect of virtual fitness that’s lacking, even for apps and devices with community platforms, is human interaction, and that’s exactly why people are still shuttling into gyms and fitness studios. Connecting with others, whether it’s your trainer or people in your class, during your workouts can help boost your sense of mental and emotional well-being.

According to a 2017 study in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, medical students who engaged in group fitness classes reported feeling less stressed and having improved quality of life, including their mental, physical, and emotional health. In addition, a 2018 study in The Lancet Psychiatry found that participating in team sports, including cycling, and aerobic and gym activities, is associated with lower mental health burden.

“I’ve found that we as people crave human interaction and whenever it is safe to do so, we will seek it out. While I did transition specific aspects of my training online, I’ve continued to train clients in person outdoors” says Gideon Akande, an iFit trainer. At the same time, Akande says his clients value having the personal training experience at home with apps, like iFit, that stream workouts to your smartphone, a compatible workout device, or your TV.

Working with a trainer or joining a group fitness class in person helps people stay accountable, especially for those who find it challenging to adhere to a workout routine at home.

Going to the gym also gives you more access to fitness equipment and space, which not everyone may have.. boiMAG.com 23

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