Creative and Innovative New Exercise Routines for your Best Body |ADDICTED

These days, all of us fitness enthusiasts and gym devotees are seriously spoiled for choice when it comes to types of exercise, fitness routines, and more. Whatever you’re into, whatever part of the body you’re targeting, whatever your fitness goals…there are exercises for it. Workout routines that can be customized for every single interest, need, time-constraint, and preference. Humans are innovative, and we’re always devising new fun and creative ways to move that maximize physical fitness, target muscle groups and keep us strong and healthy.

Photo by Li Sun

Below, we’ve outlined a few of the new and exciting exercise styles and routines that are starting to crop up all over. Stuck in a rut? Maybe one of these great new exercises is just right for you!

Train Like a Viking

Vikings have been having a “moment” for several years now, thanks in no small part to TV shows and movies that portray them as being especially strong, brave, agile and in peak physical fitness. It seems like nothing can stop a Viking – if you get into a battle with one of these fierce warriors, you’re not likely to come out the victor. Vikings are known for their strength, agility, cunning and fearlessness.

So it’s no surprise, given these attributes, that the viking workout is one that is gaining in popularity. The Viking workout focuses on strength, speed and being in top physical form; at the top of your game. Through targeted “combat-chassis” exercises like axe-throwing, rowing, “farmer carrying” (weight work), these exercise routines target the legs, arms and core. The focus is on getting you as strong as possible without sacrificing any speed. This is a great workout to train for any upcoming sports event, such as running a marathon, that epic hiking trip, or just to get jacked.

Cycling Variations

Road cycling and mountain biking are both great ways to stay in shape. Not only are these cardio-rich exercises low-impact on the knees and joints, but they get your heart pumping hard and can help you lose weight, tone your entire body, and they help your mental health, too, through releasing endorphins and exposing you to lots of Vitamin D.

But plenty of people find that they can’t or don’t want to ride outside, for whatever reason. That’s why many people have become devotees to the popular Peloton, an indoor-bike with built-in perks like online spin class and more. Exercise bikes are nothing new; they’ve been around for decades, but thanks to new technology these indoor bikes are pretty high-tech and many people love them.

The newest technology in the world of cycling is the underwater bike. Touted as a way to combine swimming and cycling, these bikes are a really neat, low-impact way to get your cardio. They’re great for people who are undergoing rehabilitation or who want a strong workout that’s very easy on the joints. They provide a great deal of resistance without harming vulnerable bodies. And they’re really fun.

Hybrid Workouts

The aquatic bike might fall into this category, too!

Hybrid workouts are all the rage these days, and they’re pretty much exactly as they sound – the combination of two workouts styles/routines to make one big workout. Think yoga + dance, or aerobics + Zumba. Spin + dance. You name it, it probably already exists. Check your local fitness centre or gym for hybrid classes, including many that are done online via zoom. If you’ve been looking for a way to jazz up your fitness routine, a hybrid class like yogalates (yoga + pilates) might be just the ticket.

Home Gyms and “Smart” Equipment

We already touched on innovative new exercise equipment, such as indoor and aquatic bikes. But it isn’t just the world of cycling that is seeing brand new innovation and technology as it pertains to at-home workouts. These days, you can purchase entire home gyms with “smart” (i.e, energy-efficient and intuitive) exercise equipment, ranging from ellipticals, treadmills and other standbys, to rowing machines, weight lifting benches and even exercise equipment with built-in virtual personal trainers.

With many people social distancing, it’s a great time to look into expanding your home gym with some of these intuitive and cool new machines. Many of them are more affordable than you think, and they are efficient and safe ways to get your gym fix right from your own home.

These are just a few of the top trends in exercise and fitness in 2020 – many of them are at-home, safe routines that can be done while social distancing, even! More and more people are looking to get fitter, stronger and healthier, and are finding really fun and creative ways to do it, with workouts and equipment that are innovative and exciting. Your best body awaits!