Make exercise more exciting with some of the strangest fitness crazes

Are you aware of any of the strange fitness fads and classes sweeping the gyms and parks across the world? They could already be happening near you, offering you a more exciting way to get fit and feel healthy. Let’s explore some of the wacky fitness crazes that have been proving popular over the last decade. Maybe you’ll find a new one that appeals to you, to test out in 2019?

Plogging: a Scandinavian based trend

This fitness fad made its way into our lives at the start of 2018, and some people haven’t looked back since. It’s a Scandinavian based trend that encourages people to pick up litter while out running — improving health and the environment.

The word ‘plogging’ comes from the word jogging and the Swedish phrase ‘plocka upp’ which means pick up. The exercise part comes from running with intermittent squatting and lunging so you can pick up rubbish from the ground. It is an effective calorie burner too — fitness app Lifesum estimates that a typical user will burn 288 calories from 30 minutes of plogging.

People are getting involved on social media too — showing images of them in running gear with plastic bags ready to fill with litter. Could we see this trend become widespread sometime soon?

Barefoot jogging: to strengthen the feet, ankles and legs

In 2010, a fitness fad came along that saw runners trading in their running shoes for a form of running ‘sock’.

Those who are in support of the trend say that running in trainers or running shoes can make you more prone to injury as it encourages running with unnatural form. It’s also said that running barefoot strengthens the tiny muscles found in feet, ankles and legs which can also reduce the risk of injury.

Although some people still follow the trend, it’s not as popular as it once was. Experts have said that switching to barefoot running without properly transitioning makes you prone to injuries. Only try this one if you’re willing to practise walking barefoot before running.

High-heel workouts: great for shaping your calves

Over the past decade, some of the benefits of working out in high heels have been recognised. Research has suggested that even walking in high-heels (below three inches) can shape the calves and improve muscle tone and shape.

By lunging, squatting and lifting small weights while wearing high-heels, balance can also be improved. It hasn’t been fully determined whether wearing high-heels for a workout can result in weight loss, but it can help you learn how to walk better in them.

Hot barre: for deep stretching and toxin release

As with many weird and wonderful fitness classes, the trend of ‘hot barre’ first took off in New York and Los Angeles.

This trend involves doing classical ballet moves in a room heated to 40 degrees and it took off around 2015. Advocates of the fad say that hot barre encourages you to gain a deeper stretch while helping you release toxins and feel detoxed. Then, as the body has to work hard to cool itself down, you can expect your metabolism to boost and number of burnt calories to increase.

Similar classes are popular today too such as ‘hot yoga’ where classic mindfulness movements are performed in a heated pod — a guaranteed sweat stimulator and gentle source of exercise, ideal for relieving arthritic pain.

From barefoot jogging to working out in stilettos, who knows what the next strange fitness trend will be?