TORONTO – The excitement gym rats felt in 2014 toward high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is more than just a passing fad, according to a new survey.
Canfitpro’s new survey of nearly 2,000 Canadian fitness professionals places HIIT at the top of the list for what they think will be the most effective fitness trends in 2015. “Functional fitness” took the second spot on the list for top fitness trends for 2015, and “older adult training” came in third.
HIIT has proven it has staying power — early in 2014 it was named by the American College of Sports Medicine as the No. 1 fitness trend worldwide for 2014.
HIIT is characterized by short, intense bursts of exercise followed by periods of rest. Classes featuring military-style training, Spartan workouts and CrossFit training all can fall under the HIIT umbrella. Fans of the training style say they love the results achieved in shorter amounts of time. However, health and fitness professionals have issued warnings that improper training can lead to injuries, especially among those not accustomed to that type of activity.
In 2012, the Canadian Forces released a general order asking their personnel not to participate in HIIT, warning that HIIT can cause a rare but potentially life-threatening condition called exertional rhabdomyolysis, a condition where the body’s muscles break down.
READ MORE: Doctors warn of rhabdo, a deadly condition linked to over exercising
Functional fitness
Functional fitness is meant to improve how you carry out activities in your everyday life, like lifting your growing infant out of a car seat without throwing out your back. Rather than spending hours at the gym perfecting your bicep curl, functional fitness conditions multiple muscle groups at the same time. Exercises include things like squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, push-ups and planking.
“Functional fitness came in a close second because it links directly to our lifestyles as Canadians. It includes natural body movements like squats and deadlifts that help us prepare for the rigours of daily life – things like shovelling snow or carrying groceries,” said Rod Macdonald, vice president of canfitpro.
Older adult training
According to Statistics Canada, by the year 2016, the number of Canadians ages 65 years and older will outnumber those under the age of 15. By the year 2063, seniors are expected to make up between 24 and 28 per cent of the population. So perhaps it’s not surprising that “older adult training” took the third spot on the list.
The fitness professionals surveyed said our aging population is creating a growing demand for fitness programs tailored to older adults, to help them maintain their quality of life.
“This area is increasingly popular because of the aging-but-active Baby Boomers,” said Macdonald.
Top 10 Canadian fitness trends for 2015
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Functional fitness
- Older adult training
- Working out with certified/experienced fitness professionals
- Personal training
- Body weight training
- Express workouts
- Nutrition education programs
- Bootcamps
- Circuit training
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