7 New Fitness Trends That Will Spice up Your Workout Routine ...

The same old workout routine can get a little boring sometimes, and I’m always looking for new fitness trends to change things up. After a while, the same routine starts seeming like a chore and I get too comfortable to try a new thing. Change is hard, especially when you don’t know what to do. If you’re looking to spice up your workout routine, here are 7 new fitness trends to look into!

1. Dance Cardio

One of the greatest new fitness trends is dance cardio, made popular by Zumba a few years back. A one hour class burned hundreds of calories and were fun! Dance cardio isn’t just limited to Zumba now. Classes have expanded into many local areas, sometimes charging a small fee. If there isn’t one near you, find a friend who owns a video of a great dance cardio routine and do it at home. Dance workouts ranging from ballet to Bollywood can hit muscles traditional cardio workouts miss and make you feel like you're not exercising. Who knew cardio could be so fun?

2. Fusion Classes

Fusion classes are a big thing. They mesh two or more already great workouts together and jam different techniques into one session. This way your body gets pushed in ways it wouldn’t normally be moved in if it was only one style. Find a class that has one of your favorite routines and try it out. Check out the popular Yogalates (pilates and yoga) to change up a stale fitness routine. If not, try it at home, mixing different styles you like.

3. Weightlifting

The human body is stronger than we think. Weightlifting allows you to feel the strength of your own body. This is a becoming a lot more popular with women. Building muscle helps burn more fat at rest and will not make you bulky looking at all! The benefits are plentiful so pick up some weights and start! Weightlifting has a lot to do with correct form, so make sure to do your research or find a personal trainer to help you out. Take it slow at first and see your body get lean!

4. Bootcamp

Bootcamp is an intense group workout based on military basic-training programs. These programs burn an incredible amount of calories in just an hour of working out. There are DVD workouts to simulate bootcamp programs at home, but the best thing about bootcamp is going through it with a group of people. It’s easier to go through it with the motivation of others who will push you and help you get through it. Try it out and see if it's right for you!

5. HIIT

The gist of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is to have sudden burst of high intensity for a short period of time in between regular paced workouts. If you’re short on time, HIIT is great. It can be performed in 15 minutes and reaps the same benefits of a longer routine. It boosts your metabolism, burns more fat, and can be done virtually anywhere! Check out Tabata HIIT, a quick four minute workout, or try running at a regular pace for one minute, then sprinting as fast as you can for 30 seconds, and then repeating. HIIT can be done with all kinds of workout routines and can really help you get out of a rut!

6. Circuit Training

Circuit training mixes cardio and strength training together in a timed way to burn maximum calories while still building muscle. A circuit completes different exercises (jumping jacks, planks, sit-ups, squat jumps, push-ups etc.) in a prescribed time, rest for a short period, and continue to a new routine of exercises. Circuit training works similar to HIIT, but you never repeat the same exercises back-to-back. Circuit training was made popular with P90X and similar intense workouts. The best thing about it is you can do this without equipment in your home. Circuit training typically runs longer than HIIT, so really set aside time to sweat it out! It's also more intense so start slow, take it easy and listen to your body.

7. CrossFit

I’ve been hearing a lot about CrossFit and decided to check into it. CrossFit combines many aspects of the previously mentioned workouts. Think of this as boot-camp plus HIIT plus circuit training plus strength training. This kind of routine involves equipment like kettle balls, tractor tires, weighted balls, and dumbbells. CrossFit is an intense workout and focuses on endurance and power, using all different muscles at once. Because of that, be careful not to push your limits too much and injury. CrossFit is extremely difficult, but extremely rewarding.

If time or money is an issue, most of these workouts can be used to spice up your workout routine right at home. I strongly encourage to at least try to take a class because in the end, it’s a really good investment and at least you'd be making new friends. Like with any new change, take it slowly at first. And always remember to warm up and cool-down after. You don’t want to cause any injuries. Your body is too precious to be hanging on the sidelines. What are some trends you do to spice up your routine?