Top Exercise and Fitness Trends to Watch in 2013

Posted: 18th April 2013 by Get Fit Stay Fit in Uncategorized

MEDIA RELEASE: Monday 15 April 2013

FROM: The New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)

Tired of the same old workout? Feel like you are spending hours on the treadmill each week and getting nowhere?
Want to spice up your exercise routine but need to know you are investing your time and money wisely? Keen on using the latest trends and information to get yourself in shape?

Then look no further – here are the top exercise and fitness trends to take you through 2013 and beyond.
It’s important to know the difference between a trend and a fad when investigating any new fitness product that
you come across; a trend is ‘a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are
behaving’ whereas a fad is ‘a fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a short period of time’.
So while that infomercial fat blaster may be the most popular thing this week, it’s not going to give the results
promised and will be replaced next week with a new miracle machine.

If you come across something new in exercise and fitness and aren’t sure whether it’s worth investing in, look
at what REPs Registered Exercise Facilities and trainers in your area are doing. With the right training and
experience behind them, they will be using only the best and reputable products, and will be able to give you
the right advice on how to use them. So without further delay here are the trends to keep an eye on this year:

Small Group Training
Boot camp style classes were the buzz over summer, with classes springing up in parks and beaches all over the country offering a no frills approach to training. While the winter weather will see many classes move indoors, the small group style of training will remain popular. In a nutshell small group training is about taking all the good parts of working one on one with a personal trainer, and combining it with the fun of a group.

With a REPs Registered Personal Trainer in charge, it’s the best of both worlds; all the advantages of the professional support and motivation you get one on one in the gym, with all the fun of a group session.

Bodyweight Training
Your body is one of the best pieces of equipment in the world, and you own it already. Bodyweight training has
always featured in workouts but has been gaining in popularity, as it’s the gym you carry with you everywhere.
But we are not just talking pushups here; the range of functional exercises that can be done using just bodyweight is astounding. It’s all about technique! The secret to an effective total body workout is making sure you do the right exercises with the right form. REPs Registered Personal Trainer Theo Bostrovas from Les Mills Wellington uses bodyweight training with his clients . As Theo says, “it’s a great tool as it takes your training back to some basic movements which do not rely on a machine”.

Martial Arts Style Training
REPs Registered Personal Trainer Paula Braakhuis from Les Mills is a fan of martial arts style training saying,
“You will learn coordination and determination, and you will become stronger (physically as well as  mentally/emotionally) and more flexible!” The great news is that martial arts style training is not just limited to your local boxing club, with many REPs Registered Trainers and Facilities offering a range of martial arts inspired options including one on one sessions, and pumping group fitness classes.

Eating for Life
Forget all those calorie controlled diets and promises of rapid weight loss with no effort. The trend now is eating for life. Eating a well balanced diet full of lean protein, complex carbohydrates and plenty of fresh fruit and veggies is going to improve your health, trim your waistline, and put a smile on your face. If a diet plan looks too good to be true it probably is – sustainable results require real food and a long-term commitment to healthy eating and regular exercise.

Educated, Certified and Experienced Fitness Professionals
That’s right. In New Zealand we are lucky to have a world class exercise professionals registration system, so
choosing the right trainer and exercise facility is easy. Why use a REPs registered trainer and facility? If you
are going to invest time and money into your health, exercise and fitness, you want to ensure you are getting
safe and effective advice. Just as you wouldn’t let a Doctor advise you on medical matters with no measurable
standard of education or knowledge, it is important not to leave your physical health and fitness in the hands of
someone who could have, as far as you know, gained their knowledge through an internet search.