Singaporeans are health conscious yet adventurous when it comes to trying out emerging trends. While the trend of running is growing, so are other fitness activities gaining popularity. Today, let’s check out some of the current fitness movements that you must absolutely try when they eventually find their way into Singapore’s workout centres.
Don’t settle down in this island nation if your idea of fun is lying around and snacking on fattening food. Singaporeans are passionate about healthy living, and you won’t have to look too far for proof that everyone has the fitness fever. Various types of exercise programs have captured Singaporeans’ imaginations, so you might think there isn’t room for more, but don’t bet on it because you won’t win. We found 10 interesting types of exercise/fitness experiences that promise to tone your body and uplift your spirit. Your job is to discover the one that best suits your personality and goals.
Some of these fitness trends have already hit Singapore while others might still be in the works. You can find out more at your local fitness centres.
Trend #1: POUND
What it is: A dynamic, full-body cardio workout pairing simulated drumming with light resistance exercises.
Why it could be popular here: Pounding is like a smorgasbord of exercise for Singaporeans who get bored easily and want as much variety as possible packed into an efficient, 45-minute workout, so expect everything from isometrics to cardio and Pilates to plyometrics done to the pounding beat of rock and roll. If this workout doesn’t hype your heart rate and burn fat at warp speed, you’re not doing it right!
Trend #2: Pole Dance Fitness
What it is: Channel your inner sex kitten by indulging in pole dancing to increase your endurance and strength.
Why it could be popular here: Who doesn’t want to refine their seduction skills while indulging in one of the most exotic types of exercise on the planet? People discovering the wonders of pole dance workouts aren’t shy about touting its benefits because the moves they master not only improve their bodies but expand their seduction repertoires as well. Want muscle? How about definition? Who doesn’t see the benefits of an exercise program that can re-energize one’s love life? Not us.
Trend #3: Bokwa Fitness
What it is: Sharpen your brain while turning your body into a lean, mean dancing machine.
Why it could be popular here: Not everybody has the wherewithal to stick with an exercise regimen that’s repetitive, but you’ll never face that if you give in to the Bokwa Fitness craze. Here’s how it works: You draw letters and figures on the ground while burning up to 1,200 calories per session to the beat of some of the hottest dance music on the planet. Keeping time with the music while composing your own alphabetic/numeric equation can fool your head into thinking it’s doing math rather than exercising. Your gain? Kiss 1,000 calories goodbye.
Trend #4: Ugifit
What it is: An exciting new ballgame capable of leaving every other stress ball workout in the dust.
Why it could be popular here: Do you love gimmicks, props and exercise toys? Proclaim yourself a Ugifit convert. Use a reinvented stress ball to get the quickest comprehensive workout imaginable. Train with an Ugi master eager to introduce you to new moves using the squishy ball that helps you work through hamstring presses, planks and tricep pushups. If you’ve retired your old ball because you couldn’t make things work, retrieve it to give your body 30 minutes of cardio, strength and core training. Your ball will love you for putting it back to work.
Trend #5: Zumba
What it is: A dance fitness program that involves dance and aerobic elements with choreography incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo moves demands a look-see.
Why it could be popular here: Shakira is right: Hips don’t lie. Yours won’t if you’re one of the few people who has yet to sample this lively, addictive fitness class that pushes you into a frenzy of calorie-burning aerobic exercises. Even the hip-hop tunes used to fuel the beat are salted with percussion instruments as you samba, rumba and shake your booty to the beat. Everyone around you has so much fun doing their thing, no one notices who has or hasn’t mastered the moves, so dance away with wild abandon. One warning: Zumba is addictive and fun especially if you make friends with like-minded Singapore Sling enthusiasts for post-workout libations.
Trend #6: Unnata Aerial Yoga
What it is: If pole dancing doesn’t get you high enough, aerial yoga, silks and hoops will do the job.
Why it could be popular here: When was the last time friends bragged about a fitness program requiring them to dangle from the ceiling to build strength and flexibility? If the answer is never, be the pioneer in Singapore, spinning tales of a workout menu that includes traditional yoga poses and stretches, all while suspended from the ceiling. Obviously, aerial workouts won’t fly with folks suffering from acrophobia, but you can improve everything from your breathing to your flexibility with classes focused on high-flying maneuvers. Wave to the earthbound souls beneath your feet as you fly yourself to fitness.
Trend #7: Sandbells
What it is: A clever new fitness aid replaces hefty, metal bars for a more versatile, strength-building experience.
Why it could be popular here: Dragging around metal dumbbells and bars is a drag, but if you substitute sandbells, you’ll discover a clever new workout delivering comparable results: an exercise routine that delivers full-body strength building without relying upon heavy dumbbells to complete the circuit. Fairly new to the Pacific, sandbells are trending in the UK, so it’s only a matter of time before they show up at your favorite workout facility. Want to be the trend setter in your crowd? Search the Internet for sandbells and replace your existing equipment with these lighter, versatile aids.
Trend #8: CrossFit
What it is: This program offers a completely different workout every day of the week to stave off boredom.
Why it could be popular here: The word ‘repetition’ takes on new meaning if you enroll in a CrossFit program. Yes, you will do a million reps but since you only do them one day per week and move on to new moves the following day, you won’t find yourself yawning. CrossFit seems to be male territory, attracting the testosterone crowd, but if you’re a woman with something to prove or you want to meet Mr. Buff, by all means, jump in. Intense? The word doesn’t begin to describe the CrossFit circuit. There’s a reason military special ops guys undertake this training before they head into combat. Think of this as pole dancing for dudes.
Trend #9: Hydro-Spinning
What it is: Toss your bicycle into a pool, jump on and tone your body? Not exactly but close.
Why it could be popular here: The hydro-spinning craze originated in France and moved to New York City, but keep an eye on the Singapore exercise scene and you’ll be ready to try this quirky exercise program once it lands. The ideal audience: Singaporeans who will abandon their spin classes and bikes for a lower stress option. This imaginative workout requires special bikes encased in water pods. Fans of hydro-spinning say doctors recommend this exercise to those in need of lymphatic tissue therapy, but it’s also lauded for reducing cellulite in the lower extremities. Besides, you don’t have to know how to swim to pedal away.
Trend #10: Essentrics
What it is: A socially vibrant exercise option invented by former National Ballet of Canada principals.
Why it could be popular here: This exercise hybrid is a fascinating mix of tai chi for health and balance flavored with yoga and Pilates. It’s a cousin of the Esmonde Technique that offers to change the shape of your body via gentle, flowing movements that won’t require you to down aspirin by the handful due to post-workout aches and pain. Develop muscle in a gentler, easier way and feel energized but not exhausted. No leggings, tutus or toe shoes required to reap the benefits of this artistic form of exercise either. There’s a reason Essentrics sounds a lot like eccentric. This form of exercise isn’t for everyone, but it could be the right fit for your fitness personality.
Have you Tried Any Of the Trends Before?
It’s easy to get caught up in new trends, but if you’re eager to make a commitment to good health, you owe it to yourself to investigate new workout methods. Must you try them all to find the right one? Probably not. Look at it this way: Your body will tell you when it has found the ideal workout match.
