5 new fitness trends you need to know about in 2017

Mindful exercise

You're going to be hearing this phrase a lot in 2017. Mindfulness is all about gaining a greater awareness of the deep connection between mind and body, and it’s going to be playing a big part in peoples lives in 2017.

2016 taught us that regular high-quality yoga practice improves physical performance by increasing core strength, flexibility and body control but in 2017 the increased emphasis will be on how it can also help to reduce stress and increase the focus of the mind. Sounds good right?

According to Virgin Active global yoga ambassador Patrick Beach, “2017 is going to be the year when people become truly aware of the power of Mindful Exercise – the positive effect of exercise on mental as well as physical wellbeing. In 2017 I think we’ll see people beginning to have a deeper understanding of the connection between their mind and their body, and appreciate the importance of taking care of both."

Water work outs

Forget the water aerobics class you sniggered at last year whilst on your hols last summer. This is a serious HIIT work out in water that will appeal to anyone looking for a work out that delivers results.

Virgin Active offers Hydro (virginactive.co.uk/classes/hydro), a circuit class in the pool that involves timed sprints, lengths that isolate your top or bottom half and aquajogging. All finished off with, yes you guess it, a plank by the side of the pool.

James Guy, Speedo ambassador Rio 2016 and two-tme Olympic Silver medallist predicts that the all-round benefits of swimming mean that ‘Water Workouts’ will continue to be big in 2017.

“As a full-time swimmer I know full well the incredible physical benefits that come from working out in the water. Swimming dramatically improves cardiovascular fitness and increases overall endurance, but it also helps build muscle strength and definition. What’s more, it’s a workout that can be enjoyed by people of any age and ability, the ultimate fitness staple. In 2017 I think that an increasing number of people will turn to water workouts for their all-round physical benefits, and that Virgin Active’s Hydro powered by Speedo is the industry leading and first-choice for anyone looking for a fun, full body workout.”

Sandbox Fitness is huge in LA, and involves reps of lunges and squats while balanced on a surfboard, in turn balanced in a sandbox. 2017 sees the launch of the UK's version, Sup Yoga London floating yoga class that uses dynamic stretches on a board on the waters of London's Paddington Basin. Land ahoy.

H.E.A.T (High Energy Athletic Training)

In 2016, inspired by a summer of outstanding sport, the trend to train like an athlete and focus on improving performance through an educated and specialised approach to fitness is growing.

This demand has paved the way for a new highly innovative athletic training programme; Virgin Active have developed H.E.A.T (High Energy Athletic Training) that is set to be the big workout for 2017. High- performance training that uses sports-focused theory to increase cardiovascular endurance and all round strength.

H.E.A.T. gets participants training like athletes at various levels of intensity and resistance to build stamina, strength and power and also incorporates drills on the state-of-the-art SKILLMILL. These hour-long classes use athletic training periodisation, with three distinct phases. The intensity increases throughout the class, meaning mental toughness is key.

These three periodised phases are:

• Base conditioning - the first 20 minutes of aerobic exercise (base conditioning) will work muscles to their end ranges and flood the body with oxygen

• Strength – the second 20 minutes is all about increasing your body’s ability to lift, push, pull, squat, lunge, throw, climb etc., increasing the body’s neural drive

• Power – the last 20 minutes tests your body’s ability to perform explosively with sprints and speed work now that muscles are fatigued.

360 Fitness

The one area people are increasingly interested in is how to improve fitness from the inside out. Whether it’s around training for a marathon, group-exercise, or generally getting into fitness, there’s an increased desire for knowledge on how to optimise performance through pre-and post-workout activities.

This holistic approach and taking a knowledge based approach to fitness will no longer be something on athletes can access. Aimed at everyone this will help to minimise injury and maximise performance, as well as improving everyday health and wellbeing. Virgin are launching ‘Beyond Movement’ - a new suite of therapeutic treatment rooms that will focus on three vital components for preventative recovery and a 360 approach to wellbeing - Reformer Pilates, Physiotherapy and Sports Massage.

Virtual boxing

Boxing was 2016's zeitgeist workout, and for 2017, it's getting an update and going digital. Perfect for anyone that's time starved and needs a work out they can fit in around a busy schedule and do at home.

The Boxx Method ( theboxxmethod.com ), is the world's fist virtual boxing experience, in the form of an online workout programme.

The program is comprised of a series of 30-minute videos of choreographed sequences that you can do at home. Simply run through five shadow-boxing rounds, alternated with high-intensity intervals, and culminating in a 'knockout round' at the end.

A monthly or annual subscription grants access to the online library and each intense class reputedly burns 600 calories, improves strength, speed and co-ordination, and continues to burn calories for 12 hours after you've finished.