It’s the time of year that we all know and love. Time for reminiscing fondly about 2014, with lists about the most popular TV shows, books (my personal favorite topic), albums and movies, and planning and predicting for 2015.
This year, I saw PiYo and HIIT (high intensity interval training) take off and it seemed like everyone on my Facebook timeline was in a CrossFit box, building huge lat muscles. Me, I’m more a meat-and-potatoes kind of fitness girl (funny, ’cause I’m a vegetarian). I like my weight training, simple and clean. Yoga is a practice I’ve introduced to my routine in the last two years, and now that I’ve completed yoga teacher training, I need to keep a pulse on the business of yoga.
Last week, I came across the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal survey of fitness trends for 2015. Some highlights from the results: body weight training took the No. 1 spot, Zumba has dropped from the top 20 and Pilates, surprisingly, is no longer on the list. And in the top 10? Yoga.
That’s right, fitness professionals ranked yoga at number 7. Last year, yoga came in at 10, so the profile of the sport is rising. I love this quote from the abstract of the study that attempts to explain the enduring popularity of yoga:
Yoga seems to reinvent and refresh itself every year, making it a more attractive form of exercise.
I second this notion completely. An individual’s practice is unique to that person; it’s not competitive or a source of anxiety. There is no “max out” in yoga, you just go deeper into yourself, mentally and physically.
The top 10 ranking bodes well for the business of yoga. In Dallas, I’ve seen amazing growth in the number of studios opening and teachers being certified. Now to channel that energy into bringing yoga to the masses!
I want to hear from you: what new fitness trend are you going to try in 2015?
There is a martial arts studio across the street from me that I’ve been meaning to try out, so that’s on my list. I’m also kicking myself to build my cardiovascular strength by doing more outdoor jogging/running. My friends at Sporty Afros will have me in fighting shape in no time; Alex and Whitney are running the Dallas Marathon this weekend!