Fitness Trends That Actually Work: What Science Says

By: Gabe Rosenbluth

Fitness regimes often get incredibly popular for very brief periods – everybody will be attempting to complete an exercise regimen as if it’s the newest thing, and then it disappears overnight. There are so many workout programs online that many individuals find it difficult to determine which programs really help with overall fitness and which ones simply look good on social media.

However, research has confirmed that several well-supported, credible fitness trends that have recently emerged are as effective as advertised when used consistently and correctly.

Strength training has good scientific support behind it and is widely accepted as beneficial by the fitness community. Strength training includes weight lifting or using one’s own body to perform resistance-based exercises.

Strength training has shown that it builds muscles and bones and can be beneficial for multiple facets of health, including our energy levels and maintaining our joints. In addition, scientists have demonstrated that strength training can increase both your metabolism and ability to perform everyday life tasks.

Though the evidence collected over the past several decades primarily supports strength training, many people and individuals over the last several decades have previously classified strength training as strictly something performed by athletes only; there are no age limits or restrictions to who may benefit from this type of exercise.

Walking has been shown by science to be another trend that offers health benefits. While everyone has likely heard of different types of walking challenges or step goals, research indicates that walking regularly helps with cardiovascular health, improves mood, and reduces stress.

Walking also tends to be easier to do consistently than extreme exercise programs. Because walking is low-impact (causing little to no harmful stress to your body) and very flexible, this makes walking a very sustainable form of fitness.

This is why walking continues to be a popular trend, although other forms of exercise have become less so.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) also has scientific backing as a trend. HIIT workouts consist of small amounts of high-intensity exercise followed by periods of rest.

HIIT workouts are effective in enhancing cardiovascular fitness and strength and do so quickly, because studies show that HIIT can produce results comparable to longer workouts when done correctly. Therefore, HIIT is popular with individuals whose schedules are too busy to participate in lengthy workout sessions.

Pilates and yoga have scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness, particularly for flexibility, balance, and stress relief. Research indicates that Pilates and yoga workouts improve posture, prevent injury, and improve mental health.

Even if you do not think that you worked very hard doing them, they are excellent ways to gradually build strength and maintain your level of fitness.

Consistency has been highlighted as one of the recent trends in fitness, rather than working hard. Research supports that performing regular, moderate exercise, as opposed to short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by long rest periods, has much better long-term results.

Therefore, shorter workouts performed several times per week are more productive than occasionally doing one or two intense workouts.

Finally, rest and recovery days are now viewed as an integral part of the overall trends in fitness today. Research shows that during rest days, muscle tissue grows and is repaired, not when a person works out.

Adequate sleep and recovery days lower the incidence of injury, increase the likelihood of performing well, and illustrate that fitness is about how to care for your body as well as how to push your body.