WORST Fitness Trends 2020

While movement is something everyone needs for survival, the way at which we go about incorporating that movement into our daily lives can sometimes be counterproductive. 2020 Started out strong with several new “movement” trends (not taking into account virtual fitness shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic). Few finished strong. Top trainers agree that before 2020 comes to an end, so should some of the year’s fitness trends…

Pairing Exercise with Booze
This has become practically ubiquitous where races and fitness events are concerned, and gym owners around the country market the marriage of these seemingly incongruous partners as weekly Beer Miles, bRUNch runs, or Yoga UnWINEd to name a few. A congratulatory after-workout alcoholic beverage is fine. But actually drinking alcohol while working out is not recommended. Aside from the obvious impaired judgment and cognitive functioning delays, combining booze and exercise is doubling down on dehydration, which can lead to serious injuries.  

Copying Celebrity Instagram Workouts
2019 Was the year of J.Lo’s abs; there was no shortage of her super-intense workouts on Instagram. But according to Kate Ligler, NASM-CPT, CES, PES the posts often are highlighted reels, which show just the glitzy exercises and only a fraction of the actual workout. Looking at celebrity transformations can leave you with unrealistic expectations about the extent to which it’s possible to change your body in a relatively short period of time. So don’t expect to see the same results using a celebrity routine—chances are, it’s not going to happen.

Doing Single Exercise “Challenges”
Doing one movement for a set amount of time in hopes of redefining your body is not realistic; it is not possible to spot-tone or reduce fat with a single exercise. However, single exercise challenges, like the “21 Pushups for 21 Days” challenge, are a great way to kickstart a fitness routine, and can also be a fun personal competition.

Taking Heated Cardio Classes
More sweat does NOT equal a harder workout. Sweating is your body’s way of cooling down. It is not an indicator of intensity. So while these heated workouts may make you think you are working harder, the heat may actually be decreasing your ability to maintain an intensity threshold and puts you in danger of dehydrating and passing out.

Doing “One-Size-Fits-All” Workouts
Everybody and every body is different. Dedicated gym-goers pound out miles on a treadmill or strain to lift barbells, all in the name of "getting in shape." But as it turns out, most of these well-intentioned people are working too hard on the wrong exercises. With the cookie cutter approach, they just aren't getting the results they want because not every exercise is right for specific goals, specific age groups, specific fitness levels, or specific physical limitations. Fitness programming should instead be viewed as a prescription the same way in which doctors prescribe medicine for certain illnesses.

Every membership at Success Studio starts with a personal strategy session, because we don’t want you to waste your time with exercises that won’t work for you. We want to make sure you get the results you need and expect by offering you an individualized training program, which takes into account age, fitness level, health history, past injuries, physical limitations, nutritional habits, body fat, training history, and specific goals…your own prescription. They also include range of motion, flexibility, and stability evaluations.

2021 is no doubt going to include more “new” fitness trends. Some will be revolutionary while others will need to exit the revolving door. But what’s always on trend is a Success Studio membership. Check us out. Get your complimentary strategy session today so you can have a healthy 2021.