A Holistic, Hybrid Approach to Fitness Takes Hold
The concept of fitness is getting an overhaul this year as we get moving again. Cities are buzzing back to activity this Spring, making it the season we are all waking back up and getting out there. New fitness trends in 2022 center around a more holistic, hybrid approach. There’s an increasing awareness that our wellness journeys are highly individualized.
For a better understanding of the trends impacting on fitness and wellness, The Related Life reached out to celebrity trainer David Kirsch. Keep reading for his rundown, including tips on energizing yourself in a new season and best practices for warm-weather exercise.
After the life changes brought about by the pandemic, people are showing more preference for exercising on their own, as well as exercising outdoors, David explained. The use of wearables — now tracking anything from movement and biometrics to food intake — is further propelling our understanding of individualized training and nutrition.
“We took our workouts outside and online, training in the comfort of our own homes. More than at any times in the over three decades I’ve been in the fitness/wellness industry, people preferred their doing their own highly tailored workouts, outside the confines of ‘big box’ gyms,” David noted.
Going forward, consider reworking your fitness routine to include a combination of mind-body training, and should include elements of strength training, circuit training and core strength and stability, he explained. David’s ideal workout includes:
• Resistance strength training mixed with plyometrics
• HIIT training
• Yoga or Pilates
• Mind-Body training
David Kirsch is a leading authority on achieving optimal health and well-being, at any age or fitness level.
Exercises That Build Energy
To help build and sustain your energy levels in warmer seasons, David recommends an energizing power walk. It will get you more in tune with your breathing, which is something else you should work on. “Breathing exercises increase the amount of oxygen in the body and increases the release of toxins with carbon dioxide. Increased oxygen in the cells and tissues makes them healthier and help them perform better,” he said.
Incorporate some Pilates into your routine for more holistic wellness approach that combines low-intensity exercise. You don’t need to take a reformer class; there are floor exercises you can do at home. Pilates is known to increase core strength, improve posture, decrease back pain, and prevent injury.
If you’re time-constrained, look to Resistance Strength Training. “This type of full-body resistance-band training is a safe and highly effective way for a no-excuse energizing workout,” David noted.
A final fitness activity for building energy is plyometrics, known as jump training. “Plyometric training increases muscle strength, which allows you to run faster, jump higher and change direction quickly. Plyometrics improve performance in any sport that involves running, jumping, or kicking.”
How to Exercise Safely in Warmer Temperatures
Finally, while the onset of Spring and Summer can motivate us to move, there are a few pointers for staying safe while exercising in warmer seasons. David recommends the following:
Proper sun protection is essential: Use sunblock! Wear a hat and sunglasses, and bring a water bottle to ensure that you keep hydrated
Slow and steady wins the race: If it’s been a relatively sedentary winter and start to early spring, running 10 miles or a 2-hour strength training session is probably not the most prudent way to proceed. Avoid intense training sessions and gradually increase your workout intensity, always being mindful to listen to your body.
Get up and get sweaty: Work out before the crack of dawn, or after the sun goes down, to beat the heat and the fiery sun!
Dust off that exercise journal! Setting goals, to eat better, move more; relax, breathe, and meditate – are much easier to maintain when you put pen to paper.
The Related Life is written and produced by the Related Life Editorial Team. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest events, news and announcements in your area, and tag us for a chance to be featured @therelatedlife and #therelatedlife.