A little unashamed boasting with our email title today, but why not…after all, we predicted many of these trends some time ago and sang their praises, (well some of them) as they are used in our everyday practice.
Other’s however…mmm…not for us!
The 1st trend we predicted was a rise in virtual reality workouts. Everything from virtual reality headset style fight games such as Beat Saber to climbing mountains on the Climb app, VR is definitely here to stay. It’s very popular with those who enjoy fitness with a competitive game like feel. I’ll admit…it’s not for us at M.A.S.K. but we do appreciate that it has its place.
The 2nd trend we believed would be on the increase is mobility/flexibility training. At M.A.S.K. we’ve been championing this approach for many years, creating optimum rang of motion around joints and helping clients to move easier and pain free. Makes sense right??? Well, sadly, No. At most Gyms and fitness centres you still see folk walk in and head straight for the treadmill or cross trainer, perform no myofacial release work or stretching post exercise, despite having poor movement form and/or posture. However, we are happy to say that classes and programmes to address this are on the increase (finally), and we are looking to incorporate mobility and movement classes on to our timetable. Our clients have always had extensive mobility work in their 1-2-1 and small group programmes.
The 3rd trend we identified was posture based training. This very much follows on from the 2nd trend above, as when the human body has tight muscles or mobility issues around a joint, it is most often accompanied by a loss of optimal posture which could lead to an increased likelihood of pain and injury. At M.A.S.K. all clients have their posture examined during consultation and individual stretching/mobility work is prescribed based upon our findings.
The 4th trend we spotted on the increase is Primal Movement training. This is a concept of training which focuses on improving the quality and functionality of our everyday movements that humans have been doing intuitively for thousands of years – namely the squat, bend (or hip hinge), lunge, push, pull, and twist. These movements have been a main stay of the M.A.S.K. training system since we became CHEK practitioners way back in 2012.
Our 5th trend we spotted was a return to free weights and compound lifts away from fixed range of motion machines. The machines have their place in specific settings e.g., bodybuilding or rehabilitation, however adding resistance to functional movement patterns is a much more effective way of adding muscles that you can actually use as well as muscles that you can see. The additional overall stability and core strength gains from adding real world lifting to your workouts such as farmer’s carry or sand bag cleans are immense. Give them a try – they are tougher than you believe.
In Summary
Every year we look ahead to future fitness trends and gimmicks but what is here to stay is real world functional training and the ability to release tight tissues and move effectively and pain free. These have always been the ideologies behind what we do at M.A.S.K. – real world solutions for real people!
Regardless of your current situation, you can always make a positive change in your life.
Have a beautiful week, speak soon,
Vanessa
