The year of lockdowns until 2021 saw a sudden spike of interest for at-home fitness workouts.
Athletic apparel retailers welcomed record-breaking sales. Men piled their virtual carts in line and waited for restocks on trendy muscle tees week after week.
Suddenly, everyone’s Instagram stories are all about tips on how to remain fit while in isolation. People are hitting the panic button, worrying about how to regain their six-pack abs lost due to their sedentary lifestyles.
Due to this, downloads for workout apps skyrocketed in the last two years. With governments mandating gym closures in an attempt to stop the spread of infections, people have no other option.
It worked for a while. Who would not want to follow a workout mirror featuring the user’s very own image capable of doing thousands of routines?
People’s fascination with their reflection, along with the power of augmented reality, swept everyone to their feet.
Not until the realization came that as much as revolutionary workout trends are fun, they get old with time.
In an instant, people started missing the company of their gym buddies and the fun-filled classes. This came along with the approval of vaccines worldwide which paved way to the partial opening of fitness centers.
Home workouts are not dead. At least, not yet. On the other hand, the new normal of doing things will also pave the way to new health trends this year.
Men are all about strength training and robustness in the past. For the lads, the faster and more painful—the better.
Conversely, the list will provide a different approach on how our gentlemen will look at their wellness in 2022.
So get your Hydroflask and let us dive right into it.
Pilates
Who says that pilates is exclusive only for women? Think again.
Although it might be unconventional for some, pilates classes could actually bring a wide range of benefits for men’s health.
First and above all, it helps increase one’s range of motion through regular practice. This is especially beneficial for the best recovery of injuries like an ACL tear.
Men are genetically ungifted with flexibility, unlike their female counterparts. Pilates classes are just one good way to improve this and practice preventive care.
It also teaches trainees to be in the zone. For the past centuries, male-targeted workouts have always involved high-intensity and fast-paced routines.
No one expected low-impact exercises that focus mainly on breathing can drastically change the narrative.
Sometimes, thirty toe taps and twenty leg lifts daily are all that you need to get your desired flexibility. Try it on!
Workout Events
As mentioned, long exposure to isolation made us crave more for company.
Social exercises are slowly becoming effective ways to reorganize in a Covid-restricted setting.
A recent study shows that despite the persisting pandemic, gym rats prefer to come in packs. At least about 75.0% of the survey participants said so. This number is twice more than those who prefer to join live-streamed health-related events.
In the past months, fitness enthusiasts have come to witness increasing demand for in-person group activities.
With this, many have organized small group workout events—sometimes done in intervals—to cater to the emerging niche.
Amid the continued mobility restrictions worldwide, gyms remain among the desired hotspots to socialize and to reconnect with friends. This comes with the guise of shedding some weight.
Similarly, it is easier to ditch the slack of nonmovement when you go with someone you are familiar with.
Now, not only concerts or any form of music fest can bring people together but also workout events.
Grab lightweight trainers and enjoy a fulfilling high-intensity session that could last more than an hour-long with your group.
Despite the excitement, never ditch a good pre-workout routine. Read this guide.
Do Some Hoops
No, these are not the traditional hoops that involve a basket and a ball that many of our gentlemen love.
I am talking about the hula hoop which is a piece of equipment rounded around the waist for the most part. It could also be played on the neck, hands, or limbs—whichever you feel comfortable using.
Hula hoops have been around since 500 BC. Due to this, you might be wondering why this “kiddie toy” made our 2022 fitness trend list.
Nowadays, hulas come in a weighted form which could make a very effective isolation workout.
Sealing its popularity, one survey shows that the hashtag weighted hula is now close to 200 million views on TikTok.
This is considerably far off from its jump rope counterpart which boasts billions of views under its belt. The popularity of the footloose challenge spread throughout the globe last year.
Nevertheless, experts agree that hula hooping is indeed an emerging market and one that is worth the try.
Many remain critical to it due to its social acceptance as kids’ leisure and women’s waist-synching equipment.
On the other hand, fitness enthusiasts noted that low-impact activity could improve aerobic health. Another of its very important contributions is core strength: a strong core means everything to our blokes in the block.
Plant-based Diet
Moving away from physical fitness trends, a plant-based diet is becoming a new trend in the men’s world.
It is true that a good number of the population remains critical to this kind of lifestyle. In the past years, animal protein has been considered the most effective source to build muscles.
A counterargument has been made by Netflix’s The Game Changers to defunct the notion that men need meat to bulk.
The documentary explored on plant-based diets of the world’s top athletes. This includes tennis champion Serena Williams, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the Roman gladiators.
Along with this, the increased investment in plant foods which are alternatives to meat products might hasten the transition.
Only real men eat meat? No, in 2022, the overall narrative will be changed into: “Real Men Eat Plants.”
It will not be uncommon to see NFL players switching their steaks for Unmeat burgers before each match.
Integrative Medicine
Lastly, this year’s unexpected fitness trend which nevertheless made the cut is integrative medicine.
2022 will be all about posture and wellness and here are some of the ways you could improve this area of your life.
Chiropractic care has become widely popular among fitness gurus across social media. Only two years ago, no one talks about how crunching the bones could bring alignment to one’s life.
This complementary medicine has the ability to do some readjustments on bones, joints, and cartilages in one session.
According to studies, it improves neck and back pain which often comes after a very intense workout at the gym.
The treatment could also aid in postural alignment which is critical in performing deadlifts and squats.
Another emerging trend is stretch therapy which could be perused for active recovery days. It helps in muscle recovery while the body is in a state of rest.
Lastly, there is acupuncture—the core of oriental medicine. While this should be avoided by men with fear of needles, acupuncture is an effective way to release tensions in the body.
These tensions often result in body aches and ailments which undermines one’s productivity.
If you have no problem with needle prick, try this ancient Chinese practice and feel the relief afterward.
To wrap, I will leave you with a reminder. After each sweaty session at the gym, do not forget to give yourself a good shower and lather on some soothing body washes.
Pinstripe Magazine Staff
Online Men’s Lifestyle Magazine on Gear, Grooming, Girls, Gadgets
