The Top Fitness Trends And Tips For 2023

The beginning of a new year gives us all an opportunity to reflect on our daily routines and see if there’s more we can be doing to improve our overall health and well-being. 

For many of us, it’s about maintaining what we know works and incorporating the best available tools and training techniques into our day-to-day life.

Time to hit refresh and see what’s new

Are your cardio workouts becoming a little repetitive? Is your strength training too one-dimensional? Are you struggling to find the time to fit in regular workouts?

We’ve put together what we think will be this year’s biggest health and fitness trends for anyone looking to kickstart their 2023. From the latest in wearable technology to kick-ass home workouts, this guide will help you take the next step in your training and get the most out of every week!

Wearable wellness technology

Wearable tech and activity trackers continue to rise in popularity and they’re going beyond just fitness. The latest smartwatches and fitness trackers are adding new features that dive into metrics like body temperature, stress levels, sleep quality, breathing and heart rate. 

People are looking to track a variety of wellness metrics that go beyond just daily steps or distance run. Add in the increased socialisation and gamification of fitness through apps like Strava and RunningHeroes and it’s easy to see why technology is playing such a pivotal role in boosting our overall health and wellbeing. 

Time saving HIIT workouts

High Intensity Interval Training continues to trend because it offers all the benefits of a longer workout in a shorter time. It’s become the ideal fitness solution for our busy modern lifestyles. 

HIIT involves short bursts of activity followed by short periods of rest. It’s perfect for those who don’t have 45 minutes to do a morning or evening workout - there are even 7-minute HIIT workouts that will get you sweating and feeling great!

Even for those without proper home gym equipment, you can still complete an awesome full-body workout using nothing but your own bodyweight and a near endless variety of functional exercises.

Online community challenges

If you’re on the hunt for new and exciting ways to keep fit, look no further than the increasing popularity of online challenges!

From Sam Wood’s 8 Week Challenge to a 30 Day Challenge designed exclusively for women, there’s options for everyone. These are a great way to feel part of a community and bring out your competitive side!

A number of virtual challenges also support worthy causes while giving you an achievable fitness goal over the course of a month or even an entire year. 

One of the largest is the May 50K, a national virtual fitness and fundraising challenge helping participants achieve their health and fitness goals and supporting life-changing research into the prevention, treatment and finding a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.

Smart gym equipment

Connected or smart gym equipment continues to become more affordable and accessible to home users in 2023. 

Smart equipment is connected to an app that records your personal workouts, displays real-time data from your heart rate, and connects you to immersive virtual classes and personal trainers. It includes AI-powered spin bikes like CAROL and Yesoul as well as treadmills, stair climbers and elliptical trainers.

For anyone who wants the look and feel of a high-energy studio level workout (without leaving home), then smart gym equipment could be just the answer!

60-second “workouts”

We thought this one would get your attention! Recent studies show that even short daily bursts of “incidental exercise” can have positive long term effects on your overall health and increase your lifespan. 

Called Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity, it includes activities such as walking up stairs, playing with the kids, gardening or running for the bus - as they all increase your heart rate. While this isn’t necessarily a trend in health and fitness for 2023, the latest research shows that regular daily movement doesn’t always have to take the form of structured workouts. 

If you’re looking for a super quick full-body workout, we’ve put together The 12 Best Exercises For An Effective 12 Minute Workout.

Complete all-in-one home gyms

Professional level strength training is no longer the sole domain of commercial gym spaces. Manufacturers have made incredible progress with compact, space-saving all-in-one home gyms and 2023 is set to be the biggest year yet!

We’re proud of our long-standing relationship with Force USA, makers of the most innovative strength equipment on the planet. A single unit from the popular G-series range gives you the opportunity to perform Strength / Split Training, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, HIIT, and Plyometric Training.

If you’re looking to invest in the latest, high-quality gym equipment for your home, we’ve also put together an extensive guide to Building a Complete Home Gym For Under $2000. 

Recovery as a form of training

Our bodies have an incredible way of responding positively to even small changes in our daily lifestyles. The importance of recovery and rest in our routines continues to be backed up by the latest science.

This includes everything from the benefits of daily sunlight to optimise health, cold exposure therapy (made famous by Wim Hof), regular massage (even with a massage gun), saunas, or simple breathing and light stretching exercises.

So on those days when you’re not feeling like a superhero, the best thing you could do to improve alertness, reduce inflammation and restore your overall balance isn’t actually exercise.

Make 2023 all about holistic health and wellbeing

With so much information at our fingertips, it can sometimes feel overwhelming when it comes to adopting the very latest fitness or training ideas. Here at GAF, we’re all for giving new technology, activities, and equipment a go and exploring what works for you.

One of the most challenging aspects of regular workouts, sufficient sleep, healthy eating and taking time out for yourself is maintaining consistency and enjoying whatever it is that you do.

With more of a focus on holistic health and wellbeing, we’re sure 2023 has the perfect mix to help keep your motivation levels high and ensure you reach those fitness goals!