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Worst Fitness Trends of 2010
Posted on Dec 29th 2010 3:00PM by That's Fit EditorsFiled Under: Fitness
Courtesy of Blisstree
As 2010 comes to a close, Blistree's editors would like to take a moment to pay tribute to five of the most ridiculous fitness trends of the year:
Shape-Ups
Brought to us by the folks at Skechers (the same people who unabashedly airbrush their celebrity endorsers to within an inch of their lives), Shape-Ups sneakers purportedly help tone your legs and glutes and help you lose weight while walking. But the reality is that if you're active in any pair of shoes, you'll burn calories.
Video Games
Of course working out should be fun, and yes, maybe it should involve a bit of competition, but challenging your fitness buddy to a game of Wii tennis shouldn't be considered a valid form of exercise. Head out to a real court and you'll quickly realize how much more there is to the sport.
Pole Dancing
Sure, hoisting your body up a metal pole takes some serious arm strength and stretching your ankle above your head increases flexibility, but any exercise class that has you strapping on a pair of 4-inch stilettos instead of cross-trainers has us concerned. And then there's the whole "empowerment" promise; we think laying into a punching bag would feel slightly more empowering.
Big Yoga
The niche markets in yoga are constantly expanding, and this year was no exception with the rise of Big Yoga. Meera Keer, author of "Big Yoga: a Simple Guide for Bigger Bodies," believes that the popular image of the rail-thin yogi can discourage those who might benefit most from the practice. Instead she wants to segregate all the overweight yogis so that they'll use her program instead.
Aerial Silks
Before infiltrating gyms and studios, aerial silks, or tissu, were seen only in circus tents -- and that's probably where they should remain. Not because we don't think flipping and twisting around a long piece of silk suspended from the ceiling isn't awesome, but unless you're willing to commit some serious time and money to this practice, you're more likely to resemble a fly caught in a spider's web than a Cirque du Soleil cast member.
More from Blisstree.com:
Fitness Gallery: 10 Cold-Weather Running Essentials
5 Ways to Recycle Your Running Shoes
Gym Rants: 10 Things I Hate About You (at the Gym)
As 2010 comes to a close, Blistree's editors would like to take a moment to pay tribute to five of the most ridiculous fitness trends of the year:
Shape-Ups
Brought to us by the folks at Skechers (the same people who unabashedly airbrush their celebrity endorsers to within an inch of their lives), Shape-Ups sneakers purportedly help tone your legs and glutes and help you lose weight while walking. But the reality is that if you're active in any pair of shoes, you'll burn calories.
Video Games
Of course working out should be fun, and yes, maybe it should involve a bit of competition, but challenging your fitness buddy to a game of Wii tennis shouldn't be considered a valid form of exercise. Head out to a real court and you'll quickly realize how much more there is to the sport.
Pole Dancing
Sure, hoisting your body up a metal pole takes some serious arm strength and stretching your ankle above your head increases flexibility, but any exercise class that has you strapping on a pair of 4-inch stilettos instead of cross-trainers has us concerned. And then there's the whole "empowerment" promise; we think laying into a punching bag would feel slightly more empowering.
Big Yoga
The niche markets in yoga are constantly expanding, and this year was no exception with the rise of Big Yoga. Meera Keer, author of "Big Yoga: a Simple Guide for Bigger Bodies," believes that the popular image of the rail-thin yogi can discourage those who might benefit most from the practice. Instead she wants to segregate all the overweight yogis so that they'll use her program instead.
Aerial Silks
Before infiltrating gyms and studios, aerial silks, or tissu, were seen only in circus tents -- and that's probably where they should remain. Not because we don't think flipping and twisting around a long piece of silk suspended from the ceiling isn't awesome, but unless you're willing to commit some serious time and money to this practice, you're more likely to resemble a fly caught in a spider's web than a Cirque du Soleil cast member.
More from Blisstree.com:
Fitness Gallery: 10 Cold-Weather Running Essentials
5 Ways to Recycle Your Running Shoes
Gym Rants: 10 Things I Hate About You (at the Gym)
