Rucking, ice baths and hand strengthening: Trends for getting in shape in 2024

Every year, fitness experts respond to various surveys to predict the trends and patterns that will be guiding gyms and personal trainers around the world. Those recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) are some of the most eagerly awaited, but by no means the only ones. Here is a summary of the new trends we can expect to see this year in gyms around the world.

Rucking

The word “rucking” will soon be on everyone’s lips. This is a very common practice and consists of walking at a brisk pace while carrying a weight on your back, such as a backpack with two dictionaries in it. Those who want to take it to the next level can invest in a professional rucking backpack. It is difficult to find a more effective workout to increase muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance without overloading the joints. This is a social and non-competitive workout, which does not rule anyone out because the weights can be adapted to all ages and body types.

It takes its name from the army ruck march, a well-known military training drill. One of the tests that U.S. Army recruits must pass to qualify as infantrymen is the so-called 12-mile ruck, a march that must be completed in three hours, while carrying a backpack weighing at least 30 lbs.

There are currently few studies investigating this practice, but some small trials suggest that walking with a weight on your back improves muscular endurance and strength. A person with a body weight of 150 lbs would consume about 240 calories per hour walking at a moderate pace, but would burn 100 calories more if carrying a 20-lbs backpack during this walk, according to some studies.

You can ruck on a treadmill at the gym, but experts say that this would significantly curb the benefits of outdoor rucking. These include the stimulation of brain activity and cognitive performance, control of blood pressure, and enhancement of mental health and sleep quality.

Rucking has gained unexpected popularity in the United States, where it is practiced in groups and clubs. Many train with a T-shirt that sums up the concept: “Rucking is cardio for those who hate running.”

Everything is better in the open air

Everything is better, even in fitness training territory, if you are in the open air. The ACSM, an oracle of fitness trends, has just published its verdict for 2024, and insists on the benefits for the brain, mental health and cognitive performance of exercising outdoors and, if possible, out in nature. This trend applies both to regular training sessions guided by a personal trainer and to cycling, walking and running.

Outdoor workouts increase physical activity using perceived lower levels of exertion, they reduce stress and mental fatigue, sharpen attention and concentration, and enhance self-esteem and mood. This study published in 2023 in the Nature journal found neurological benefits from what they called green exercise (exercise practiced in contact with nature). These include a significant improvement in working memory and concentration if compared to the same amount of exercise performed indoors.

Ice baths

2023 was the year of the debate on whether we should stretch immediately after training or not, although no conclusive agreement was ever reached on this issue. In 2024, we expect to see the consolidation of a challenging and somewhat extravagant trend: plunging ourselves into ice-cold water for therapeutic purposes with the specific purpose of recovering muscles fatigued from physical training. Immersion in freezing cold water, widely celebrated on Instagram and TikTok, ties in with the stoic philosophy, which enjoys considerable popularity in this day and age.

The ultimate sacrifice is a combination of lowering water degrees and increasing the dive time. In professional athletes, some research has demonstrated the efficacy of such therapy in reducing muscle inflammation while gaining muscle strength. However, results from other pilot studies investigating the effects of cold-water immersion in treating depression and anxiety disorder will be available later this year.

Hand-strengthening exercises

This trend aims to improve grip and cushion falls with exercises to strengthen the muscles and flexibility of the fingers and wrists. Several studies have demonstrated that having strong hands is highly correlated with longevity, mainly because people with strong hands tend to be more physically active. When hands begin to weaken, certain routine tasks such as opening a jar become more challenging, but more importantly we lose the ability to support our body and cushion falls.

Until now, hand fitness has not been high on the agenda, but 2024 will be the year when scientific evidence begins to shift the balance. Some studies show that hours of interaction with mobile phone touch screens debilitates certain small muscles in the hands. They recommend counteracting this with workouts that not only work the hands, but also the shoulders and forearms. Improving grip prolongs life as much as a cardiovascular workout.

Sport for the mind

The ACSM states that, for the first time, physical activity with the specific intention of improving mental health has made it into its list of top 10 trends, not only to lose weight or to acquire a certain body aesthetics, but also to improve mental health. This trend appears in other rankings under the name of ”holistic fitness” and encompasses both the spontaneous performance of physical activity and the medical prescription of physical exercise routines to treat mental health disorders.

The connection between body and mind has added a new dimension to fitness, which has evolved into a discipline that goes beyond muscles and embraces self-esteem and state of mind. The workouts are beginning to include time for meditation and mindfulness, and they even provide counseling sessions with psychologists. The aim is to build an equally balanced, strong and toned body and mind.

Pilates reformer

The Pilates reformer is making a comeback. Enthralled by rumors that Harry Styles is a Pilates addict who uses the reformer bed, Generation Z has discovered this device, which was created by Joseph Hubertus Pilates in the early 20th century to exercise his bedridden patients. The reformer has all the virtues of standard floor Pilates with some added benefits. These include the strengthening of the torso area, rapid stabilization of the back musculature, increased range of motion, and enhanced posture and coordination.

The resistance provided by the pulley on the reformer bed leads to a quick definition of the abdomen, arms and legs. Some gyms in Los Angeles have taken it one step further and implemented the Rowformer, a routine that mixes Pilates with intense bursts of rowing and other HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts.

Sleep and rest

Getting plenty of sleep will be a big fitness trend in 2024. Generation Z makes no apology for stress and burnout from work. According to trends that went viral this Christmas on TikTok, resting and sleeping were the two biggest habits during the recent festive season. They establish bedtime routines and rituals, as well as discussing sleep hygiene. Pinterest reports a 60% increase in searches related to a slowing-down of lifestyle, 80% more interest in digital detox challenges, and 65% growth in content related to ASMR sounds for sleep. Any fitness workout should be performed before and after sufficient hours of sleep, and this should be non-negotiable.

The hydration revolution

Hydration will involve increasingly sophisticated choices in 2024. Besides water, which remains the most recommended way to hydrate by nutritionists, the market is set to be flooded with strange beverages, such as collagen-infused elixirs, fiber concoctions and salt water. The process of hydration favors many aspects and is now expected to result in radiant and elastic skin, efficient and rapid digestion and a balanced electrolyte intake in all areas of the body.

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