Top 5 Fitness Trends 2008 - Year in Review

December 19, 12:51 PMBoston Fitness ExaminerSarah Dussault

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Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board

Think you know the latest fitness trends? Test your knowledge and see if your favorite new fitness activity made the cut as one of the top 5 fitness trends to try in 2009 .

No. 5 Fitness Trend: Zumba® and other dance inspired group classes The latin inspired fitness dance class took sports gyms by storm in 2008. According to the official Zumba® website, "Zumba® Fitness was created in the mid-90’s by Colombian native Alberto “Beto” Perez, a celebrity fitness trainer and choreographer for International pop superstars. Inspired by the traditional cumbia, salsa, samba and merengue music he grew up with, Beto paired his favorite pulsating Latin rhythms with the red-hot international dance steps his clients loved and Zumba® Fitness (Spanish slang for “to move fast and have fun”) was born!" To date, Zumba has sold over 3 million DVD's and has over 20,000 trainers in 35 countries. There are 59 gyms within 10 miles of Boston that offer Zumba classes. Click here to find the nearest Zumba class to where you live.

No. 4 Fitness Trend: Online Personal Trainer Online personal training has come in unison with the explosion of online video free content. Sites like Graspr, 5min and Howcast even have specific categories that cater to online fitness video producers. Personal trainers are offering the same advice online for free as are to their paying clients. Many of the videos can be downloaded to your ipod using iTunes or other video sharing sites like Veoh for free! It's easy to follow along with a video at the gym rather than in a cramp apartment without equipment. YouTube has over 135,000 fitness related videos. If you haven't checked out any producers yet, get new workout ideas from channels like DietHealth.

No. 3 Fitness Trend: Kettlebells From Russia to the US, Kettlebells are the newest piece of exercise equipment to become available to gym goers. One used for training by Russains, women and men alike are using the swinging weights to tone up their entire bodies while elevating their heart rate. They bring a new twist on old weight lifting and help keep exercise boredom at bay. If you haven't used them yet, ask a trainer at your local gym to show you a few moves or watch some kettlebell tutorial videos online.

No. 2 Fitness Trend: Exergaming Exergaming is a form of exercise that is combined with playing video games. It's the newest trend in the battle against childhood obesity. Companies are trying to market products to it's customers that will not only be fun but also benefit their health. The Nintendo Wii Fit was all the rage this past spring when it first came out. Dance Dance Revolution has helped many drop pounds and companies are competing to control the exergaming market. Don't substitute your daily workout for exergaming but if used in place of traditional couch potato video games, one can be opportunistic that it will help improve your child's health.

No. 1 Fitness Trend: Budget Friendly Workouts In a time of financial strife, many are looking to get fit for less. Gym memberships, private yoga classes and personal trainers are considered luxury to many and have been removed to reduce spending. As a result, many people are going outdoors for their cardio, using their own body weight for muscle building and toning, and looking for free help online. This coming year, you can expect to see gym membership costs decrease, more flexibility with a membership, an increase in winter weather cardio enthusiasts and online training help free of charge. You can even build your own workout if you're lacking creativity.