Two obvious trends are ethnic dance and suspension training. First it was Zumba, then Bokwa and now Timba -- sassy ways to sweat while working out.
"When you see the companies that are strong in the fitness industry, they always are seeing the future, and the future is suspension training and rip training," said Peter Holman, director of product development for TRX.
The fitness pro invented the Rip Trainer, a companion piece to popular TRX (which stands for total resistant exercise.) Suspension training is a huge trend where you use your body weight.
Look-a-likes Rip:60 and CrossCore's War Machine were also featured while TRX introduced Rip Trainer as a way to use the body in three-dimensional space.
"Functional training has been around a while but I think people are really trying to get exciting ways to apply it," said Michelle Dozois, owner of Breakthru Fitness Pasadena.
Dozois tested Linda LaRue's Core Transformer, a transportable way to work the core where ever you are. Yet Kranking and Bodyblading are other trends that remain popular.
Another big hit in health is fitness challenges like Combine 360, which is a great place to test your fitness skill no matter what your level. You start with heavy jump roping, then move over to TRX rows and lateral jumps, and finish with trunk abs.
"Combine 360 is about a movement, it's about a way to challenge yourself to be your best," said Todd Durkin, head of the Under Armour Performance Training Council.
He says everyone from couch potatoes to athletes is testing at the convention and globally by logging onto the Combine 360 website and posting scores. Anyone can play.
"Combine challenges are a way to see where you're at today, set goals for yourself tomorrow and have some very physical measurements of how you can get there," said Durkin.
