The 6 Best Fitness Trends for Companies in 2023
Nearly 41% of Indian adults are not getting enough exercise. The last few years have seen an increased need for prioritizing mental and physical health. People have begun to invest in their mental health to a greater extent with mindfulness activities and meditation. There has also been a shift from viewing fitness as merely a way to shed pounds or build muscle to something that helps you boost mood, reduce stress, and relax the mind.
Individuals have been taking steps to keep their physical and emotional health in check, and now businesses are beginning to realize the importance of doing this for their employees. Companies need to start investing in their employees’ psychological and physical health.
Exercise and fitness have been proven to reduce stress, improve body image and combat mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Aside from the emotional benefits of fitness, working out in a group helps people build better connections and raises the base level of happiness. Here are some health trends that can be implemented at work to keep your team fit and happy.
1. Yoga Sessions
Yoga is a form of exercise that helps build physical and mental fitness. Regular practice of yoga can positively impact general health, including endocrine, cardiovascular, muscular, and reproductive health. Since yoga requires a moderate level of energy expenditure, it is a great exercise to introduce to your team.
A few minutes of the day can be set aside for the entire team to practice yoga and build their fitness level. A few of the most important practices to include in yoga sessions are:
- Breath regulation
- Mindfulness
- Posture maintenance
Looking after one’s posture is the most underrated aspect of keeping fit. There are small steps that one can take to improve posture and impact general health.
2. Posture Workouts
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted peoples’ postures. More and more people are experiencing the side effects of weak postural muscles with symptoms like tech neck, dowager’s hump and back pain. Improving your posture can lead to a more comfortable and pain-free daily life.
Businesses can set up a time during the team’s lunch break or after work to practice simple posture exercises. Some of the simplest techniques to get started with are:
The pandemic has not only impacted peoples’ postures, but it has also reduced the time spent in nature. Fitness trends that reconnect people with the outside world will be huge in 2023.
3. Biophilia Movement
Biophilia is the process of connecting to the natural world and exercising outside to build physical and emotional fitness. Biophilia training sessions can involve walking, running, skipping, and other forms of exercise where a person consciously connects with nature.
Biophilia helps improve mood, increases cognitive functioning, enhances creativity, and builds productivity. Leaders can set up short time slots during the day when the team gets a chance to connect with the outside world, feel the breeze on their skin, take a walk, smell the flowers and be surrounded by nature. This pleasant experience can help reduce stress levels and promote mindfulness.
These fitness trends all involve some kind of movement. That’s because moving your body more often can have a positive health impact.
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4. Minimizing Inactivity
‘Sit less and live more.’ That’s the essence of this fitness trend. Research has shown that sitting for long hours can increase blood pressure, cholesterol and stress levels. In 2023, companies need to build a reminder system to get their team moving, whenever possible, instead of sitting for an extended time. Some of the simple ways to encourage movement are:
- Walking around the office for 5 minutes
- Stretching
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Holding a few one-on-ones while walking
It might be difficult to keep track of the time that you sit or move around. That’s exactly where fitness technology has come to the rescue.
5. Investing in Wearable Technology
The Indian wearable technology market saw a 56.4% growth in 2022. These wearable devices track sleep quality, stress levels, movement, heart rate and more. It helps people understand how the body responds to exercise and movement.
By having access to our fitness levels, we can understand how different activities impact our health. This technology is getting more affordable and companies can invest in wearable technology to keep their employees healthy.
Technology has changed the way we understand our health and the way that we work out.
6. Virtual Reality Workouts
In 2023, virtual reality (VR) workouts will become mainstream with the use of high-tech headsets. VR and augmented reality (AR) products connect with apps that can make working out feel like a game. People can dance, play tennis, go mountain climbing, and partake in many energetic activities.
These VR headsets are becoming more affordable. Companies can invest in VR headsets and set up game days for team members to engage in playful fitness activities.
With personal and work responsibilities, employees might not find time for exercise and fitness. Businesses that can fit exercise and simple movement activities into the daily work schedule will be able to create a healthier and happier team.