Health is wealth and exercise is the best medicine. From yoga and cycling to fitness classes, Thailand has seen it all. But what are the top exercise trends to watch for in 2017? Based on the American College of Sports Medicine, health and exercise specialist Dr Benjapol Benjapalakorn suggests what will potentially become a big hit this year.
Number 1: Activity tracking devices
Even though wearable technology has been around for a few years, Dr Benjapol is confident that this year these devices will become even more popular among people who exercise regularly.
"Two years ago, we only saw very few brands, such as Garmin, when we searched for wearable devices. Today, large and global businesses such as Sony and Apple as well as many other new brands have jumped onto the bandwagon, thanks to increasing demand from the health conscious," Dr Benjapol commented.
And apart from their main function as a fitness tool, these devices would be made more fashionable so that they can also blend well with the outfit.
Though some people see wearable technology only as a come-and-go health trend, Dr Benjapol said that these activity trackers will definitely encourage people to be into exercise and do it more regularly. "Those who exercise see these devices as their toy and they have fun with it," he added.
Choosing a suitable fitness device depends on two main factors, according to the specialist -- the type of exercise and price tag. If you are into trail running, you need something that can record the altitude. If you work out in a gym, a heart rate monitor should be sufficient. But if you run, walk or jog in a park, a pedometer is necessary.
Prices also play a big part because these health gadgets can cost from only a few thousand baht up to 40,000 baht or more.
Number 2: Bodyweight training
Speak of muscle training and people think of lifting dumbbells and barbells. This year, exercise enthusiasts will opt for something more simple and less pricey.
"Weight training such as dumbbell- and barbell-lifting requires fancy equipment and expensive fees to get a proper trainer to tell you what is right," said Benjapol. "Due to such limitations, people this year will make use of their own body weight as a tool to build strength and muscles."
Bodyweight training requires no tools. It only involves several postures such as push-ups, sit-ups, planking and squats. These exercise postures can be carried out in a loop or can also be twisted based on people's liking as well as health restrictions. This exercise trend responds well to the needs of modern people who live in a hectic city with huge workloads and no time to visit a gym. They can do bodyweight training at home after work.
A lot of information on bodyweight training plans is available on the internet, many of which actually come from reliable and experienced sources.
However, Dr Benjapol recommended that those suffering knee or spine injuries should discuss with a specialist first on what not to do because some positions are not for everyone. People with knee injuries should not do squats, for instance. Those with spine damage should avoid sit-ups.
Number 3: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, has been popular since 2013, but in 2017 it will take its place among top exercise trends primarily because it is designed in response to modern people's lifestyles.
"If you run in a park, you might need an hour or two. But HIIT will only require 30 minutes to complete your workout session. And the benefits of HIIT are pretty much equal to what you gain from continuous exercise," he said. So instead of spending a lot of time exercising at a moderate pace, HIIT will rapidly increase the heart rate to its maximum capacity before lowering it down and raising it up again as a cycle. This means HIIT can burn more calories than long-session exercise. According to Dr Benjapol, HIIT will also render better post-exercise metabolism.
One downside of HIIT is that it can be risky, especially when it can increase the heart rate up to 180 beats per minute. Those who practice HIIT should therefore have some certain exercise backgrounds and should do it under close supervision of qualified trainers.
Number 4: Outdoor group activities
Outdoor group activities such as running and cycling will still be people's favourite choices this year. But the popularity of cycling will begin to fade given pricey equipment and insufficient facilities in Thailand, especially bike lanes.
"We have the Sky Lane near Suvarnabhumi airport but it is quite far out for people who do not live in the neighbourhood. And cycling in the city can be quite dangerous, putting yourself at a very high risk of being hit," said Dr Benjapol.
So Thais will still like to exercise in parks because it is safe and can be done as a family or group activity.
Number 5: Online training
Online fitness training has just started to emerge in Thailand. Instead of going to a gym to workout with your fitness trainer, the service is now available at your fingertips. So for those who exercise and for trainers alike, online training is a win-win deal because it saves time on both sides.
Through video calls, fitness trainers can give real-time feedback. Nonetheless, there is still some debate with regard to the limitations of online training. Some said under video calls, trainers cannot pay real physical attention to people they train, especially in case of injuries.
Number 6: Aqua exercise
Aqua exercise means underwater cycling, aerobic dancing and treadmills. It is specially designed for people with certain health conditions, such as ankle or knee pains. Exercising in water reduces pressure and people with the aforementioned complaints subsequently feel less pain during and after training.
Number 7: Health and fitness smartphone applications
Health and fitness applications have been widely available in app markets and they will definitely stay around as an exercise aid in 2017.
"Admittedly the results of some certain activities require analysis from medical specialists," said Dr Benjapol. "Take exercise stress tests, for example. You get onto a treadmill and you need a doctor to read the results to check how well your heart functions."
Now smartphone applications can do this job to a certain extent. They can measure how many calories are burnt in a day based on daily recorded data, how well people sleep and so forth. Of course, these applications are not 100% accurate but they can give people a rough idea as to how their bodies are doing.
