Fitness is evolving rapidly every day. With internet and smartphones, people have information compared to when people had to wait for weeks to get access to information that were published in magazines.
We spoke to Jag Chima, a global fitness entrepreneur who has set many fitness trends in India and has helped many change their mindset to live healthier and fitter. He is also the CEO of Physique Global and works with the biggest names in fitness around the world such as Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham, Mahesh Babu, Ranveer Singh etc… and has mentored many influencers throughout India who have gone and inspired many to follow.
Jag Chima shared with us the latest fitness trends in India and how it is rapidly changing the fitness industry and is creating diversified job opportunities. He also spoke on how the younger generation should equip themselves for such opportunities.
“I have been involved in the fitness industry since 2004 and have introduced some of the biggest fitness movements to India from around the world with the biggest names in the fitness and wellness space.

We are constantly researching and studying the most efficient way to achieve optimum results and can confidently say that as a result of humans wanting shortcuts to success, the fitness industry continues to see new trends on almost a weekly / monthly basis.

However, it is important to ensure each trend is carefully assessed and understood before one assumes it will be the best route to fast results for them.

Every person is different and thus it’s never a case of one size fits all.

The one important thing I can say is, becoming your best self and living a fitter and healthier lifestyle has never been easier! You just have to be dedicated.”

Here are some of the current fitness trends along with some of my comments on what my views are about the:

1. Wearable technology / Apps – (These include products and services such as watches, Heart rate monitors, workout trackers). If you are one of those people who are easily distracted or lose motivation very quickly then this is something you need to look into. For example, If you use a watch that tracks the number of steps you take via an app which you can also connect with friends and family who do the same, you can create healthy competition which will keep you account and ensure you stay on top. No one wants to be second best.

You can also use wearable technology to track your heart rate during workouts, track your quality of sleep and much more. Apps like Strava will help you to connect with likeminded people around the world where you can track your runs, cycle rides and much more.

1. Group Training – If you get bored easily or always look for excuses to get out of a workout then group training is the one for you. Training with others has proven to keep people on track, make workouts more enjoyable and get great results.

However it is vital that you choose the correct type of group training for you. Group training is not like personal training, usually the whole group will follow the routine and intensity which can sometimes become demotivating for some who need a little more attention and help with form.
E.g. Group ‘cross fit’ style training has proven to create the most amount of injuries for individuals and these classes have a low retention of members rate as a result.

1. Bio hacking – Now this is one of the big ones. Mark my words, Bio hacking is about to blow up big time! But what does this mean?

Bio hacking has been part of lifestyle for decades, however with the power of social media, accessibility to smart phones and general media, we now find it easier to access real and verified information hence the sudden rise in the use of the word and its awareness.
Always be sure to seek medical advice from at least 3 medical professionals before you decide on implementing any bio hacks. Never take for granted what you see online without verifying the information yourself. Because some of the research and products are very new in this space verifying can be a daunting process but is important.

1. Being Vegan – with the many tests available today, many more individuals have begun to understand the way the human body works. For years people have lived with food allergies and intolerances and with India having the largest population of vegetarians being vegan seems to be the way to go for most.

Vegan foods are suitable for vegetarians and are free from dairy.

1. HIIT – High intensity Interval Training. This type of training ideal for people with a shortage of time and for people who want to have a highly effective workout. Ideally used for fat loss programs and conditioning for sports. This is particularly good for heart health.

An example of HIIT training would be Treadmill – one min walk and one min at maximum heart rate repeated 20 times.

1. Keto Diets – These have been in existence for decades, however with so many people looking for quick results, keto diets have become extremely popular. The Keto diets consist of High fats and very low Carbohydrate intake. The idea is for your body to switch from using Carbs as energy to using fats to function.

It’s has been known to have been used by business men and women in the olden days as the brain function and focus improves significantly as well as fat loss.

1. Intermittent Fasting – This is when you have a limited window in the day where you east and for their rest of the time are fasting. The most popular ratio would be 18 hours of fasting and a 6 hour window to consume meals.

Type of diet has proven to significantly optimize the functioning of the digestive system, improve focus and quality of sleep. Other benefits include rapid fat loss. Some people have used the Intermittent fasting approach and Keto together which has been highly successful for many.

1. Blue Light blocking – With the number of electronics i.e. gadgets an average person own and the type of lifestyle most have, being exposed to blue light is extremely high.

Blocking blue light from as little as one hour before sleep has proven to improve the quality of sleep and thus improve general health for many.

Blue light blocking glasses have become a hot seller worldwide as a result of these studies which have proven to improve human health. A lack of quality sleep is the root cause of many illnesses.

1. Organic Foods- There has been a rise in illnesses which are directly connected to how food in today’s times is produced. From farmers using highly dangerous pesticides and fertilizers to poultry farms using steroids & synthetics to enhance and speed up processes.

Organic foods have become highly sought after due to the high quality and health benefits.

1. Hot yoga – Often referred to as Bikram Yoga, has become highly popular across the globe. This is yoga carried out in a controlled but hot environment. Often temperatures almost as warm as a sauna!
2. Virtual Spin classes – These are classes on a spin bike where you have a huge screen in front of you and can see cyclists cycling in different terrains and your position displayed according to your performance in the group. Often these classes do not need a physical instructor as on screen instructions can easily be followed. Ideal for the competitive individual.
3. Meditation classes – Mental health awareness and its importance has been well received in India, with the busy lifestyles many live, we often forget the importance of taking care of our mental health. The quality of our life is dependent on the quality of our thoughts.

To help the very busy individuals, mind therapy has become a huge hit for many fitness and wellness facilities where you would be required to disconnect from the world and focus on the theme within the class. Many high profile people in India have taken this very seriously and even hire coaches to provide services at the comfort of their own homes. A huge revenue generator for fitness professionals.

1. Cryotherapy- Recovery is a huge issue for many. That could be recovery from physical training or from injuries. The inflammation in the human body has a process to reduce and with the proven studies of this process being sped up with Cryotherapy, it is not a hot trend for many of them who are within the budgets. Cryotherapy is a process where you would enter a chamber where you would be exposed to an extremely low temperature for a short period of time. These treatments have proven to be very successful for professional athletes around the world where recovery in an optimal time is highly important and improves performance when most needed.
   India! I know this as we have trained over 4000 trainers across India through our educational events!

Jag Chima also stated that the worldwide web is available to everyone and one should always research before following any trend and always seek professional advice.