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Piloxing, an intense full-body workout, was invented by the Swedish trainer Viveca Jensen.
April 29, 2025
Marie Hein
Piloxing, Lagree, or Rucking - from military-inspired workouts to strength training revival: These six new workouts burn calories, shape body and mind, and are fun.
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Fitness trends 2026 focus on innovation and holism: From hybrid workouts like Piloxing to military-inspired rucking and functional strength training – these six new sports combine efficiency with fun. Whether you want joint-friendly training, calorie burning, or to strengthen deep muscles, you’ll find the perfect workout for your goals here.
Piloxing is a crossover workout that combines elements of Pilates, boxing, and dance. The aim is to unite physically contrasting disciplines for a holistic balance of strength, endurance, and flexibility. While boxing strengthens the cardiovascular system and boosts fat burning, Pilates and dance elements promote body control and coordination.
This creates a physically demanding, but also mental workout, as full concentration is required in Piloxing. The quite intense full-body workout was invented by the Swedish trainer Viveca Jensen from Los Angeles and is already very popular in Hollywood.
Originally developed as military training, rucking is “just” a walk. The twist: You carry a backpack with additional weights. Those who regularly “ruck” improve not only endurance and strength but also train the entire body, absolutely joint-friendly: From legs to core and belly to the shoulder area.
In Germany, rucking is gaining more and more followers. Groups like the Munich Rucking Crew organize weekly training sessions in Munich, with local ruck clubs emerging in cities like Stuttgart and Berlin, offering joint tours and events. If you're curious: The GORUCK platform provides not only detailed information on how to get started but also an overview of the most important ruck clubs in Germany.
Trampoline jumping is not only fun for children but also a highly effective workout for adults, as shown by the trend of rebounding, also known as jump fitness. It involves rhythmic jumps and choreographies on a mini trampoline. Up to 400 muscles are activated simultaneously, the lymphatic system is stimulated, and metabolism is boosted.
Studies show that rebounding can be up to 68 percent more effective than jogging, while being easier on the joints and more demanding in terms of coordination. The constant switch between gravity and weightlessness strengthens the cardiovascular system, trains the sense of balance, and positively affects the nervous system. Fun fact: Rebounding was originally developed by NASA for the recovery of their astronauts.
Invented by the French trainer Sebastian Lagree, who lives in Los Angeles, this workout is considered one of the most effective and well-known slow-burn training methods of our time. The core of the method is the so-called Megaformer – a device with a movable platform, pulleys, springs, and handles that enables controlled, flowing movements with constant resistance.
Unlike traditional HIIT sessions, Lagree focuses on continuous muscle tension: Each movement is performed extremely slowly and precisely, so the muscle works to exhaustion. The exercises mainly target the deep muscles, improving posture, coordination, and core stability. Another advantage: The joint-friendly training avoids impact loads – yet can burn up to 600 calories per session.
Invented in Mexico in 1969, padel has long been the second most popular sport in Spain and is also booming in Germany: Just last year, around 150 new facilities were opened here. What makes padel so special? The sport combines elements of tennis and squash and challenges not only the entire body but also the brain.
It is played in doubles on a 20 by 10 meter court – about half the size of a tennis court – surrounded by glass walls. These are actively integrated into the game and offer an additional tactical dimension that requires strategic thinking and quick reactions.
Strength training is by no means a new discipline, but in its time-adjusted form, it is currently experiencing a revival – called Functional Strength Training. According to the fitness app Strava, functional strength training is now one of the fastest-growing sports among women in the USA.
It is particularly popular among women in the peri- and menopause. Understandably, as functional strength training focuses on targeted muscle building, which is especially important in this phase of life.
But unlike classical strength training, the focus is not only on strengthening pure muscle strength but on functional muscles – those that become noticeable in everyday life. Instead of performing isolated exercises, natural movements are repeated: lifting, carrying, climbing stairs. Using free weights, one's own body weight, and targeted combinations, the core muscles in particular are strengthened – for more stability, resilience, and an improved body feeling.
