2016 fitness trends: From counting macros to tabata

Body building champion and personal trainer Hayley Madigan gives a rundown of the crazes that will take over this year

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Whether you're a seasoned gym fanatic itching for a motivation boost or a beginner looking for an activity to get hooked on, the New Year is the perfect time to get swept away with the latest fitness trends.

We've turned to Hayley Madigan, a personal trainer and body building champion,for a rundown of the crazes that you may not have heard of now, but will likely be on every gym-goers lips by the end of the year.

Below are her fitness predictions for 2016, in her own words.

PHA Training

Peripheral Heart Action training, or PHA, is a form of bodybuilding circuit training which is excellent for fat burning and muscle building.

This training style is specifically designed to keep the blood circulated throughout the body during the entire workout, where the smaller muscles around the heart are worked on first before the larger muscles around the body’s periphery. You then alternate between upper and lower body exercises which helps facilitate circulation to various muscles allowing you to not develop the "burn" in one particular muscle group.

Tabata workouts

Tabata is a workout timing that replicates High Intensity Interval Training - which involves exercising in short but tough bursts - at its best and most intense.

You can adapt tabata to suit any exercise and body part, and it will leave you burning fat for up to 72 hours after just a 4 minute workout.

To adopt tabata into your routine, complete an exercise at 100 per cent effort for just 20 seconds then completely rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this for a total number of 8 times - equating to 2 minutes 40 seconds of actual exercise and 1 minute 20 seconds of total rest time.

Counting macros

Macronutrients, or macros, are the number of grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats present in your food. Tracking what foods you eat on a daily basis can show you why you aren’t making the progress you think you deserve from the effort you put in, like when you’re plateauing or putting weight despite going to the gym.

Keeping track on how many carbs, fats and proteins you eat will help outline your areas for improvement, and can also increase your awareness of the health benefits of eating well. Fitness apps, such as MyFitnessPal, make it easier to keep track of your macros.

The ever increasing popularity of counting macros will be even bigger come 2016.

Pre-workout supplements

There are some great pre workout supplements out on the market for you to try on those days that you are lacking in motivation or energy.

Most have added caffeine benefits and will help uplift your energy levels, allowing you to get through an intense workout especially when you’re not feeling 100 per cent or after a long day at work.