Fitness trends of 2010: barefoot running, hybrid yoga, triathlons

(AFP PHOTO / JEFF PACHOUD)

What were some of the year's biggest (and weirdest) trends? On December 27, top fitness and health blog FitSugar reported on some 2010 highlights.

Barefoot running isn't exactly a global craze on par with Zumba, but more and more seasoned runners are pounding the pavement in the famed Vibram Five Fingers shoes. The shoeless stride is gaining momentum, especially now that shoe companies are targeting "barefooters" with minimalist shoe designs. While the jury is still out on whether or not these shoes promote a better jog, other popular styles include Nike Free, Feelmax Tieva, Kigo Shel, and Invo-8 F-Lite.

Hybrid yoga classes are typically a flash in the pan, but the concept of novelty yoga is hotter than ever. It's uncertain if trends such as Big Yoga (yoga for the heavy-set crowd), Paddleboard Yoga (yoga on the water), Snowga (yoga on the pistes), or Koga (part yoga, part kickboxing) have staying power, but we're sure to see more combo-yoga deviations in the coming year.

Triathlons - swimming followed by cycling followed by running - have been popular for years, especially for the West Coast crowd in the US. But now, according to spokesman Rob Beal of David Lloyd Health and Fitness clubs in the UK, more Britons are training for their first tri than ever before. For the hardcore endurance athlete, the most grueling races include the Hawaii Ironman World Championship, France's Nice Triathlon, London's Enduroman Arch to Arc, and San Francisco's Escape from Alcatraz. But if you're interested in something better designed for the newbie, check the official website of the International Triathlon Union for races and training advice.

Read the FitSugar article here.

http://www.triathlon.org

Watch a Kogo demonstration here.