Step Up: Five Fitness Trends You Should Try in 2015

We know that getting (and keeping) fit is at the top of the 2015 priority list for many of our readers, and it’s certainly something we’re talking about here at Her Towers too. As we head into the New Year, we’ve decided that instead of waiting in line for sweat-covered machines in crowded gyms and trudging into the same old Pilates classes we tortured ourselves with in 2014, we’re going to focus on some of the most innovative new ways to get fit in 2015. Take a look and see which of these five funky fitness trends appeals to you... Hot barre We're predicting that hot barre will be 2015's answer to Bikram yoga, one of 2014's biggest fitness craze. What is it? It's best described as a mix of yoga, ballet, pilates and sports conditioning all undertaken in a room heated to 40 degrees. Giving the muscles a deep stretch it has proven to help with detoxing and releasing toxins, and of course work up some serious sweat. Already popular in Los Angeles and New York, we can't wait to give this a try! Punk rope We all had a jump rope growing up, and a lot of us did some serious skipping with our friends down through the years. Now everyone's favourite old schoolyard activity is back in style with a cool new twist. Punk rope is an intense and challenging work out designed to improve stamina, strength, agility and coordination. It's said to burn off calories at a high rate, help reduce stress, stimulate the brain and foster social interaction. We're just hoping it brings to life our inner kid and makes us feel like we've got the energy we had in primary school! HIIT  No, we haven't spelt that wrong. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is one of the latest buzzwords in the world of fitness. In short term it involves any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even total rest. This can be as simple as running as fast as you can for one minute and then walking for two minutes. Repeat this three minute exercise five times, and you've got yourself a 15 minute HIIT workout. We really like the simplicity of HIIT and think it could work well for a lot of us who are pretty strapped for time. Trampoline classes Yes, these are a thing. And yes, they're now regarded as a genuinely effective way to work out! Offering a great cardio workout without excess stress on the heart, muscles or joints, trampolining is a super fun way to burn fat and tone muscles while improving balance and co-ordination. We're delighted to report that more and more trampoline classes are starting up around Ireland so this is definitely something to keep an eye out for in your local area in the New Year. Aerial yoga We've saved our favourite for last. The name alone has got us hooked on this fitness trend. You've guessed it; rather than the usual set-up of doing poses on a mat, aerial yoga involved performing poses in a silk cloth or yoga swing  suspended from the ceiling. Probably not one for those with a fear of heights, aerial yoga allows you to become weightless, and flips and flows help to strengthen the core, stretch tight muscles and aid in relieving painful joints. We're looking forward to the head rush!     2015 is all about having choices. And just like it’s important to keep your options open for how you keep fit and healthy, it’s also key to have choices when it comes to your health insurance. The Aviva Select health insurance plan allows you to choose the cover you want for your hospital and everyday medical needs. Elements are priced individually so that you can select what you need and control your monthly costs. To celebrate the launch of the Aviva Select health plan, head on over to Aviva’s competition page to be in with a chance of winning a selection of fantastic prizes.