Individual Sports

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The year 2025 has barely begun, and already a new wave of sports and fitness trends is emerging. Some may turn into full-blown crazes, while others seem like old ideas repackaged in new forms—take Floating Yoga, for example.

 

After indulgent holiday feasts and celebrations, many people—both young and old—are once again drawn back to gyms or head outdoors for jogging and cycling. Increasingly, it’s not just about staying fit, but also about making a good impression while doing so.

 

Since the mid-2000s, stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP) has been considered particularly stylish and appealing—provided you have the skill. The trend originated in Hawaii in the 19th century, though early evidence traces back as far as 3,000 BC in Peru, the Levant, Italy, and China. And some of today’s latest fitness fads seem to draw inspiration from these ancient roots—namely Float Fit and Floating Yoga.

 

Float Fit

 

Floating Fitness, or Float Fit, combines elements of CrossFit, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and yoga. It requires thick, sturdy mats—around 10 centimeters thick—called “AquaBases,” which float between two lanes in a swimming pool and are tethered to the pool edges with ropes to prevent drifting.

 

On these mats, participants perform classic exercises such as burpees, push-ups, sit-ups, high knees, lunges, or squats. This improves balance, coordination, posture, and strength. The fitter and more skilled you become, the easier it will be to stay steady on the floating platform.

 

Floating Yoga

 

This trending sport is closely related to Float Fit and quite similar, except the focus here shifts more toward meditation, traditional yoga poses, and breathing exercises. If you’re comfortable performing the sun salutation, downward-facing dog, warrior pose, or tree pose in a green setting or on a regular mat, you might still need to adjust—because balance and precise body control become even more crucial here.

 

Yet this makes it even more effective for training both muscle strength and concentration. Of course, yoga on the floating platform can also be replaced with Pilates, if desired.

 

Cadillac Pilates

 

Speaking of Pilates—many people assume it’s purely a women’s workout. But this full-body training was actually developed by a German during World War I, while he was interned in a British camp, where he already began working with equipment. Joseph Hubertus Pilates (1883–1967) reportedly ended up there after working in England as a circus performer alongside his brother. Over time, Pilates has continuously evolved. So why not try Floating Pilates—or the latest trend, Cadillac Pilates?

 

The name of the largest Pilates apparatus likely comes from the automobile brand. Exercises on this device, which resembles a bar about the height of a man, are performed lying down and appear to float. For example, pull-ups are easier to perform halfway lying down on the Cadillac than on a standard horizontal bar.

 

 

These exercises are said to suit all fitness levels and age groups, especially older individuals, as they are gentle on the joints and beneficial for muscles. In reality, however, you do need a certain amount of arm strength, since many exercises require supporting your body weight with arms and legs. One such exercise is the “Swan,” where you lie face down and gently stretch your spine, defying gravity.

 

In the Hip Roll, you secure a bar attached to the apparatus—called the Roll-down Bar—behind your knees and then lengthen your thighs as you roll up and down. For Teaser Prep, the Push-Through Bar and its attached springs are used. The springs help perform this semi-seated exercise with lower legs held at a 90-degree angle in a particularly precise and mindful way.

 

Mindfulness Is the Magic Word

 

Mindful is a good keyword. For many of the new sports and fitness exercises reminiscent of yoga, tai chi, or pilates, mindfulness is a key theme. Known as mindfulness in English and, according to Chinese understanding, related to Buddhist meditation and inward focus, it’s about performing exercises with full awareness and “listening” to mind and body.

 

Practices considered excellent for cultivating mindfulness include sitting in silence, breathing and eating consciously, fully perceiving and absorbing things—or photographing them mentally—meditating while walking or sitting, and engaging in inner reflection.

 

Studies have shown that this can reduce stress levels by up to 25 percent. It’s also believed to strengthen the immune system and help alleviate depression and anxiety.

 

Source header image: Adobe Stock

Source header image: Pexels / Amar Preciado

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