So it’s halfway through the year and your fitness resolutions may not be going to plan. Does the desire to get out of bed for an early morning spinning session seem like a distant memory? Did you say 'I'll skip it just the once' and never return? Maybe exercising is just feeling like a chore these days? If you’re nodding your head right now then maybe you just need to try something new and bring a bit of excitement to your fitness regime. 

Well don’t worry we have your back! We have found the top fun and innovative workouts in Ireland to help spice up your training and motivate you to reach those goals. Here are the ones to lookout for.

Pound:  

Pound was co-founded  by 2 women who had a love for music and exercise but were bored with their mundane routine. In order to fulfill their dream of reigniting fun back into exercise they created Pound. This is a full-body cardio workout that combines conditioning and strength training with yoga and Pilates-inspired movements. Pound uses lightly weighted “drumsticks” called Ripstix along with constant rhythmic drumming to sculpt muscle and burn up to 900 calories in 45 minutes. Don’t worry you don’t have to be musically inclined…this workout is easy to follow and caters for all levels of fitness! If you want a fun and energetic atmosphere to get fit and let loose, pound is definitely for you!  

Pound has a series of classes located around Ireland, so find the closest one to you click here!

Animal Flow:

Remember when you used to run around on your hands and knees and do frog jumps when you were younger? Well you might not have known it then but you were actually doing quite a difficult workout! Animal flow is a new fitness trend that combines gymnastics, acrobatics, Parkour, Capoeira and break dancing along with the aim of  staying as low to the ground as possible. The animal flow epidemic uses dynamic and controlled movements to build up strength and mobility, similar to those of wild animals. Animal flow creates a fun, yet challenging workout that will have you dripping in sweat by the end of it.

If you’ve ever wanted to release your inner lion/lioness well now's your chance! Find a class near you here!

Clubbercise:

Okay this is by far one of the coolest workout in Ireland right now! We don’t know about you but we LOVE bopping to classic club anthems... but absolutely despise the sore head, feet and utmost feeling of regret for standing in line for Coppers at 2am! If you have the same problem we have found you the best alternative to not only let you dance the night away but also burn 600 calories while doing so. Clubbercise is a low impact or high impact workout (depending on your preference) that is a fusion of dance, toning and combat moves that caters for all fitness levels, It takes place in a darkened room with LED disco lights, and guess what… you get GLOW STICKS! 

If you feel like getting involved have a look at their classes here!

Ballet Barre:

Have you ever had the dream of becoming a ballerina but were told that you had the elegance and grace of an elephant (thanks mum)... Well now is your chance to get fit like a ballerina without having to actually dance like one! Ballet Barre classes have been becoming more and more popular in Ireland and there is no surprise why! The combination of ballet, cardio and Pilates helps you to sculpt lean muscle, slim down, and get your heart pumping! Don’t be fooled though - barre may be low impact but believe us when we say that it is one hard workout!

You can find barre classes located all around Ireland! If you find a venue that does yoga/pilates, it is most likely that they do barre classes too!  Have a look at some classes here!

Fearless Moves:

Fearless moves is the perfect summer workout for those who love to boogie! Fearless Moves combines HIIT workout sessions with unbelievable music themes that lets you flick your hair to beyonce, do the running man to 90’s jams and shuffle to the 00’s bangers. If you don’t like working out on your own, fearless moves is the workout for you! Their philosophy of having fun whilst burning calories embodies the great benefits of both exercising and being social. Fearless moves started off in the Bernard Shaw in Dublin, but has since been a major crowd attraction at other events such as Wellfest. Their next upcoming class is a collaboration with gympluscoffee to create the summer stretch series in Merrion Square.

You can keep an eye out for upcoming events here! 

Irish Calisthenics Academy:

There has often been times when I’ve witnessed someone ( Zac Efron) doing the human flag and thought “how cool would I be if I could do that!”. Well thanks to the Irish Calisthenics Academy now is your opportunity to rise to a new level of coolness. Calisthenics is the use of body weight, gymnastic based exercises to achieve a level of muscle mass and strength you could never even dream about! By working on strength and mobility eventually you will become a pro at handstands, muscle-ups and even the human flag! The Irish Calisthenics Academy are based in Artane in Dublin but also do a series of workshops.

Check out their page and class times here!

HIIT Boxing:

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Boxing or “Boxercise” has been around for a while now meaning that this method of training shows results! What’s great about this workout is that you get the training techniques and routines used by boxers to get them into peak physical condition without having to actually get hit in the face! HIIT Boxing classes are a proven way to build muscle, burn fat and increase cardiovascular endurance. What’s even better is that these HIIT classes can burn up to 1000 calories a class. It is also great for you mental well being especially if you’re having a stressful week. Look around at your local boxing clubs because usually they will put on a boxercise/HIIT class.  

One gym that is known for their intense HIIT class is Underdog Boxing, and you can check out what they have to offer here!