Remember when you were a kid and you couldn’t wait until it was time for recess? You’d participate in soccer, kickball, hopscotch, and play on the swings until your teachers forced you back inside the classroom. Movement didn’t feel like a chore; it felt like freedom, and most importantly, it felt fun. That’s the shift fitness is taking, and honestly, it’s probably for the better.
The days of forcing yourself to do grueling, high-intensity workouts that you actually hate are over. Research shows that the secret to a consistent workout routine has always been to genuinely enjoy it, and this year, we’re injecting more play into movement.
Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that exercise is something you power through. Hard work is required and fun is optional. But that mindset doesn’t exactly set you up for success—especially when life is already stressful. That’s part of why playful movement is having such a moment. Unconventional ways to exercise are growing in popularity—like aerial yoga, indoor climbing, pickleball, pole dancing, puppy yoga, and trampoline workouts. They’re the kind of activities you don’t have to psych yourself up for.
There are real benefits to tapping into that kid-like energy we once had. “Playful exercise helps people reconnect with movement in a way that feels fun and low-pressure—especially for adults who may have fallen into very rigid workout routines,” says Alissa Mosca, CPT and regional operations manager at Planet Fitness.
And for anyone looking to have a more balanced weekly workout routine, sprinkling in something new keeps things fresh. “From a physical standpoint, playful movement still elevates heart rate and challenges coordination and strength, but mentally it feels less intimidating and more energizing.” Mosca says. “I often suggest adding one or two days of playful training into a weekly routine to keep things balanced.”
Mosca, who helps operate one of the largest gym chains in the country, says she’s noticed gymgoers gravitating toward natural movement patterns, like hanging or traversing the monkey bars, doing balance drills, or revisiting simple movements like jumping jacks or bear crawls.
“These styles fit naturally with playful fitness because they involve dynamic, full-body movements that many people recognize from earlier in life—things like squats, pushups, jumping, or hanging,” Mosca says.
And just because something feels fun doesn’t mean it’s not effective. Just ask Kirsten Potenza, founder of Pound—a cardio drumming workout program that aims to bring out your inner rockstar. Potenza created Pound in 2011 as an innovative workout that blends self-expression, play, and rhythm into the group fitness experience.