After the indulgence of the holiday season, you may never want to see another Christmas cookie or glass of eggnog again. And though you enjoyed your time off, you may even be tired of lounging on the couch. If you’re hoping to get the new year started with a little extra pep in your step, a new workout routine might be the way to go. Instead of hitting up your usual treadmill at the gym, shake things up with a fun fitness class in 2023. Whether you want to pedal to the beat, take a swing at a punching bag, or get your adrenaline going on a rock wall, here are six fun workout trends to check out.    

Aerial Yoga

Warrior 2 certainly looks different from this angle. If you’ve gotten in a rut watching the same YouTube yoga videos or practicing the same poses over and over, take your practice airborne with aerial yoga. Aerial yoga combines traditional asana and yoga philosophies with the aerial arts, using silk fabrics and hammocks attached from above to help yogis more gently stretch their bodies and achieve poses. During a class, you may be fully suspended by your silks, or keep hands or feet anchored on the ground. Either way, you’re guaranteed to leave feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the year.  

Try it here:

Aero Joe Pilates (Birmingham)

Light on Yoga Fitness (Huntsville)

Core Reaction Pilates (Huntsville)

Rock Climbing

Flex some new muscles and get your heart pumping at a rock-climbing gym. While it’s too cold to tackle mountain faces, get the next best thing in one of the state’s many climbing and bouldering gyms. You’ll be so distracted figuring out new ways to solve the wall’s set problems and discovering new routes, that you’ll hardly realize how great a workout you’re getting out of the experience. As a bonus, many gyms have additional weights and fitness equipment so you can get your climb on and have access to more traditional workout options too. 

Try it here:

Birmingham Boulders (Birmingham)

High Point Climbing and Fitness (Birmingham)

High Point Climbing and Fitness (Huntsville)

Gadrock (Gadsden)

Cycling

A spin class may seem old hat when it comes to exercising, but you’ve probably never gone to a cycle class like one of these. You can expect fabulous light effects, the best playlists, and incredible sound systems to pump the jams. Ride to the beat, get your sweat on, and have a blast while doing it.

Try it here:

Ignite Cycle (Birmingham)

Three15 (Birmingham)

Zoom Indoor Cycling (Huntsville)

CycleBar (Huntsville)

One Ride Cycle (Muscle Shoals)

Bungee Fitness

Low-impact workouts used to consist of nothing more than water aerobics, but thanks to bungee fitness there’s a whole new way to get a workout with worrying about your knees aching after. Hook up to a harness and bungee cord for a low-impact workout that incorporates lunges, squats, jumping for cardio and strength training. 

So Fly Bungee Fitness (Ozark)

Fly By Bungee Fitness (Dothan)

Defying Gravity Bungee Training (Huntsville)

Boxing / Kickboxing

For a full-body workout that incorporates elements of several mixed martial arts styles, plus plenty of cardio, sign up for a boxing or kickboxing class. Get out some aggression with a combination of kicks, punches, elbows, and knees on a punching bag. While each class is a little different, some combining HIIT circuits and others focusing on fun music, the high points are the same. You get to kick, you get to punch, and you get a great workout. 

Try it here:

Battle Republic (Birmingham)

Gauntlet Fitness (Birmingham)

The Garage Fitness (Alabaster and Calera)

9Round Fitness (Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Mobile, Fairhope, Foley, Gulf Shores)

RockBox Fitness (Huntsville)

Dance Fitness

Let the music flow through your body and feel the beat at a dance fitness studio. You’ll probably never smile or sweat as much at one time, and your mood will skyrocket from the moment you hear the very first count of “5, 6, 7, 8”. Some studios even offer pole dancing classes for an added bit of flirty fun. 

Allegro (Muscle Shoals)

Her Moves Dance Fitness (Montgomery)

Moxie Krew Dance Fitness Studio (Dothan)