The fitness world is ever-changing with new trends, must-have equipment and apps appearing all the time. And just one month into 2018, we’re already beginning to see what the year ahead has in store.

We’ve scoured the web to bring together a handful of the more interesting and useful pieces of fitness news from January. If you are a fitness instructor, personal trainer or a coach, make sure you’re covered with our comprehensive Gym Insurance.

Here’s what we have in our round-up:

Brits clueless in the gym

It’s a given that throughout the first month of a new year, gyms are full of New Year’s Resolutioners; those souls who have set the start of a new year to bring about a ‘new’ them. However, it appears that most of them don’t know what they are doing.

In research carried out by Nuffield Health it was discovered that a fifth of gym goers do not know how to use the equipment. Furthermore, 18% of those polled admitted to copying another gym-goers work-out simply because they looked good doing it.

The full findings of the research, designed to highlight the importance of a tailored work-out, can be read here.

Report says coffee does aid exercise

According to research elsewhere, it appears that one way we can all improve our gym sessions is by drinking coffee beforehand.

Coventry University discovered that having a cup of strong coffee an hour before a one mile run, can improve your time by two per-cent. There was also improvement in times shown by those who opted for a decaffeinated version too.

Dr Neil Clarke, who carried out the research explained that “there is an association between caffeine consumption and endurance, performance, stamina as well as perceived effort during exercise.”

How much would you pay for the gym?

There are gyms and fitness centres of all shapes and sizes around the UK, some costing more than others. However, one studio in London could well be the most pricey of the lot.

Sure, E by Equinox, located in Kensington is pretty swanky. But how swanky would a gym have to be for you to pay £350 a month to be a member?

That cost, on top of a £500 joining fee and £130 personal training sessions (if you so wish), gets a you a workout zone marked by marble pillars and a changing room with swish slate floors; oh, and some top end weight machines!

You can decide whether you want to sign up by reading this article in The Telegraph.

Earn while you burn

Of course, the vast majority of us won’t be paying £350 a month for a gym membership. But on the whole, wherever your fitness centre of choice, it’s unlikely to come without a cost.

So why not earn while you burn? With fitness app Sweatcoin you can actually earn cryptocurrency to spend with a select number of online retailers simply by going about your usual workout routine.

Though you won’t necessary collect cash to pay for your gym membership, the app allows you to pick up savings on things such as kit and equipment, so you have plenty of cash leftover to spend elsewhere.

Not a fan of wearing gym gear?

A new fitness class in the States is designed to let you feel really free whilst exercising. Hanson Fitness, located in New York saw in 2018 with a new naked fitness class.

The class is designed to give a “total body workout that uses your body weight as resistance to work the glute, butt, legs and core — making you look and feel good naked,” according to a press release from the gym.

There have been studies that suggest that working out whilst starkers can improve performance, but if you’re not comfortable going the whole hog, nude colour underwear is permitted!

Whether it takes off or not, we’re sure it won’t be the wackiest fitness class that is launched this year.