Jumping shoes: Low-impact cardio

Putting a spring in your step can take stress off your joints. Kangoo Jumps are boots with springs on the soles. You can jog or do aerobics in them, burning calories while being gentle on your body. If you are pregnant or have high blood pressure or balance problems, stick with springless shoes.

Rebounding: High jump calorie burn

Does your workout have you jumping for joy? Springing into the air on a trampoline will. Rebounding, or cardio exercise on mini trampolines, offers fat-burning fun that’s gentler on your joints. These exercises also make your workout more fun and challenging. Remember, regular exercise has many benefits, including boosting your mood and controlling your weight.

Suspension: Strength training

TRX Suspension Training was created by US Navy Seals, so you know it's a tough workout. Suspension devices use your own body weight and gravity to create resistance. You should be fit and have strong core muscles to take on TRX or one of the copycat suspension workouts. If you'’ve not exercised for a while or have a medical condition, check with your GP before starting a fitness programme.

ViPR: Whole-body movement

ViPR stands for "vitality, performance and reconditioning." It's a one metre high rubber tube that comes in seven weights, from four to 20 kg. Like the motions of everyday life, lifting, pushing and twisting exercises with the tube work your whole body, not just isolated muscles. You can change the intensity of your workout depending on how you use the ViPR.

Elite fitness: Muscle confusion

Ready to break through your fitness plateau? Then you might like cross-training programmes that aim to cause "muscle confusion." These challenging exercises add new moves and may include jump training (plyometrics). P90X and Insanity Workout are two popular programmes. Consult your GP before trying these intense workouts, especially if you have joint problems.

Pole dancing: Vertical workout

Pole dancing is catching on in the UK with classes on how to dance, spin and do poses with a pole. You'll burn calories while working your abs, buttocks, thighs and more. You can make the workout as easy or intense as you like. Risks include falling, rotator cuff strain and tendonitis.

Boot camp: Back to basics

This is basic training without a drill sergeant sneering and shouting in your face. There’s no fancy equipment - just a series of push-ups, squats, kicks, other calisthenics and aerobic movements. You’ll burn about 10 calories a minute or 600 an hour. The payoff: total-body fitness.

CrossFit: High-intensity training

You can burn about 15 calories per minute with this intense workout, which includes timed challenges with squats, push-ups, gymnastic rings, intense runs and weightlifting. CrossFit is used to condition elite athletes and the armed forces. Be ready to work to your limits. Be aware that fatigue can cause poor technique while exercising, which can lead to injury.

Exergaming: Aerobic play

Who said playing video games turns you into a couch potato? You can burn as many calories exergaming as working out at the gym - about 270 calories vigorously dancing or 216 calories virtual boxing in a half-hour. Exergaming is also a great way to get children moving, while slower-paced activities can help older adults be less sedentary.

Zumba: Dance fitness

Ditch the workout and join the party! Zumba is one of the fastest growing fitness crazes in the UK. It’s a high energy dance-fitness class with a cha-cha-cha beat, instead of counting repetitions. Zumba claims to burn up to 1,000 calories an hour and also guarantees a good laugh!

Boxercise: A workout knockout

Among exercises, boxing is a knockout - delivering agility, balance, muscle tone, strength and cardio benefits. Sparring also improves hand-eye coordination and mental agility. Boxercise includes dancing, skipping, shadow boxing, kicking punching bags and more. Protect your thumbs and knuckles, and consider wearing shin supports.

Kettlebells: A new weight to lift

A vigorous workout with a kettlebell - a cast iron ball with a handle - can burn 272 calories in just 20 minutes. Swinging the kettlebell works muscles in a way that weight machines and barbells can't. Start with a light kettlebell – eight to 15 pounds (3.6 – 6.8 kg) for women and 15 to 25 pounds (6.8 – 11.3 kg) for men. Form is critical to prevent injury, so it’s a good idea to get a trainer to show you how to use them properly.

Hulas: Hoop work out

Hula hoop classes are springing up across the UK. It's also easier to swing the new weighted hula hoops than the flimsy plastic ones of your playground years. Hooping can burn more calories than step aerobics and raise your heart rate as much as cardio kickboxing. It works your waist and core muscles and can tone your thighs too.

Cheerleading: Cardio with pom poms!

Cheerleading is no longer for the US only. Over 100,000 cheerleaders are now registered with the UK Cheerleading Association and at the higher levels, many are pure athletes. Four out of 10 schools now have a cheerleading class which includes dance moves, jumps, and classic cheer positions. You get fun, flexibility and a heavy dose of cardio.

Aerial yoga

Yoga blends are a huge fitness trend. This one's name says it all: you do variations on traditional moves while hanging in "hammocks" suspended from the ceiling. The weightless poses relieve aching joints and stretch muscles as well as strengthening your core. For other fun twists, yoga for cyclists is catching on, or YogaFit, which includes squats, sit-ups and other fitness moves.

Barefoot running

A small but growing contingent of runners prefer to shed their trainers and run barefoot for an even better workout. They point out humans learned to run long before trainers were invented! One study in Nature showed that barefoot runners who land on the balls of their feet generate smaller collision forces than runners who wear running shoes. Not all sports scientists agree it is a good idea – and you do need to be careful of cuts, infections and blisters.

Weighted vests: Power walking

Adding weight may be the simplest way to boost your workout. Extra weight raises your heart rate and makes you burn more calories. Instead of walking with hand or ankle weights, which can strain muscles and joints, consider wearing a weighted vest. Choose one that is 5% to 10% of your body weight.

Techno training: Apps for exercise

What if you want help losing weight and getting fit, but you can't afford a personal trainer? No problem. Smartphone apps can help too. Fitness trackers measure your steps, calories burned and calories consumed. They can even monitor your sleep. The information can also be downloaded and tracked on your computer. There are also apps that explain proper exercise form, a common problem for beginners.

Finding a good trainer

When you try a new style of exercise, getting instruction from a trainer helps -- especially if your workout is more intense. Choose a trainer with experience and training in that type of workout and who is certified by an accredited programme. The Register of Exercise Professionals is a government-recognised scheme that helps provide regulation for instructors, coaches, trainers and teachers in the exercise and fitness industry.

Related reading

• Fitness crazes
• Get fit in a flash
• Cross-train! Get lean and strong
• Top tips for fab abs
• Six weightlifting tips
• The perfect pushup
• Best arm exercises
• Work out on a budget