The 10 most popular workouts of 2017

abs situps workout fitness exercise woman gym sit ups

Move over yogis.

The trendiest workouts of 2017 went far beyond the mat.

Instead of slow, body-flexing stretches and heart-pumping balances, the most popular exercises this year focused on fast and intense moves.

Here they are, ranked from most to least Googled — along with what the science says about their effectiveness and their overall benefits on your body.

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10. Oblique exercises are key to a strong core and 6-pack abs.

Washboard abs don’t come from hundreds of crunches or sit-ups. Instead, you need to work all of your core muscles — including your obliques, the muscles that run along the sides of your stomach.

Instead of crunches, the folks at Harvard Medical School recommend planks, the exercise that involves holding yourself on your hands and toes in a pre-push-up position.

9. The "17.2" is a daily CrossFit workout with dumbbells as its foundation.

Like Murph (No. 1 on this list), 17.2 has its roots in CrossFit.

It’s a 12-minute routine released during the CrossFit Games, a global fitness competition started in 2007 that tests participants’ ability to move large loads quickly over long distances and it involves lunges, pikes (hanging from a bar and raising your toes to reach the bar), dumbbell squat lifts, and bar muscle-ups (hanging on a bar and swinging to lift your body until your waist touches the bar).

All of these moves are challenging and can cause injury — so don’t do them without a trained professional or before speaking with your doctor.

8. Targeted inner thigh workouts will help tone your whole body.

Daily activities like walking and sitting won’t work the muscles that run along the insides of your legs, but nearly all of the workouts on this list should.

You can also try “bridge,” a move that involves laying on your back with your feet on the floor and a rolled up towel or block between your bent knees. Squeeze the towel or block as you raise your butt toward the ceiling. Hold for a few seconds and lower back down. Start with 3 sets of 5-10 reps.

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