5 fitness trends that went viral in 2025 — experts weigh hype vs results
An estimated 80% of Americans reported participating in sports and fitness activities in the past year, representing an all-time high, according to a 2025 report.
From TikTok routines to old-school military tactics and high-tech machines, this year's fitness trends promised big results with surprisingly simple moves — but experts say not all gains are created equal.
Below is a roundup of five standout trends from 2025, complete with fitness trainers' takes on each approach.
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The 12-3-30 workout — which entails walking at a 12% incline at 3 mph for 30 minutes — exploded on TikTok and is now supported by research. A new study compared it to "self-paced" treadmill running, matching total calories burned between the two.
Running burned energy faster — roughly 13 calories per minute versus 10 calories per minute for 12-3-30, the study found. The walking method used more fat as fuel, however, with about 41% of energy coming from fat compared to 33% with running.
Maelee Wells Sutton, a certified personal trainer at Crunch Fitness in New York, previously told Fox News Digital it's "no surprise" that higher-intensity running burns calories faster. "Walking at 12-3-30 is certainly more intense than walking on a flat surface, but is less intense than a run," she noted.
Weighted vests, long used in military training, resurfaced as a social media craze this year, with TikTok searches for #weightedvest drawing more than 30 million views.
"They’ve been used for decades in athletic and military training, but social media has helped reintroduce them to mainstream fitness," sports scientist Dr. Mark Kovacs previously told Fox News Digital.
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"You turn everyday walking into a slightly more demanding workout without changing the movement," the Atlanta-based doctor added.
Research shows weighted vests can increase calorie burn and cardiovascular demand, but long-term outcomes are mixed.
"Focus on posture and slowly add weight over time," Kovacs advised. "Always listen to your body. Discomfort is a sign to back off."
Sparked by high-profile users like Ivanka Trump and Gisele Bündchen, jiu-jitsu is getting new attention as both a workout and a life skill.
The Valente brothers, based in Miami, Florida, train Ivanka Trump and her family. They describe jiu-jitsu as a physical, mental and emotional practice grounded in their "7-5-3 code" philosophy, aimed at "spiritual, mental and physical wellness."
"We have students starting as young as 3 years old and as old as 87 continuing their training," Joaquim Valente previously told Fox News Digital. "It creates an opportunity for everyone to engage."
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Beyond self-defense, the trainers frame jiu-jitsu as a way to build presence and emotional control.
"Self-defense is a human necessity," Pedro Valente said, emphasizing that "the best self-defense is always avoidance. If you get into a physical fight, you're already a step behind."
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On the fitness side, Gui Valente highlighted the full-body demand of jiu jitsu: "You work every single muscle in your body, in different ways. You have to be able to develop great stamina … as well as flexibility and mobility."
Another popular fitness trend in 2025 was simply to get out of bed in the morning and jump 50 times.
Kathryn Smith, creator of the trend, admitted that she’s not naturally disciplined. "I am a lazy person by nature. I always have been. I'm never gonna do something that I don't want to do," she says in her TikTok clip.
"How I've gotten to the point I am right now has been very, very, very baby steps. So, the first thing is morning jumping … What I do when I get out of bed, my feet touch the ground, I jump 50 times."
She credits the habit for providing a quick mental lift. "How do you get oxygen to your brain? Increase your blood flow. How do you increase your blood? Increase your heart rate. Jump up and down."
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Sports nutrition expert Maura MacDonald said the trend caught on due to its ease of access. "It’s a lot easier to get out of bed and jump 50 times than to lace up your sneakers and head out for a run, or go to the gym and do deadlifts," she previously told Fox News Digital.
Vibration plates — platforms that use whole-body vibration — are trending as a potential shortcut for fat loss and strength.
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Using constant muscle "contracting and relaxing," the machines may help with "strength, flexibility, circulation and bone mass," according to fitness tutorials. Experts also warn that the plates are "no substitute for the basics of good health, like regular exercise and a healthy diet."
Nic Wilson, a fitness trainer at F45 Training in Hollwood, California, previously noted that vibration plates can indeed boost neuromuscular demand, forcing muscles to "contract more frequently," and that even 10- to 15-minute sessions can offer some benefit.
"While they can enhance muscle activation, vibration plates alone are not a high-calorie-burning workout and won’t replace traditional cardio or strength training for weight loss or conditioning," he cautioned.
Some research suggests that vibration plates may help support weight loss when paired with calorie reduction, and could also help to reduce back pain and high blood pressure.