The 10 most popular workouts of 2017

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 by how often they appeared in Google searches — along with what the science says about their effectiveness and their overall benefits on your body.

10. Oblique exercises are key to a strong core and six-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.

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

7. PiYo combines some signature moves from Pilates and yoga.

6. HIIT will get you sweating and moving in under 10 minutes.

5. Burpees are a one-move workout that can be done anywhere.

If you thought burpees were merely a component of a workout, we've got news for you: They're also simple and challenging enough to be an entire fitness routine on their own.

To properly execute a burpee, you'll need to recruit muscles from your core, chest, and legs — toning your limbs and raising your heart rate in the process. It's easy to do a burpee wrong, however, so make sure you're in proper form. Start out with three sets of five to 10 reps, working up to three to five sets of 10 to 20 reps.

4. TRX training uses your body weight to make you stronger and more flexible.

3. A Tabata routine will get your heart pumping.

Tabata training, named after the Japanese National Institute of Fitness and Sports researcher Izumi Tabata, is an HIIT workout made up of several four-minute exercises.

Tabata and his team were some of HIIT's pioneers, having published a seminal 1996 study suggesting that short bursts of intense strength training could have better results than a traditional workout.

Since then, hundreds of workouts based on the model have sprung up around the globe. If you're looking for one to start with, we recommend the free Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout.

2. The bungee workout is like dancing and yoga, minus gravity.

1. The CrossFit "Murph" is simple but tough.

The "Murph" is one of CrossFit's most challenging workouts of the day, or WODs. Named after Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005, the routine involves 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 squats sandwiched between two 1-mile runs.

The brutal routine is what's known as a "benchmark" workout. Assuming you're doing regular CrossFit-style routines at least three times a week, this routine is a great way to gauge your progress, build muscle, and improve your heart and lung health.

The 10 most popular workouts of 2017

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