10 Fitness Trends That Were Born in California

What it is: An indoor, stationary version of cycling that typically includes a group of people pedaling together and monitoring things like their heart rate and their breathing.

Why it became popular: Believe it or not, spinning isn't that old. The earliest form of it originated in Santa Monica back in the early 1990s and, ever since then, it has grown into a big business. But people still love it—and its many forms—for the same reason that they loved it when it was first created: It allows people to get a good workout and burn a lot of calories while sitting down indoors and not having to deal with things like the weather or the impact that running can have on your knees and feet. Other trends have come and gone over the years, but this one is likely here to stay.

What it is: A form of exercise that combines elements of Pilates with boxing and is designed to tone muscles and burn fat.

Why it became popular: There are a lot of different exercises and workouts that have been referred to as the "new Zumba," but this one might actually be it. Much like Zumba, people who take Piloxing classes are subject to a series of movements that are done in unison while loud music plays in the background. But it's slightly different from Zumba in that it requires people to wear weighted gloves. And those gloves are used to help people burn more fat and tone muscles even more than they would without them. It's a workout that doesn't always feel like a workout because you rarely have enough time to stop and think about what you're doing, which is why it has been so effective for so many people since it popped up in California a couple of years ago.

What it is: A workout that involves using a special indoor “surfboard” in order to do a number of different movements that surfers do when they're out on the water.

Why it became popular: Surfing is great exercise because it involves the use of a number of different muscle groups. In order to surf, you need to use your arms to paddle, your legs to stand up on the board, and your core to balance yourself and to stay put. The problem, of course, is that not everyone can surf, and not everyone has the time or the money to invest in surfing everyday. So Surfset was designed to provide people with all the benefits of surfing without the hassle of going to the beach and actually getting into the water. And it's a lot of fun, too, which is why it's growing in popularity right now and why it was such a hit when the founders of it appeared on ABC's Shark Tank back in 2012.

What it is: A variation of traditional Pilates that calls for people to bang drumsticks and jump around to loud rock music.

Why it became popular: Give anyone—literally, anyone—a set of drumsticks and they'll immediately start pretending to play the drums and moving around all over the place. We've all seen actual drummers do it so many times that we're naturally inclined to do it, too. But now, people can do it and get a workout at the same time with Pound, which requires quite a bit of movement. But that movement is made easy by the drumsticks that people are given, as well as the music that's played during Pound classes. Rocking out has never looked or felt this good before.

What it is: A type of exercise that involves people getting off their feet and conditioning their bodies by using techniques like aerial yoga and aerial hammocks.

Why it became popular: Regular yoga can be very beneficial to those who want to learn how to relax and get more in tune with their bodies. It's a great way to improve things like flexibility and muscle tone. But after awhile, those who do yoga regularly want to push themselves further. So Aeriform was created to allow them to take their yoga practices to the next level—literally. By using items like aerial hammocks, hanging silks, and poles, Aeriform provides a new challenge that results in more muscle definition and a better-conditioned body. It's not something that you'd necessarily want to try if you were new to yoga. But it is a lot of fun for those who have some experience with it and want to learn a few new tricks.

What it is: A workout that incorporates the use of a large wall in order to help people work on their strength, cardio, and flexibility.

Why it became popular: The Fitwall looks like fun, doesn't it? At the moment, there aren't many of them out there. In fact, outside of California, the only people using them are NFL teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, the U.S. military, and several Olympic athletes. But the Fitwall is designed to let you do a range of different exercises by simply moving up, down, and all around the wall itself. It also monitors your heart rate and your movements to let your trainer know how hard you are—or, in some cases, aren't—working. It's not too difficult to get into a Fitwall workout, though, seeing as how you're essentially doing something that's fun and breaking a sweat at the same time.

What it is: A workout that is designed to bring people together (the "U" stands for unity) to dance to popular music with an occasional set of squats or jumping jacks thrown into the mix.

Why it became popular: These days, everyone is looking for a workout that doesn't actually feel like a workout. So most of today's successful fitness trends include something that people like to do, coupled with things that people might not like to do. And U-Jam is no different. People have reported that U-Jam feels more like a dance club than a workout, because it's essentially one big dance party. But some real exercises are thrown into the mix, too, just to ensure that people are doing more than just dancing around. So while it's effective when it comes to burning calories, it also keeps people coming back for more since it's so much fun to do.

What it is: A combination of barre, yoga, Pilates, and ballet set to pop music that is great for burning calories and improving posture, flexibility, strength, and muscle tone.

Why it became popular: Created by former professional ballerina Jennifer Williams a few years ago, Pop Physique isn't necessarily for everyone. As you'd probably expect, it looks a lot like ballet when you're doing it (partly because you're not allowed to wear any shoes during classes). But it reportedly burns upwards of 500 calories per session because of all the different movements that you're forced to attempt while doing Pop Physique. So people feel the burn while they're doing it, but they also get quick results because of it. And really, isn't that what you're looking for when you work out?

What it is: A workout that requires a hollow rubber tube that was designed to work almost every single major muscle group in your body at once.

Why it became popular: When you think "farmhand," you might not automatically think "fitness." But people who work on farms are typically in great shape because they spend their days picking things up, carrying them, and placing them elsewhere. They're constantly moving and working their entire body at one time, which leads to them to be stronger than the average person. The same concept is at work here. People who practice ViPR use the workout's rubber tube as they squat, lunge, and do a variety of other things, and it leads to a total body workout every time you step inside the gym. It's a great way to target all of your muscles as opposed to just a few without having to do anything other than carry a tube during your workouts.

What it is: A fast-paced routine that involves "drawing" different letters and numbers with your feet while music plays in the background

Why it became popular: There are a lot of dance-based workouts out there—we've mentioned a few of them here. But the problem with some of them is that if you're not coordinated enough to pull them off, you're going to end up getting frustrated with them and quitting. Bokwa is easy to do, though. There's no choreography involved and the only thing that you need to worry about while you're doing it is using your feet to make the number or letter that the instructor tells you to do. So even if you're not great at dancing, you'll still be able to keep up with the rest of your class.