There is very little that people won’t try to lose weight, from eating tapeworms to working out in high heels In case you’re wondering, of the two, working out in high heels is the better choice. In fact, working out in heels is a legitimate form of exercise.

Stiletto Workout (in New York) and Heel Hop (In Los Angeles) are just two gyms that are taking women’s love of high heels to new heights. The idea is not just to give women the workout of their lives (classes work your core to the max), but also to teach them how to walk properly and maintain their balance on six or more inches.

4 More weird and wacky fitness crazes that have gripped the world

1. Piloxing

Who would have thought that Pilates and boxing would be the perfect match? Viveca Jensen, that’s who.

According to the official website, Piloxing is based on cutting edge research and fitness techniques, so it’s not been randomly thrown together by Jensen, who is a fitness trainer to the stars. It also includes dance elements. It’s designed to burn serious calories, sculpt serious muscles, and seriously boost women’s sense of confidence and power.

2. AntiGravity Yoga

AntiGravity Yoga is owned by Christopher Harrison’s AntiGravity Fitness. It started in New York and is gaining traction at Virgin Active gyms around the rest of the world. Basically, you do all the regular yoga moves, but suspended from a hammock that takes all the pressure off your joints. It provides an interesting take on a much-loved form of exercise, and will certainly test your balance while you build core strength and increase flexibility.

Yoga has spawned many different fusion ideas. There are classes that blend yoga and boxing (just in case you thought Pilates and boxing was weird), yoga and punk rock, and yoga and paddle boarding.

According to Wikipedia, paddleboard yoga combines hatha and vinyasa yoga with standup paddle surfing. You can start off with the board on the shore (or side of the pool) but in the end you’ll do your entire yoga session floating on the water of your choice. If you ever wanted to test your balance and core strength, paddleboard yoga will do it.

3. Kangoo Jumps

Jump like a kangaroo with these specially designed rebound shoes. Kangoo Jumps are the self-proclaimed lowest impact shoes in the world. The shoes actually make running fun, mostly because there is no no stress on your knees or joints. So, you get all the benefits of an intense cardio workout, without the physical impact. And, once again, you’ll get the chance to improve your balance.

4. Circus workouts

You don’t have to run away to join the circus these days. Instead, you can join a gym. Some gyms, at any rate, have started incorporating circus-type exercises into their classes to keep patrons interested and interesting (people who do the trapeze are always interesting, even if they’re bankers in real life). According to Molly Edmonds, if you really want to learn how to move like circus performer, you need to find your way to a Jukari Fit to Fly or Jukari Fit to Flex class. They’ve been endorsed by Cirque du Soleil and are available at selected gyms and sports clubs around the world.

If one of your favourite excuses for not exercising is that it’s boring, then you’re in trouble because these workouts go to show that getting fit (and keeping fit) is anything but.

They also go to show that being a fitness instructor or personal trainer involves a lot more than completing a TAFE or VET course or degree. You need to cultivate your creativity, because if someone can combine paddleboarding and yoga, just imagine what new international fitness craze you can come up with.

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Jemima Winslow loves any form of exercise that is not running although she would give Kangoo Jumps a go. She’s a big fan of yoga and can’t wait to get a paddleboard so she can practice her asanas on the sea.