Most of us have goals this year (and every year) to look and feel better, and the fitness trends show a growing movement towards better health, higher quality of life and weight loss. The American Council on Exercise has mapped out the trends for the coming year, including more mind/body exercise, balance and functional training, more affordable and convenient personal training and more. Check out the fitness trends for the coming year.
When I was a kid, we didn't do much training for sports other than to go out and play. But, as ACE notes, kids now are bigger, stronger and serious about their sports. We'll definitely see a trend towards more sport-specific training for our younger athletes (e.g., increasing jumping power for basketball players or strengthening the shoulders for tennis players). By focusing on more specific training, our athletes will have more endurance and strength and, hopefully, less injuries.
Another new trend is small-group training, a more affordable option for those who'd like to try personal training along with friends and family. In this type of training, you can work with 2 or more people in a group setting at a discounted price. It's best to work with people who have similar goals and fitness levels to get the most out of group training. This is a great option for people on a budget who'd like the added motivation of sweating through workouts with a buddy.
In-home training is another growing trend that offers convenience and privacy. Having a trainer come to you helps you fit exercise into your schedule and reach your goals in a comfortable and private setting. In-home training is usually more expensive, but you don't need much equipment to get started. Many trainers will have portable equipment or they can help you decide the best gear to buy. This type of training offers a no-hassle way to get your workouts in.
With seniors getting into exercise, we're seeing a trend towards specialized programs for older adults. These programs focus on the special needs of seniors like arthritis, osteoporosis, balance issues, flexibility and better daily functioning. More and more older adults are learning the value of preserving muscle mass and flexibility as they age, and personal trainers, health clubs and instructors are prepared to meet those needs in the coming year.
While structured exercise is important, we're also seeing a trend towards more accessible (and less structured) activity--what I might call the Butt Out of Chair trend. We know that moving around in moderate ways is one way to fight our growing waistlines, which is why pedometers have become so popular. One easy program is the 10,000 Steps program...by getting in 10,000 steps each day, you can start meeting the exercise guidelines of 30-60 minutes of moderate exercise each day.
Balance training really got going last year and it will continue to grow in the coming months as well. We're seeing many activities that promote balance such as Tai Chi, yoga and Pilates as well as a number of new tools like exercise balls, wobble boards, the BOSU Balance Trainer and foam rollers. By working in an unstable environment, you can increase balance and stability while adding some fun to traditional exercise routines.
This year, employers are starting to realize what we workers already know--corporations can save money and get more out of their employees if they're fit and feeling good. Many corporations are getting a clue and trying new ideas for getting employees to exercise from installing fitness centers to offering wellness programs that cover exercise, nutrition and stress relief.
One of my favorite trends is that more restaurants are offering healthy options for diners. We want to know what we're eating and a number of restaurants are meeting that demand by providing nutritional content on their menus or on their websites. Now, we can often do a little research before going out to find the healthiest, and tastiest, options.
Yoga and Pilates have been popular for several years now and there's no sign that will change any time soon. These days, we're seeing even more options for mind/body exercise such as fusion classes that include elements of a variety of activities and a focus on breathing, good posture and body awareness. These 'moving meditation' activites promote balance, stress relief and a gentler, calmer way to exercise.
Functional exercise is another buzzword we started hearing about last year and will continue to hear about in the coming months. Functional training, which focuses on strength training to improve coordination, strength and endurance in everyday activities, is popular because we want exercise to make sense. By working the body the way it moves in real life, we can achieve that and be more motivated to stick with exercise.
