As we transition into mid-year, Jefit wanted to take a look at the healthy and fitness industry trends. Each year the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) publishes their results on the top industry trends. The survey has occurred the last fifteen years and includes more than 4,000 industry professionals across various disciplines.
No surprise that after a long, pandemic year, with many stuck at home, online training earned the top spot. Other top trends include, online training, outdoor activities and virtual training making top 10 debuts. Previous years top choices, wearable tech and high-intensity interval training (top five since 2014) made the top 5. Bodyweight training, fitness programs for older adults (top 10 since 2007) also maintained popularity again for 2021.
The “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2021,” Top 10 Fitness Industry Trends Are:
- Online Training: Developed for the at-home exercise experience, this trend uses digital streaming technology to deliver group, individual or instructional exercise programs online. Online training is available 24/7 and can be a live or prerecorded class.
- Wearable Technology: Includes devices like fitness trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors and GPS tracking devices that can count steps and track heart rate, body temperature, calories, sitting time and sleep time.
- Body Weight Training: Uses minimal equipment, making it more affordable. Not limited to just push-ups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get “back to the basics” with fitness.
- Outdoor Activities: Include small group walks, group rides and organized hiking groups. Participants can meet in a local park, hiking area or on a bike trail for short events, daylong events or planned weeklong hiking excursion.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Involves short bursts of activity followed by a short period of rest or recovery. Despite concerns expressed by some fitness professionals, these 30-minute or less sessions continue to be a popular form of exercise around the world.
Additional Fitness Industry Trends
- Virtual Training: This fusion of group exercise with technology offers workouts designed for ease and convenience to suit schedules and needs and is typically played in gyms on the big screen.
- Exercise is Medicine®: This global health initiative by ACSM encourages health care providers to include physical activity assessment and associated referrals to certified fitness professionals in the community as part of every patient visit.
- Strength Training with Free Weights: Instructors focus on teaching proper form for exercises using barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells and/or medicine balls. Resistance progressively increases as correct form is accomplished.
- Fitness Programs for Older Adults: As Baby Boomers age into retirement, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active.
- Personal Training: One-on-one training continues to be a strong trend as the profession of personal training becomes more accessible online, in health clubs, in the home and in worksites that have fitness facilities. Personal training includes fitness testing and goal setting with the trainer working one-on-one with a client to prescribe workouts specific to individual needs.
Try Jefit App to Track Your Fitness Industry Trends
Try Jefit app, named best app for 2020 and 2021 by PC Magazine, Men’s Health, The Manual and the Greatist. The app comes equipped with a customizable workout planner and training log. Take advantage of Jefit’s exercise database for your strength workouts. Visit our members-only Facebook group. Connect with like-minded people, share tips, and advice to help get closer to reaching your fitness goals. Try one of the new interval-based workouts and add it to your weekly training schedule. Stay strong with Jefit as you live your fitness lifestyle.
Reference
ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal. 2021 – Volume 25(1): 10-19, doi: 10.1249/FIT.0000000000000631
Visit ACSM.org for additional information
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