The Biggest Trends In Gyms And The Fitness Industry
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There's no denying it. Tons of people are now engaging in physical exercises to achieve body fitness. They are constantly improving their workout strategies to ensure they achieve their dream bodies. At the same time, the Covid-19 pandemic has shaken up the industry. Everyone is shifting from the motto of "faster" and "further" and it is likely that the future will be more about specialized fitness programs that are customized for specific clientele. Next, we discuss the top 5 biggest trends in the gym and fitness industry. 

#1. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT involves short bursts of intense workouts blended with short periods of rest. In other words, it is a combination of heavy and less intense exercises. You first engage in hard-charging workouts where your breathing rate shoots to the peak before performing the easy ones. With consistency, this technique delivers results quickly, thus making it effective.

And it is this effectiveness that has made it quite popular in the fitness industry. According to the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, HIIT has been among the top 5 trends in the fitness industry since 2014.

High-Intensity Interval Training

#2. Body Weight Training

As the name suggests, this training method uses body weight to perform the workouts. If you are familiar with hand-release push-ups or the Russian twists, you definitely know the meaning of bodyweight exercises. But those are just a few examples. There's more to add to the list.

Bodyweight training is popular because it involves super effective exercises with minimum or no equipment requirement, which brings one thing to perspective. The training's cost is low and affordable. And by default, people are attracted to anything less costly. Therefore, this training technique is currently trending in the fitness industry.

#3. Wearable Fitness Devices

Wearable devices are extremely popular in the gym and fitness industry. They provide concrete efficiency in tracking performance during exercises, making it easier for people to achieve their fitness goals.

Examples of wearable technologies include step counters that calculate the distance travelled, a heart monitor that shows the heart rate during exercises, and calorimeters that monitor calorie loss during workouts. And with the technology advancing daily, the use of wearable devices in fitness is expected to shoot up.

Research by Statista reveals that there were 722 million users of wearable fitness devices in 2019. The number is expected to reach and go beyond one billion in the year 2022. This is a clear indication that wearable devices are currently trending in the fitness industry and will still dominate in the future.

#4. Online Training

Gyms and the fitness industry have been hit hard amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Governments shutting down countries and imposing tight restrictions caused the temporary closure of gyms and fitness clubs.

This resulted in the outburst of online training lessons. Instructors and trainers had to be creative and leverage the internet to deliver their lessons. And since physical training is almost impossible, people follow the lessons at home.  Without a doubt, Online fitness training will remain a trend until the disease is kicked out of the face of the earth.

#5. Yoga Exercises

Yoga exercises involve connecting the body and mind through physical postures, controlled breathing and relaxation. Examples of Yoga techniques include child pose, cobra pose, and plank.

Tons of people are doing Yoga due to its profound ability to enhance flexibility, stress relief and physical fitness. Even better, combining it with other physical exercises can yield desirable results faster.

In fact, a study by the JACC showed that coupling Indian Yoga with aerobic exercises provides better control of the risk factors associated with coronary disease. That explains why about 36 million people all over the world practice Yoga. Also, it sheds light on why Yoga has firm roots in the fitness industry.

yoga

#6. Mobile Fitness Apps

With the growing use of smartphones, mobile workout apps are becoming dominant in the fitness industry. According to a study by Report and Data, the fitness app market is predicted to reach USD 14.64 Billion by 2027. This indicates that there is a continuous increase in the use of these apps.

The popularity of mobile fitness apps arises from the benefits they offer. For instance, they come loaded with tons of different exercises and enable users to track their performance. This makes work easier compared to online videos from instructors or trainers.

Additionally, most of the apps contain workouts with zero equipment requirement. This is another advantage to those working out from home. That explains why mobile exercise apps have gained popularity in the fitness industry.

#7. Personal Training

A survey by ACSM (an organization that studies fitness trends and rank them) shows that personal training has gained incredible popularity in the fitness industry. In 2019, ACSM ranked personal training as the top 8th trend. Come 2020, it was ranked as the top 5th trend in the fitness industry - a reflection of an increase in popularity.

This comes as a result of a tremendous decrease in group training. Due to the pandemic, gathering in a gym or fitness club is still an issue. People have therefore embarked on personal training through guided online or face-to-face exercises from a trainer. Consequently, the instructor can tailor the workouts to match individual needs, which has further uplifted the popularity of personal training.

#8. Weight Loss Programs

The program encompasses those looking to lose weight, plus the ones trying not to add more. The two categories can use the same techniques like a blend of calories restrictions with consistent weight loss exercises.

It's no surprise that weight loss programs are a trend in the fitness industry. Here's the reason; plenty of people are consistently investing in weight loss programs. In fact, the global weight management market is expected to reach $ 423.2 billion by 2027.

The relentless pursuit of body fitness by people has resulted in these popular trends. The most significant trends in the gym and fitness industry include HIIT, bodyweight training, and wearable technologies. On top of that are Yoga, mobile fitness apps, personal training, and finally, weight loss programs.

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