Trendy fitness activities
Sport :: p45
Fitness fads might come and go, but those activities that become trends can help retailers predict what might be good product sellers for the year to come … or what products might not be worth stocking, writes CARIN HARDISTY Participants give it their all in a group fitness session at the announcement of the ASICS and SWITCH partnership. Photo: Yamkela Mkebe
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he Health & Fitness category is a strongly expanding growth market, states Messe München, the organisers of ISPO Munich*. “70% of the current German workforce considers life stressful; every fifth worker suffers from permanent stress. Chronic stress can have a negative impact on health, and the desire to be healthy has an increasing influence on personal lifestyles.” The use of technologies is a big trend among fitness participants. So big, in fact, that wearable technology is the number one fitness trend for 2015, reveals the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2016, compiled by Dr Walter R. Thompson for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). “It seems as though the back to basics philosophy of the industry that was driven by the weak economy might be fading,” writes Thompson. “Mobile services make the integration of suitable exercise programs and nutritional recipes into the every day possible,” adds Messe München. “The increasingly popular wearables in the form of fitness tracking bracelets, smart watches and even data eyewear set new standards for exercise and lifestyle. These hi-tech mini computers have become our personal exercise partners. Even though our beloved smartphones are almost never left behind, these wearables are carried
Top 20 trends for 2016* 1 Wearable technology 2 Body weight training 3 High-intensity interval training 4 Strength training 5 Educated, certified, and experienced fitness professionals 6 Personal training 7 Functional fitness 8 Special fitness programs for older adults 9 Exercise and weight loss 10 Yoga 11 Group personal training 12 Worksite health promotion 13 Wellness coaching 14 Outdoor activities 15 Sport-specific training 16 Flexibility and mobility rollers 17 Smart phone exercise apps 18 Circuit training 19 Core training 20 Outcome measurements * Source: Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2016.
close to the body and this opens up new types of applications.” Interestingly enough, wearable technology is a new trend category that makes its appearance for the first time in the report.
Smart phone exercise apps (#17) is one of the other two new categories in the Top 20 trends identified in the 2016 report supporting the trend towards increased use of technology. Flexibility and mobility rollers (#16) is the third new category. “It was interesting to observe these kinds of programs trending positively for 2016,” writes Thompson. “Although the research is not abundant, there seems to be a growing market for these specialized devices.”
Yoga With its vast selection of branches, yoga offers something for everyone. It is not really a surprise that it is among the Top 10 fitness trends. “Yoga seems to reinvent and refresh itself every year, making it a more attractive form of exercise,” writes Thompson.
Functional fitness Functional fitness (CrossFit) has had a constant presence in the Top 10 since the ACSM started doing the survey in 2007, with the exception of 2009 when it fell just outside (#11). In the 2016 report, it holds position 7. “Some of the survey respondents said that they typically pair functional fitness with fitness programs for older adults (trend number 8) depending on the needs of the client,” writes Thompson. “Even the frail elderly can improve their balance and ability to perform activities of daily living when pro- To p46
2016 January :: Sports Trader