The fitness industry is always changing, and it's important to stay on top of the fitness industry trends, especially if you work in this field as a personal trainer.
You've worked hard to become a personal trainer -- don't let that go to waste by getting behind on what's going on in the fitness world. It's an essential part of the job as a personal trainer to be the best resource you can possibly be for your clients.
Keeping up-to-date with trends in fitness, personal training, and all things fitness-related will continually place you as a top personal trainer in your area and remind people that when they want to get serious about their fitness, a personal trainer is where they should turn.
Fitness industry trends may come and go, but the importance of exercise never does. Stay on top of what's happening so that you can stay in the know and at the top of your game, always.
We've put together a list of the most current fitness industry trends that the fitness world is seeing today. Are you aware of all the fun and exciting fitness industry trends listed below?
1. Wearable Fitness Technology
It's always good when a device that encourages fitness is what's trending. Wearable fitness technologies have been on everyone's Christmas lists for the past several years now, and this trend shows no sign of dying out anytime soon.
Items like fitness trackers, smart watches, and step counting devices help the user to take their fitness into their own hands. Of course, these bits of technology could never replace the personalized insight provided by a personal trainer, but they do help people to get moving.
Gadgets from brands like Apple, Garmin, and Fitbit are worn by the user in all sorts of fashionable ways -- from watches to clip-on devices to bracelets -- and give them insights on exactly how active they are being.
Wearables usually track the distance walked, run, or climbed by a user, read a user's heart rate, track a user's route, and give the user reminders to move. Some wearables also track sleeping patterns in order to provide a fuller picture of the user's health and wellness.
2. High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is another big thing in the fitness world today. HIIT is a workout that alternates between short bursts of super high-intensity exercises and brief rest periods to break those up.
Many different types of fitness classes, even Pilates, are incorporating this type of alternating intensity.
The reason HIIT is so successful is that it spikes your heart rate and then brings it back down, providing people the ability to do a lot of high-intensity exercise without burning out in the process. HIIT workouts typically look like 20-30 minutes packed with short bursts of work interspersed by short (15-second) break periods.
HIIT is always a hit because it helps to burn hundreds of calories in a relatively short period of time, and it will keep your metabolism running high even after you've left the gym. This is one of those fitness industry trends we don't see going away anytime soon.
3. Group Fitness Classes
Popularized in the aerobics class trend that swept the nation in the 1980s, group fitness classes are one of the fitness industry trends that have stuck. All kinds of athletes, men and women alike, turn to group fitness classes both for the social aspect and to help meet their fitness goals.
The types of classes offered today are almost as varied as the kinds of people who exercise. There is something for everyone when it comes to group fitness classes.
Newer classes on the scene include workouts like barre, SoulCycle, CrossFit, OrangeTheory, and more.
Each of these classes provides a great workout in a group setting, which not only gives people a community of other devoted exercisers, but also helps them to stay accountable.
4. Fitness Programs For The Aging
Fitness classes geared toward older adults are on the rise. Now, instead of simply giving up on regular exercise or creating their own sort of low-intensity routine, the aging and elderly among us can also enjoy the benefits of group fitness classes and the joys of working out.
Those who have reached retirement age can still receive the benefits of a regular exercise regimen, and classes for Baby Boomers and beyond are the answer to this previously neglected population in the fitness industry.
Today, classes are available that help to improve balance, strengthen their muscles, maintain flexibility and range of motion, and better perform the functions needed for daily living.
This is one of the most positive fitness industry trends we're seeing, because it reminds people that working out is for everyone. There is no age limit or any other kind of boundary as to who belongs in a gym and who should be taking their fitness seriously.
5. Minimal Equipment
Exercises routines using minimal equipment, also known as body weight training, is another fitness trend that's on the rise.
Though this form of exercise is experiencing a comeback of sorts, earning it a place as one of the top three fitness industry trends, it is not necessarily a new development.
For centuries, people have exercised using nothing more than the body they have to stay fit and healthy. Running, jumping, squatting, and more require nothing to assist or improve the workout.
Body weight training is a little different in that it uses one's own body weight to provide resistance. This can be done in all sorts of ways using all sorts of exercises, and the draw of it is that it is both free and easy to do anywhere.
In addition, there is less risk of injury since nothing is being forced onto the body, making it one of the safest fitness industry trends.
Personal trainers would do well to keep an eye on this trend and incorporate some minimal-equipment exercises into their clients' fitness regimens.
6. Yoga
Another one of the fitness industry trends that is not necessarily a totally new concept, yoga has remained popular for many years now. However, in recent years, it has become "the" thing to do among the health-conscious and wellness-minded people of today.
Yoga is a very holistic approach to exercise because it incorporates mind, body, and soul. Some forms of yoga are more difficult than others, so some provide more of a workout than others.
Generally, though, yoga helps its practitioners to build strength and flexibility. It also tends to be very calming mentally, making it extremely popular among the most stressed fitness enthusiasts out there.
7. Strength Training
For a long time, cardio was chief among fitness industry trends. People knew all the many benefits of getting your heart rate up and keeping it there.
Now, however, more of a balance is being seen. Cardio has many benefits, but evening it out with strength training is just as important.
Doing activities like lifting weights can help to build muscle mass, burn fat, boost metabolism, and protect against many illnesses and diseases.
Burning calories by doing lots of cardio is a great thing, but balancing that with strength-building exercises is what will help a person to achieve true fitness. Strength training is just as important as cardio, no matter who you are.
8. Online Workouts
In recent years, we have seen the rise of online platforms for exercise and fitness, one of the most "viral" fitness industry trends. This comes in many different forms.
Today, there are websites devoted to all different kinds of exercise, and these websites typically provide users the ability to pay to join or be able to watch online workout videos led by an instructor.
It would be wise for personal trainers today to mind this, as it's one of the fitness industry trends that likely will not be going away anytime soon. In fact, it's likely to grow.
Watching online workout videos at home is often much cheaper and more time-efficient than joining a gym or purchasing a personal training package.
However, personal trainers could take advantage of this trend by launching their own online following. Building a reputation online and offering videos or advice for purchase could help personal trainers to really diversify their income streams and stay on top of the ever-changing fitness world.
9. Low-Cost Gyms
Low-cost gym chains are on the rise, and this should be seen as another one of the positive fitness industry trends.
While these low-cost options are not the typical full-package gyms that people have desired for years now, they do provide a lower barrier to entry, offering more people the chance to own a gym membership and get serious about their health and fitness.
In addition, they provide additional opportunities for personal trainers to find work and clients. Now, people looking for simpler or shorter personal training options, or maybe even small-group personal training classes, have a resource where they can find these things.
Low-cost gyms are the answer to giving more people access to the fitness world, creating even more fitness industry trends as working out continues to grow in popularity.
10. Supplements and Fitness Accessories
Now, the world understands that fitness is for everyone. Those who go to the gym or prioritize their fitness are no longer in the minority.
We have seen the rise of working out becoming the "cool" thing to do. Of course, this comes with the introduction of many new products into the fitness space. Items like supplements, accessories, and more have become popular.
It's important for personal trainers to be on top of this so that they can make appropriate recommendations and offer valued insight where needed.
11. An Emphasis on Education
Today, knowing that exercise is important isn't enough. People also want to know why they're doing what they're doing.
Taking fitness into one's own hands now looks like studying more in-depth the science behind diet, exercise, nutrition, and more.
Personal trainers should expect more informed questions than they have encountered before -- and they should be prepared with thoughtful, well-researched answers.
It's more important than ever that personal trainers know their stuff. Make sure you are reading books, blogs, and industry reports to always stay current on what's happening in the fitness world.
12. Social Media Influencers
People becoming famous or even celebrities through social media is a recent occurrence, and the fitness world is not exempt from this trend.
There are personal trainers and fitness enthusiasts who have garnered huge online followings in the thousands, hundreds of thousands, and even millions! Workout trends like BBG by Kayla Itsines have been birthed solely through online platforms and create a loyal army of dedicated followers.
Keeping an eye on these influential people in the fitness world would be a wise move for personal trainers. Not only will it keep you up to date on what people are wanting out of their exercise routine, but it will also help you to understand a bit of healthy competition.
13. Before and After Photos
It may seem silly, but "before and after" shots are growing in popularity. These have been popularized on social media as a way for people to track their progress in a visual and inspiring way.
Encourage your clients to take a "before" photo when they start off with you. Anytime they get discouraged or feel like giving up, take a new photo and compare it to the original. The progress they have made in tiny ways, even when they don't feel like they have, will inspire them to keep going.
14. Fitness Apparel
Gone are the days when people would simply wear old, loose clothing to the gym. You won't catch many cut-up tank tops or old baggy t-shirts in most gyms today.
Nowadays, people love to look and dress the part of a serious fitness enthusiast. Fitness fashion in the form of leggings, sports bras, sneakers, and more are one of the big things in fitness right now.
Take advantage of this! People love to "belong" to something. Create t-shirts or water bottles that represent you, your brand, or your gym, and people in the "in crowd" will buy them.
This can be a way to set up an additional stream of income while also playing into one of the most lucrative fitness industry trends we see today.
15. Personal Training: The Best of the Fitness Industry Trends
It may not be a "new" trend, but personal trainers are always in demand. This is an aspect of the fitness industry that will never change. Personal trainers provide individualized attention and advice that simply can't be found anywhere else.
Hiring a personal trainer is a fitness goal that many people set for themselves because they know that to make the progress they truly want to make, they will need the help of a professional.
Luckily, personal trainers are in a great business, because they will always be one of the top fitness industry trends!