Few industries have as many new trends moving in and out of favor as the health and fitness industry. We’re talking about trends as opposed to fads. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) defines a trend as a “general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving” and a fad as “a fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period.”

Let’s take a look at 6 of the hottest, most recent health and fitness trends.

Functional Fitness

Functional fitness is using strength training to improve balance, coordination, endurance, power, and force. This will enhance the ability to perform daily living activities. This type of training gives you strength where and how it really matters – strength to lift, carry, move throughout your daily life. Functional training is a big part of CrossFit programs and is often used in clinical programs, helping with rehabilitation and independent living for older people.

Fitness Apps

We plan, schedule, and live our lives by our phones. With productivity apps, game apps, communication apps, why should fitness be left out? Smartphone fitness apps have stayed trendy throughout recent years. There are apps for working out at home, meal planning, tracking steps, etc.

Fitness Professional Qualifications

Gyms and individuals are expecting more from their trainers. The trend towards having trainers who are educated, experienced and certified is only going to grow. Certification standards can differ from location to location. Generally it means the trainer has been educated and has passed a standardized test. They need to be able to demonstrate knowledge of training principles, gym safety, and exercise form. The ACSM states there is increased interest in more regulation of the health and fitness industry.

Workplace Health and Fitness Promotion

It’s not surprising that companies are increasingly offering their employees fitness services such as on-site yoga, sponsored Weight Watchers programs, gym reimbursement, etc. They’ve discovered the link between a healthy employee and a happy, productive employee. There are corporate programs that help employees get fit, lose weight, stop smoking, etc.

Health & Fitness Technology

Technology has entered the health and fitness industry with trackers, smartwatches, monitors for heart rate and oxygen intake, sleep monitors, etc. Wearables have advanced from the basic step counters and heart monitors, however. There now are smart clothes, smart accessories, smart eyeglasses, etc. These devices work by using sensors to monitor and record metrics such as your breathing rate, sweat production, etc., and then passing that information on to an app that can analyze it.

Yoga

Yoga is not a new thing and is increasing in popularity. The benefits of yoga include relaxation, increased mental clarity, improved stress management, increased flexibility and balance, and endurance. There are different types and levels of yoga, including Bikram yoga, Iyengar yoga, power yoga, etc. Yoga is also used in injury rehabilitation and in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

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