The American College for Sports Medicine (ACSM) has once again published its eleventh Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2017, which shows all gym owners, trainers, therapists and other fitness professionals where the industry is headed and what the most important fitness trends are for the coming year.
Observing the study over the years, it is noticeable that some trends manage to establish themselves for a long time, while others quickly disappear from the scene. The best example of the latter is Zumba, which was still at the forefront in 2013 and 2014 and has now only reached 39th place. So you could say that the longer a trend can stay on the list, the more established it is in the fitness industry. Places 1 to 3 seem to have already cemented their place in the industry. Thus, the same trends as last year can once again be found in the front ranks of the current list: Wearables secure first place, followed by bodyweight training and HIIT.
Rank 1: Wearables
Behind the so-called wearables are portable computer systems such as smartwatches, activity trackers, GPS tracking, fitness bracelets or heart rate monitors. They are so small that they can be worn as bracelets or glasses or integrated into clothing. However, this is a trend that is unpredictable and difficult to assess for the future. However, experts predict that the Apple Watch will sell more than 485 million units by 2018.
Bodyweight training, HIIT and other trends
For Bodyweight training - also called bodyweight training - doesn't require a lot of equipment, because the fitness device for it is virtually your own body. This type of training is easy to implement and can be done at any time and in any place.
HIIT is a workout that alternates high-intensity exertion with quiet regeneration phases. Of these, only 30 minutes are needed to achieve maximum results. Despite warnings from experts that there is an increased risk of injury with HIIT, the trend persists.
In 14th place Personal training in small groups. A personal trainer supervises groups of two to four people. Small-group training is attractive from an economic point of view for both the trainer and the client. The trainees enjoy the great advantage that they are intensively supervised on the one hand and on the other hand still have financial advantages, since the participants share the costs among themselves. Training in small groups is particularly common in EMS training.
The 5th place was won by Strength training which has been consistently in the top 5 for years. Young people have been training their strength for a long time, but nowadays you can also see more and more older people lifting weights in the studios.
Lack of EMS trend
It is noticeable that a new trend sport does not appear in the ranking at all: EMS training. This is very surprising, as this trend is currently entering all markets - especially the German, but also the European - and is more and more on the rise.
In addition to trends that have not been taken into account at all, there are also those that suddenly disappear from the scene: Pilates, balance training Unlike in previous years, Pilates, balance training, boot camp, running clubs, core training and water workouts no longer appear in the top 20.
Image Source: © Kzenon - Fotolia
Criticism: Target group personal trainers
In this year's study, the target group structure was disclosed for the first time. For the study, all people working in the fitness industry were surveyed, i.e. personal trainers, physiotherapists, course instructors, studio operators, health coaches, etc. However, personal trainers made up the largest portion, which means that the results of this group could be questioned. This is because personal trainers answer the questions from a different perspective than, say, therapists or studio operators, so the results could be skewed for the individual. Nevertheless, the study offers a good guideline for the entire industry and an overview of the development of trends.
And here are the top 20 fitness trends 2017 at a glance:
- Wearables
- Bodyweight training
- HIIT
- Trained and experienced fitness professionals
- Strength training
- Group training
- Medical training
- Yoga
- Personal Training
- Weight loss through training
- Training for the elderly
- Functional Fitness
- Outdoor Training
- Personal Training in small groups
- Wellness Coaching
- Professional health management
- Training apps
- Result measurement
- Circuit training
- Mobility scooter
Keep up with the times and prepare your gym for the 2017 fitness trends now! You can find the right equipment for many of them at fitnessmarkt.de!
Published on: 19 December 2016