Top Fitness Trends to Watch in 2017

#5 – strength training

Happy New Year!

2017 promises to be an exciting year for many reasons. We are particularly interested in the top fitness trends that this year promises to bring.

For 11 years, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) predicts the biggest fitness trends for the coming year. 2017 promises to be the year of wearable technology, different forms of training, and self-care through exercise. Here is a full list of predictions from the ACSM:

1. Wearable technology – including activity trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors, and GPS tracking devices.
2. Body weight training – body weight training requires only one piece of equipment (your body) which allows you to work out anywhere, anytime.
3. High-Intensity Interval Training – HIIT training is about as close as you can get to a magic weight loss pill. It helps individuals get a lot of work done in a short amount of time and the results are almost instantaneous.
4. Educated and Experienced Fitness Professionals – a large number of organizations are offering certifications. Some are done through gyms, others can be done online. 2017 promises to be the year of consumers choosing to become a certified fitness professional.
5. Strength training – strength training is one of the four pillars of fitness. It is part of a complete exercise program for all activity levels and genders.
6. Group training – group exercise classes are designed to be motivational and effective for people at all fitness levels.
7. Exercise is Medicine – this is a global health initiative which focuses on primary healthcare physicians including physical activity in treatment plans for patients and referring them to exercise professionals.
8. Yoga ­– specifically for health and relaxation.
9. Personal training – education, training, and proper credentialing for personal trainers have become increasingly important to health and fitness facilities.
10. Exercise and weight loss – exercise is a key component of any weight loss program. Health and fitness professionals who incorporate regular exercise into weight loss programs as well as better food choices will see better weight control in their clients.
11. Fitness programs for older adults – there is a growing market of older adults looking for age-appropriate exercise programs.
12. Functional fitness – functional fitness replicates actual physical activities someone may need to do as a function of their daily routine. It is used to improve balance, coordination, force, power, and endurance.
13. Outdoor activities – physical activity paired with the beauty of the great outdoors. Outdoor activities are great because they get individuals moving, but can also be done with family or friends.
14. Group personal training – a mixture of personal training and group training. The personal trainer will still provide personal service to clients, but in a small group of two-to-four people.
15. Wellness coaching – the integration of behavioral-change science with health promotion, disease prevention, and rehabilitation. This is similar to working with a personal trainer, but the coach provides support, guidance, encouragement, and confirmation as the individual achieves both their short- and long-term goals.
16. Worksite health promotion – more companies and learning that healthy workers = productive workers. Programs offered by jobs are designed to improve the health and wellbeing of employees.
17. Smartphone exercise apps – 68% of adults in the United States have a smartphone. Apps often gamify fitness and offer incentives to users to achieve their goals. For example, a popular running app Runkeeper will offer discounts on popular products the more an individual uses the app to track their running or walking activities.
18. Outcome measurements – defined as efforts to define and track measureable results to prove that a selected program actually works. Smartphone apps (#17) and wearable technology (#1) have helped to track these measurements.
19. Circuit training – often done in a group training setting, circuit training comprises a group f exercises that are completed in succession and in a predetermined sequence. Each exercise is done for a pre-determined period of time or number of reps before moving on to the next exercise.
20. Flexibility and mobility rollers – aka foam rollers. Foam rollers are designed to help the user massage muscles to decrease pain, relieve muscle tightness, alleviate muscle spasms, improve blood circulation, ease muscular discomfort, and assist the user to return to normal activity.

Many of these trends have been popular for years, but the fact that they are on this list again makes it clear that they are important. We plan to keep an eye on these trends throughout the year and even plan to try some out ourselves! Keep checking back here from time to time to see our progress and to stay up to date on new products, industry trends, and more!

Click here to see the full survey from the ACSM.