Fitness trends come and fitness trends go. Here are the top current trends I’m seeing in the industry, as well as some that might just be going away very soon.
HIIT – High-Intensity Interval Training
As the name suggests, HIIT involves short burst of activity followed by a short rest period. This type of workout is not for the mature audiences. No extra equipment needs to be purchased, which makes HITT perfect for a club that needs more cardio on the schedule.
Personal Training
Personal training will always be in fashion, especially when you have people that have issues with motivating themselves.
Functional Fitness
This program is for the more mature crowd that wants to make everyday tasks easier and more functional. You just need to find a suitable certified trainer to put together a program.
Yoga
Yoga is not going away any time soon. It really is the fountain of youth of exercises. I have been taking it and I can tell you first hand that right from the first session I felt younger and more supple. Every club that has a group fitness program has to have yoga on its schedule. All you need are some yoga mats.
CrossFit
This is for the more advanced client that demands more of a challenge. The program is new and exciting. However, is I believe that you could see a rise of injuries, and the program is equipment intensive.
Express Workouts
Express workouts consist of 30-minute classes that give you a quick and intense in-and-out workout, usually around lunch time. These classes are great for filling those hours before and after prime-time slots.
What’s Out? Pilates, Zumba and Indoor Cycling
I knew it was a matter of time before these classes would start to get long in the tooth. With Pilates, the moves can be the same day in and day out. With Zumba, I audition instructors and even at the audition, the moves are all the same. Indoor cycling is still hugely popular in the boutique fitness clubs, but there is still a limited amount of things you can do to keep it fresh. Pilates and Zumba are popular in health clubs because they do not require much cost to start up, if any.
Joseph Duffy has been in the fitness industry since 1990. He has taught group fitness classes at multiple clubs, and currently is the director of group fitness at Boom Fitness. Duffy has his own consulting business that assists owners with building group fitness programs from the ground up, as well as providing scheduling and staffing input. He can be reached at jdny1@me.com.
Stating that “Pilates, Zumba and Indoor Cycling is out” is entirely your opinion, Mr. Duffy, not one held by all in the fitness industry. For example, in Club Solutions newsletter dated today (7/30/14), the article “Tour de Cycle” states “Indoor Cycling is here to stay…”. If you are going to make such a derogatory statement about certain classes, it would be a good idea to back up your opinion with numbers, research or even some positive ideas what could make classes better. As a consultant, shouldn’t you be more careful about choosing your tone and words regarding the fitness industry; potentially affecting options for members’ workouts and employees jobs?