The Hottest Group X Trends

Almost every week it seems there is some hot, new fitness program creating buzz in the fitness industry. It is almost impossible to stay on top of all the trends and offer everything at your club.

Donna Cyrus is here to help. The senior vice president of programming for Crunch broke down the top three trends right now, plus what to look out for in the future.

Indoor Cycling: Indoor cycling is nothing new, but over the past few years we have witnessed an onslaught of small cycling studios popping up all over the country. Why is this fitness program so popular? According to Cyrus its simplicity is the driving factor. Everyone can do it and you can work as hard or as little as you want.

The Ride program at Crunch features a diverse offering of indoor cycling classes, but according to Cyrus, recently the Road Rides class has been extremely popular. In these classes participants train like outdoor cyclists, while utilizing the latest technology.

“In the Road Rides we are using Performance IQ technology that tracks every bike so you know exactly how hard you are working,” said Cyrus. “We have the Threshold Ride, which tracks VO2 Max and oxygen levels, the Peak Performance ride that is a contest with the other members who are in the class with you, and Race Ready ride, which takes you through interval training so that you can be race ready.”

Aerial Programming: Crunch offers a few different aerial classes, the most recent addition being AIRbarre. The fitness company is taking the barre method to the next level by partnering with AntiGravity. In this class, participants utilize the AntiGravity hammock, rather than your typical bar.

“Sometimes when you do a barre class you have the tendency to lean on the bar and have it hold you up,” said Cyrus. “But this forces you to not only utilize your core, but also gives you the freedom to use your arms for some of the movements.”

Cardio Burst Interval Programming: Between CrossFit, Tabata and various high intensity interval training (HIIT) programs there is no doubt that short interval workouts are a gigantic trend right now. Cyrus confirms that these classes have taken off.  At Crunch, both the Diesel and Overdrive classes incorporate a variety of HIIT techniques that result in a total-body workout.

According to Cyrus these cardio interval classes have also had an unexpected result. “These classes have really helped us reach out to our male population,” she explained. “Guys that never would go into a group fitness studio are loving these classes, as are the women, but it has been a male-centric way for us to tap into that market.”

Looking towards the future… Crunch recently partnered with DISQ to launch its Transformer class. “DISQ is a new product that is out on the market that you will be hearing more and more about, if you haven’t already,” added Cyrus.

The unique piece of equipment features two weighted nodules that are placed on the hips and connects to your arms and legs to add resistance to your movement.

“We call the class Transformer because you sort of move like a robot when you are using it,” said Cyrus. “It is a huge success for us. All the classes are full.”