This month we spoke to Khaled Elmasri, the regional director of fitness at Texas Family Fitness, about emerging fitness trends.
What are some emerging fitness trends in the industry you are noticing?
Some emerging fitness trends are:
1. Physical and mental recovery. The importance of mental health is becoming more recognized in the fitness industry. This can include practices such as mindfulness and meditation using apps like Headspace, as well as stress-reducing exercises. We are starting to see more health clubs carve out recovery zones with recovery tools such as HydroMassage beds, infrared sauna and massage guns for trainers and clients to use.
2. Wearable technology. People use wearables to measure their physical activity, sleep patterns, heart rate variability, overall wellness and more. Wearable technology such as Myzone is being incorporated more in small group training classes, live training and coaching based on an individual’s heart rate.
3. Upskilling our fitness professionals. The demand for personal trainers is increasing. With clients nowadays expecting a more wellness-rounded program and not just workouts, our fitness professionals must understand how to work with the human being in front of them and their stress, anxiety, depression, mental health, etc.
What specific fitness trend do you believe is the most promising?
As wearable technology continues to advance and the demand for a more personalized experience from the consumer grows, wearable technology will give us opportunities to truly personalize an individual’s program not just when they’re out of the club but when they’re in the gym. We can enhance recovery and sleep, and track performance with wearables like the Oura Ring, Apple Watch, Myzone, etc.
How does Texas Family Fitness monitor which trends are rising?
Attending events such as IHRSA and hearing what is happening in the market space allows us to make the right decisions on which trends to follow. We also listen to our member base as they love to share what they currently are using or doing that’s helping them with their fitness journey.
What are the best practices clubs should keep in mind when implementing a new trend?
Have patience. It takes some time for a new trend to catch momentum. Ensure you have team buy-in. Does the team believe in what new trend the club is trying to implement? They need to be bought in and back up the new trend. Lastly, before a club buys a trend like wearables, I would define a small test group and get their feedback, concerns, etc.
