We all know that Australians are fond of their fitness, but just how they are choosing to sweat can be rather trend-dependant. As for what is heading our way in 2016, the American College of Sports Medicine recently unveiled its predictions via the results of the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends.
The top 20 fitness trends predicted to hit the big time next year rank as follows:
- Wearable technology
- Body weight training
- High-intensity interval training
- Strength training
- Educated, certified and experienced fitness professionals
- Personal training
- Functional fitness
- Fitness programs for older adults
- Exercise and weight loss
- Yoga
- Group personal training
- Worksite health promotion
- Wellness coaching
- Outdoor activities
- Sport-specific training
- Flexibility and mobility rollers
- Smart phone exercise apps
- Circuit training
- Core training
- Outcome measurements
Supporting claims that wearable technology will trump fellow fitness options, The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Fitbit was the biggest seller in Rebel Sport last year. Business analysts are also predicting that the wearable technology market will be worth $US6 billion by 2016.
Paddington’s Flow Athletic co-founder Ben Lucas told the newspaper that he was not surprised by the results: "Wearable tech, body weight training and HIIT all lend themselves to a society that is getting more technologically advanced and time poor. Smart phones and watches plus the use of Fitbits, jawbones and the like give the general public low cost access to incredible apps and data that may lead to greater motivation and accountability."
