US-based HRSA, The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association has announced its annual list of Health Club Trends and Activities for 2012.
By working with its global membership base of over 10,000 club and fitness businesses, examining industry research and monitoring consumer fitness behaviours, IHRSA has identified the most significant trends health club goers will see over the next 12 months.
Top Ten Trends
1. More People Working Out,
2. Specific Programming for Baby Boomers,
3. Youth Programming,
4. Social Exercise,
5. SGPT,
6. Technology,
7. Convenient Fitness, 8. Corporate Wellness,
9. Body Weight Exercise
10. Physician Prescribed Exercise.
Top Ten Activities
While trends are interesting, it is important to note that tried and true exercise never goes out of style. The top 10 health club activities per IHRSA’s member census of 3,024 North American health clubs are:
1 Free weights (hand weights, dumbbells and barbells)
2 Treadmills
3 Resistance machines
4 Elliptical trainers
5 Stretching
6 Abdominal machines
7 Stationary cycling
8 Low impact aerobics
9 Yoga
10 Stair-climbing machines
Find out more
As always, exercise will never go out of style. It makes us active, fit and healthy. We just have to make sure that we have the right exercise for our body since not everyone is the same. We can get advice from experts about what will match our health and our lifestyle.
How is Crossfit not on this list? It was already exploding even before the Reebok push. It will be THE big story in 2012. Obstacle racing (Spartan Race, Warrior Dash, etc) should be on the list as well. 🙂