Heraclitus, the great Greek philosopher once said, change is the only constant in life. And the same holds true for the fitness industry.
Over the last decade, the fitness industry has experienced various changes and trends. For instance, some of the training methods used five years ago may no longer be in use today and vice versa.
And as a stakeholder in the fitness industry, it’s important to keep up with the top fitness trends, to know how the industry will shape up going forward. Such information will help you to adjust your fitness business goals accordingly and stand out from the competition. With that said, here are the top 10 fitness trends to watch out for in 2022.
1. Wearable Technology
While wearable technology may not be one of the latest fitness trends, you can expect it to continue dominating the health and fitness industry in 2022.
From Oculus Rift to Fitbit, Samsung Gear to the Apple Watch Series, you can expect more fitness enthusiasts to purchase these devices come 2022. According to Statista, the number of wearable devices globally is expected to surpass the one billion mark by 2022.
So, what exactly is wearable technology? Wearable technology comprises smartwatches and fitness trackers. These devices are equipped with a wide range of features like step counters, hours slept, calories burned, and heart rate, among others. Some also come with maps, which you can use to plan your cycling, jogging or running route.
Since they hit the market in 2016, these devices have gradually expanded their features and capabilities. And moving forward, you can expect these devices to come with even more features and enhancements.
2. High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been around for a couple of years. And you can expect it to be one of the top exercise trends in 2022. As the name suggests, high-intensity interval training is a workout method that involves bursts of high-intensity workouts alternating with low-intensity training. High-intensity interval training works your cardiovascular system while increasing your heart rate by up to approximately 90%.
So, why has HIIT been such a hit worldwide? Well, fitness enthusiasts are increasingly shifting to HIIT workouts due to its incredible benefits. First, High-intensity interval training tends to burn calories faster, compared to conventional low-intensity lengthy workouts.
Second, HIIT workouts usually take lesser time to complete, compared to convention workouts like running. And this makes them quite a hit among busy people. And unlike conventional workouts, you don’t need specialized equipment to engage in high-intensity interval training. You can simply do it in a small space, using ordinary gym equipment and you will enjoy all its great benefits.
As more people learn about the benefits of high-intensity interval training, you can expect it to continue growing in popularity. And in 2022, there’s a high chance that HIIT will be one of the popular fitness trends in 2022 and beyond.
3. Personal Training
According to ACSM fitness trends 2021, personal training has been one of the top 10 fitness trends in the fitness industry for the last 15 years. And you can expect it to continue topping the trending charts in 2022.
Most people don’t have the time to research and come up with a personalized workout plan. Others simply don’t have the skills to put up a customized plan that aligns with their fitness goals. And this is where personal trainers come in.
Personal trainers develop customized fitness plans, tailored according to the needs of a specific individual. Also, personal trainers also serve as the trainee’s accountability buddy, thus helping them to remain motivated and pursue their fitness goals.
And as more people visit gyms and health clubs, the demand for personal training sessions will go high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for personal trainers and fitness coaches will grow by approximately 39%, between 2020 and 2030. Therefore, personal training will not only be one of the top fitness trends in 2020, but you can also expect it to remain a fitness trend for the unforeseeable future.
4. Online Training
In 2020, gyms, fitness centers, health clubs and spas were closed in almost all parts of the globe. But, this didn’t deter fitness enthusiasts from pursuing their favorite hobby.
Personal trainers continued streaming workout videos while others were hosting fitness training sessions via Zoom.
And while most gyms have now re-opened and fitness enthusiasts have started returning to their favorite fitness centers, some will continue using the online training approach.
5. Group Training Sessions
Most gyms and fitness clubs around the world are almost full in January, because of New Year goals. But by the time March comes around, almost half of those who had joined gyms and fitness clubs have given up.
And lack of motivation is one of the leading causes of this issue. To counter this challenge, most gyms and fitness centers are offering group training sessions, where five people or more are training together.
It can be a group of couples, friends, or workmates. Group training may involve activities like indoor cycling, dance-based sessions or even cardio.
Unlike individual training sessions, group training provides that extra push and motivation. Some of the most popular forms of group training trends include PureBarre, SoulCycle, CrossFit and Orangetheory. In 2022, there’s a high chance that group training will also be among one of the health and fitness trends that year.
6. Outdoor Training Sessions
With borders closed almost everywhere and travel coming to a stop, exercising outdoors has become the go-to activity for most people. Those whose gyms were closed as well as fitness instructors who could no longer offer training sessions in indoor facilities shifted their workout sessions outdoors.
And as much as some gyms are now back open, you can expect outdoor workout sessions to be one of the exercise trends in 2022. Furthermore, gardens, mini-parks and green spaces will feature heavily in the fitness real estate moving forward. So, if you are a fitness realtor or a property developer, you need to keep a close eye on this area.
7. Mind and Body Training
The gap between physical and mental health is expected to continue shrinking, with the increasing awareness of the incredible health benefits that holistic training offers.
Unique fitness trends such as Pilates, yoga, mindfulness meditation and breathing work have increased over the last few years. Today, most fitness lovers opt for combined fitness training, including physical fitness as well as body and mind relaxation.
Moving forward, this combined training strategy will continue gaining popularity, making it one of the top workout trends in 2022.
8. Exercise Is Medicine Movement
As its name suggests, Exercise Is Medicine is a global health initiative, which encourages health care practitioners to explore the benefits of daily exercise to resolve various health conditions.
The reasoning behind this idea is that physical exercise should be included in medical treatments as much as possible.
Launched in 2007, the Exercise Is Medicine Movement has grown significantly. Currently, it enjoys support from some of the leading players in the health and fitness industry such as the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, the American Physical Therapy Association, and the American Council of Exercise.
With recent projections showing the health and fitness industry is expected to experience massive growth, you can also expect this movement to keep growing. So, if you are someone who keeps up with the latest fitness trends, then the EIM is one of the fitness industry trends in 2022 to look out for.
9. Bodyweight Training
As working out shifted from gyms to homes, fitness lovers lacked the equipment and space readily available in gyms. And bodyweight training provided a viable alternative for working out.
While you can complement bodyweight training with other fitness equipment like resistance bands, you can still get a decent workout without using them.
Furthermore, you can modify bodyweight training to any intensity, depending on your fitness levels. Also, you don’t need a lot of space to do bodyweight training.
Thanks to its versatility, you can expect bodyweight training to continue gaining popularity, as a viable alternative to equipment-assisted or weight-based training for the unforeseeable future.
10. Specialized Fitness Approach
Different age groups have different training needs. For instance, millennials have different training needs compared to Gen X and Z.
Furthermore, different training methods appeal to different age groups. For instance, Gen Z fitness enthusiasts and millennials prefer group training. On the other hand, older generations opt for old-school methods.
Also, relatively new fitness approaches like HIIT and yoga are more popular among the younger generation compared to older generations. Simply put, the one-size-fits-all fitness approach is no longer viable.
Hence, as 2022 comes around, you can expect fitness centers to come up with specialized fitness approaches for different generations.
11. Wrapping It Up
While there may be a few changes here and there, we don’t expect to see a major shift in the industry. Instead, most of the 2021 fitness trends will still dominate 2022. Hence, in 2022, you can expect wearable technology, HIIT, personal training, online training, outdoor training, mind and body training, Exercise is Medicine movement and body weight training to be huge.