Wearable technology is again expected to be the top fitness trend in the coming year, according to the annual fitness trend forecast from The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

The results were released in the article “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2017” published in the November/December issue of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal.

“Technology is now a must-have in our daily lives. Everyone can easily count steps taken or calories burned using a wearable device or a smart phone,” said Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, the lead author of the survey and associate dean in the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University in Atlanta. “The health data collected by wearable technology can be used to inform the user about their current fitness level and help them make healthier lifestyle choices.”

Now in its eleventh year, the survey was completed by more than 1,800 health and fitness professionals worldwide, many certified by ACSM, and was designed to reveal trends in various fitness environments. Forty-two potential trends were given as choices, and the top 20 were ranked and published by ACSM.

The top 20 fitness trends for 2017 are:

  1. Wearable technology. Wearable technology, which includes activity trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors, GPS tracking devices, and smart eye glasses (designed to show maps and track activity), was introduced just a few years ago. Examples include fitness and activity trackers like those from Misfit, Garmin, EFOSMH, Pebble Time, Juboury, Samsung, Basis, Jawbone, and Fitbit. The newly released Apple iWatch is another example. Some business analysts have predicted that sales of the Apple iWatch alone will exceed 485 million devices by the year 2018 (https://www.abiresearch.com/). Trending in this part of the industry now are smart glasses, with a predicted $1.5 billion in sales (http://www.juniperresearch.com/home), and smart fabrics and interactive textiles reaching sales approaching $2.6 billion by 2017 (http://www.strategyr.com/). It is unpredictable how wearable technology will advance through the next decade.
  2. Body weight training. Body weight training appeared for the first time in the trends survey in 2013 (at no. 3) and remains in the no. 2 position for 2017. Body weight training did not appear as an option before 2013 because it only became popular (as a defined trend) in gyms around the world during the last few years. Body weight training has been used previously; in fact, people have been using their own body weight for centuries as a form of resistance training. But new packaging, particularly by commercial clubs, has made it popular in gyms and health clubs around the world. Typical body weight training programs use minimal equipment, which makes it a very inexpensive way to exercise effectively. Although most people think of body weight training as being limited to push-ups and pull-ups, it can be much more than that. As its place in the no. 1 position in the 2015 survey and the no. 2 position last year have suggested, body weight training is a trend to watch for in the future.
  3. High-intensity interval training. HIIT typically involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by a short period of rest or recovery and typically takes less than 30 minutes to perform (although it is not uncommon for these programs to be much longer in duration). In surveys conducted before 2014, HIIT was offered as a possible trend, but failed to make the top 20. However, it placed no. 1 in the survey for 2014 despite the warnings of many survey respondents about potential dangers. Even after HIIT spent a few years in the top 10 fitness trends, many survey takers claimed that clients liked this kind of program for a short time but were soon looking for a different type of workout. Others warned that although it was very popular, they were concerned about a potentially high injury rate. Still others working with clinical populations in medical fitness centers said they would like to try it with their patients but would substitute high-intensity with moderate-intensity interval training. Despite the warnings by some health and fitness professionals of the potential for increased injury rates when using HIIT, this form of exercise has become popular in gyms all over the world.
  4. Educated, certified, and experienced fitness professionals. Despite falling to no. 3 in 2015 and to no. 4 in 2016, this is a trend that continues now that there are third-party accreditations offered by national accrediting organizations for health and fitness and clinical exercise program professionals and a registry designed for exercise professionals. There continues to be sustained growth of educational programs at community colleges and colleges and universities that have become accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, www.caahep.org) through the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences (www.coaes.org) and more certification programs independently accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA, www.credentialingexcellence.org/NCCA), the newly announced accreditation offered by the American National Standards Institute. The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted and recently affirmed that “…Employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 8% from 2014 to 2024” (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm; cited July 17, 2016). As the economy continues to grow and as the market for fitness professionals becomes even more crowded and more competitive, interest in some degree of regulation either from within the industry or from external sources (i.e., government) seems to be expanding. In 2007, CAAHEP added a Personal Fitness Trainer accreditation for certificate (1 year) and associate (2 year) degree programs. The accreditation for the academic training of the Personal Fitness Trainer joined academic program accreditation for Exercise Science (baccalaureate), and Exercise Physiology (graduate programs in either applied exercise physiology or clinical exercise physiology). Recently, the not-for-profit Coalition for the Registration of Exercise Professionals (CREP) was created by organizations that offer NCCA-accredited exercise certifications. CREP maintains the United States Registry of Exercise Professionals, which is recognized by the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals.
  5. Strength training. Strength training remains popular in all sectors of the health and fitness industry and for many different kinds of clients. Although strength training dropped to no. 4 in the 2015 and 2016 surveys after being at the no. 2 position for 2 years, it has been a strong trend since the first year of this survey. Many younger clients of both community-based programs and commercial clubs train almost exclusively using weights. In today’s gyms, however, there are many others (men and women, young and old, children, and patients with a stable chronic disease) whose main focus is on using weight training to improve or maintain strength. Many contemporary and innovative health and fitness professionals incorporate some form of strength training into the comprehensive exercise routine for their clients and for their patients. It is not uncommon for cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation or metabolic disease management programs to include weight training in the exercise programs for their patients.
  6. Group training. Group exercise instructors teach, lead, and motivate individuals through intentionally designed, larger group exercise classes (more than 5 participants, or it would be group personal training). Group programs are designed to be motivational and effective for people at different fitness levels, with instructors using leadership techniques that help individuals in their classes achieve fitness goals. There are many types of classes and equipment, from aerobics and bicycles to dance classes. Group exercise training programs have been around for a long time and have appeared as a potential worldwide trend since this survey was originally constructed. However, it was only this year that group exercise training made the top 20, appearing at no. 6. None of the respondents could explain why group training has become popular, so it will be interesting to watch this trend in 2018 and beyond. Note that this is a general trend for larger exercise classes and not specialty classes such as Zumba and other dance classes.
  7. Exercise is Medicine. Exercise is Medicine is a global health initiative that is focused on encouraging primary care physicians and other health care providers to include physical activity when designing treatment plans for patients and referring their patients to exercise professionals. The program is committed to the belief that physical activity is integral in the prevention and treatment of diseases and should be regularly assessed and treated as part of all health care. Exercise is Medicine goes beyond the recognition of the positive effects of regular exercise by physicians in the routine care of their patients. It encourages physicians to develop a regular referral program for patients into community programs. It also encourages exercise professionals to develop significant relationships in their communities with health care providers so that they have the necessary confidence to routinely refer their patients to qualified professionals. The Exercise is Medicine movement’s goal is for the exercise professional to become a member of the continuum of care for patients. Doctors can consciously and with great confidence refer patients to exercise professionals in their communities.
  8. Yoga. Moving slightly down the list for 2017 is Yoga, which occupied the no. 7 spot in 2015 and was no. 10 in 2016. Yoga first appeared in the top 10 in this survey in 2008, fell out of the top 20 in 2009, but made a great comeback in the 2010 (no. 14) and 2011 (no. 11) surveys. In 2012, Yoga was no. 11 on the list, falling to no. 14 in 2013 and rising to no. 7 in 2015. Yoga comes in a variety of forms including Power Yoga, Yogalates, and Bikram Yoga (also known as “hot” Yoga). Other forms of Yoga include Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, Anuara Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and Sivananda Yoga. Instructional tapes and books are abundant, as are the growing numbers of certifications for the many Yoga formats. The sustained popularity of Yoga seems due to the fact that it is reinvented and refreshed every year, making it an attractive form of exercise.
  9. Personal training. Professional personal trainers continue to seek the professionalization of their part of the industry (see trend no. 4). Since this survey was first published in 2006, personal training has been in the top 10 of this survey. Much attention has recently been paid to the education (through third party accreditation of CAAHEP) and certification (through third party accreditation by NCCA) of personal trainers. Recent legislation has been introduced in an attempt to require licensure for personal trainers in a number of states and the District of Columbia (California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Georgia, and several others), but none has been adopted thus far. Although there have been some minor variations of personal training (e.g., small groups as opposed to one on one), personal trainers will continue to be an important part of the professional staff of health and fitness centers. Personal trainers are employed by community-based programs, in commercial settings, in corporate wellness programs, and in medical fitness programs or are self-employed and work independently.
  10. Exercise and weight loss. Exercise in circumscribed weight loss programs has been a top 20 trend since the survey began. In 2009, exercise and weight loss was ranked no. 18, moving to no. 12 in 2010, no. 7 in 2011, no. 4 in 2012, and the no. 5 spot in 2013. In 2014, this trend was ranked no. 6, where it remained for 2015, and was no. 9 in the 2016 survey. The combination of exercise and weight loss emphasizes caloric restriction with a sensible exercise program. Organizations, particularly those that are for profit and are in the business of providing weight loss programs, will continue to incorporate regular exercise as well as caloric restriction for weight control, according to the 2017 survey. The combination of exercise and diet are essential for weight loss maintenance and can improve compliance to caloric restriction diets. Most of the well-publicized diet plans integrate exercise in addition to the daily routine of providing prepared meals to their clients.
  11. Fitness programs for older adults. Health fitness professionals should take advantage of the growing market of older adults now retiring by providing age-appropriate and safe exercise programs for this once-ignored sector of the population, which seems healthier than other generations. The highly active older adult (the athletic old) can be targeted by commercial and community-based organizations to participate in more rigorous exercise programs, including strength training, team sports, and HIIT when appropriate. Even the frail elderly can improve their balance and ability to perform activities of daily living when given appropriate functional fitness program activities. Health and fitness professionals should consider developing fitness programs for people of retirement age and fill the time during the day when most gyms are underused (typically between 9 and 11 A.M. and 2 and 4 P.M.). Many people who are retired not only have greater sums of discretionary money, but they also have a tendency to spend it wisely and may have more time to engage in an exercise program. The baby boom generation is now aging into retirement, and because they may have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts, fitness clubs should capitalize on this growing market.
  12. Functional fitness. Functional fitness is defined as using strength training to improve balance, coordination, force, power, and endurance to enhance someone’s ability to perform activities of daily living. Functional fitness replicates actual physical activities someone might do as a function of their daily routine and first appeared on the survey in the no. 4 position in 2007 but subsequently fell to no. 8 in 2008 and no. 11 in 2009. It reappeared in the top ten at no. 7 in 2010 and at no. 9 in 2011. In 2012, functional fitness was no. 10; but in 2013 and 2014, it was no. 8; for 2015, it was no. 9; and for 2016, no. 7. Some survey respondents said they typically pair functional fitness with fitness programs for older adults (see trend no. 11) depending on the needs of the client. Functional fitness also is used in clinical programs to replicate activities done around the home.
  13. Outdoor activities. Hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and games or sports are examples of outdoor activities. Outdoor activities also can include high-adventure programs like overnight camping trips and mountain climbing. The trend for health and fitness professionals to offer outdoor activities for their clients began in 2010, when it ranked no. 25 in the annual survey. In 2011, it ranked no. 27; in 2012, no. 14; in 2013, no. 13; in 2014, no. 14; in 2015, no. 12; and in 2016, it was ranked no. 14. Outdoor activities can be done with family and friends, with a group, or by yourself. Some personal trainers have used outdoor activities as a form of small-group personal training.
  14. Group personal training. Group personal training continues to be a trend in 2017. The personal trainer will continue to provide the personal service clients expect from one-to-one training (see trend no. 9) but now in a small group typically of two to four, offering potentially deep discounts to each member of the group. This creates an incentive for clients to put small groups together (as opposed to individual and often expensive personal training). In 2007, group personal training was no. 19 on the list. In 2008, it rose to no. 15 but dropped again in 2009 to no. 19 and improved to no. 10 in 2010. In 2011, group personal training was no. 14 on the survey; in 2012, no. 8; in 2013, no. 10; in 2014, no. 9; in 2015, no. 10; and in 2016, no. 11. In these challenging economic times, personal trainers are being more creative in the way they package personal training sessions and how they market themselves to small groups. Training two or three people at the same time in a small group seems to make good economic sense for both the trainer and the client.
  15. Wellness coaching. Wellness coaching has been in the top 20 since 2010. It was listed at no. 17 in 2014, no. 13 in 2015 and 2016, and now no. 15. Wellness coaching is the integration of behavioral-change science with health promotion, disease prevention, and rehabilitation. Wellness coaching often uses a one-on-one approach similar to a personal trainer, with the coach providing support, guidance, encouragement, and confirmation when short- and long-term goals are reached. The wellness coach focuses on the client’s values, needs, vision, aspirations, and goals. According to the 2017 trends survey (and results from past surveys), it seems as though some personal trainers and other health and fitness professionals are now adopting wellness coaching and its principled techniques of behavior change into their clients’ exercise sessions.
  16. Worksite health promotion. Many worksite health promotion programs are physically housed within the company or corporation campus although many other programs contract with independent commercial or community-based programs. These programs are designed to improve the health and well-being of employees. Worksite health promotion is a trend for a range of programs and services that evaluate employee health, health care costs, and worker productivity. Once a need is determined, worksite health promotion professionals build programs based on the greatest need (for example, smoking-cessation programs or weight loss programs). Within the context of health care reform in the United States and rising health care costs everywhere, worksite health promotion programs may take on additional importance in the future.
  17. Smartphone exercise apps. Smartphone apps are available for any platform but are especially popular with iPhone, iPad (Apple Cupertino, CA), and Android devices. Smartphone apps such as the Nike Training Club (Beaverton, OR), Cyclemeter by Abvio (San Francisco, CA), and MyFitnessPal (Armour, Baltimore, MD) (free apps) include audio and visual prompts to begin and end exercise and also include exercise cues. Other apps are the Endomondo Pro (Armour, Baltimore, MD) ($3.99 iPhone and Android) and Yoga with Janet Stone ($4.99 iPhone and iPad), among numerous others. Some of these apps track progress through time and provide real-time feedback and tracking for those on foot or bike. Although the accuracy of these apps has recently been questioned, they seem to have become increasingly popular with younger gym members and people who regularly exercise outdoors or wish to track their physical activity while doing activities of daily living. As the accuracy improves, the apps specific to smartphones may be the future of monitoring exercise progress.
  18. Outcome measurements. Outcome measures as a trend had not appeared in the top 20 for the first several years, but appeared at no. 17 in 2013, at no. 16 in 2014, at no. 18 in 2015, and at no. 20 in 2016. This is a trend that addresses accountability. Outcome measures are efforts to define and track measureable results to prove that a selected program actually works. Measurements are typically necessary to determine the benefits of health and fitness programs in disease management and to document success in changing negative lifestyle habits. The proliferation of new smartphones, smartwatches, and wearable technology has helped with data collection to support these efforts. Accountability to owners and operators of health and fitness facilities provides important metrics to determine if new programs are cost-effective and if old programs are actually working and are sustainable.
  19. Circuit training. Circuit training appeared for the first time in the top 20 trends in 2013 at no. 18 and in 2015 occupied the no. 14 position, up from no. 15 in 2014. In 2016, it was back to trend no. 18. Some respondents pointed out that circuit training is similar to HIIT, but at a much lower or even moderate intensity. Circuit training typically comprises a group of approximately 10 exercises that are completed in succession and in a predetermined sequence. Each exercise is performed for a specified number of repetitions or for a set time period before the exerciser takes a quick rest and moves on to the next exercise. Circuit weight training has been around for a long time and it seems to continue to be popular. Circuit weight training was practiced as early as 1953, but it is impossible to determine exactly when and under what circumstances it was first developed.
  20. Flexibility and mobility rollers. These devices include the deep-tissue roller, myofascial release, and trigger-point relief. Mobility rollers are specifically designed to massage, relieve muscle tightness, alleviate muscle spasms, improve circulation, ease muscular discomfort, and assist in the return to normal activity. Rollers have been designed for the low back, hips, and for larger muscle groups such as the hamstrings and the gluteal muscles. These rollers are typically made of foam, although others are hard rubber or wood, depending on the desired effect. Although the research is not abundant, there seems to be a growing market for these specialized devices. Flexibility rollers were the no. 16 trend in 2016. Fad or trend, only time will tell.

Image courtesy Misfit