Towards the end of 2015, a number of predictions about fitness trends for 2016 came out.
Some of them were outdated while some ideas really grabbed our attention. Let’s not waste
our time discussing the outdated suggestions but focus on what trends are expected to rule the
roster for the rest of the year. The suggestions are going to be very sensible and realistic, so you
can even use them as a reference to take your fitness to the next level.
FITNESS PROGRAMS AT FAITH-BASED INSTITUTIONS
In recent times, we have seen religious places such as churches, temples, and mosques and
other faith-based places like ashrams and synagogues showing more interest towards educating
people about the right methods for health and fitness improvement through meditation, chakra
dhyana and yoga.
These are places where people gather in huge numbers hoping for some peace. They are
bonded by a set of common belief and values that is strongly implanted in their minds from
their ancestors. Of late, many such faith-based institutions have started offering special classes
which not only involves prayers and counseling but also nutrition advice and health care tips to
reach a higher level of well-being.
John, a regular visitor of Sivananda Yoga Ashram in California, tells us “any individual who joins
a faith-based community becomes a part of a big group of people that are looking to help each
other out and create a spiritual and friendly environment. The teachings include a number of
practices that are aimed at improving the health, wellness, and mental state of a person. Not
just in Sivananda but even in other faith-based communities, you can see people going on a
regular basis to get relief from problems such as divorce, debt, and drug addiction.”
When you do something by faith, something that you are ready to accept and follow, you
automatically see the difference in your mood and actions. We do not say that faith-based
communities will replace health clubs, but they will play a major role in improving the life of
people in the coming years.
AN INCREASE IN ONLINE VIDEO-ON-DEMAND PROGRAMS AND VIDEO STREAMING SERVICES
Stressful work conditions, frequent travelling, and other activities leave us with little or no time
to attend health and fitness courses. That said, people who want to learn will keep learning, no
matter how busy they are.
That is probably one reason why we see fitness enthusiasts looking up the Internet for self-help
videos to learn various ways on how they can improve their physical and mental well-being.
Videos are interactive and fun to watch and learn. In future, we could see a rapid increase in
online video-on-demand programs and video streaming services that are dominated by how-to
and tips based demonstrations by instructors.
WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
There is no doubt about the fact that technology has become an integral part of people’s life.
The concept of wearable technology has grown tremendously over the past couple of years,
and there are predictions stating that it grow into a $30 billion market by 2020.
Wearable technology implies using gadgets to track a range of activities that influence the
health and fitness condition of a person. From heart rate monitors to activity trackers and
smart wristbands, there are tons of gadgets that help keep track of a person’s fitness activities.
You can use fitness gadgets to track how many calories you burnt while climbing the stairs, how
many hours you slept, what your heart rate is when you’re stressed out, and more. Fitness
equipment come with round the clock monitoring facilities, and people are finding them easier
and comfortable to determine their fitness condition using these handy items.
GROUP FITNESS SESSIONS FOR BETTER RESULTS
The usual scene is that there is always a group of people that hit the gym and practice
weight-training and there is another group going outdoors for activities like jogging, cycling, and
swimming. However, that is expected to change in the coming months.
Considering people’s demand for coach-led training sessions for more fun and motivation
during training sessions, we believe health clubs and fitness studios will introduce group fitness
sessions segregating training programs into different formats ranging from short to medium to
lengthy in order to meet the demands of people in basic, intermediate, and advanced
categories.
In other words, we could see instructors include cardio and weights in every session so the user
gets the best of both worlds.
HEALTH COACHING FOR FITNESS INSTRUCTORS
Usually when you walk into the gym, there is always an instructor who is highly knowledgeable
and skilled about workout routines and use of equipment. You will get all the advice you need
on how to go from a skinny fellow to a professional bodybuilder. However, not all of them are
great health experts. The gym is not where you get the best health advice.
But, this 2016 or someone down the line, we could see fitness experts work with health experts
and gain equal knowledge and awareness about the right diet and nutrition and health factors
to help their students get better results from their workouts. It’s the combination of the best
health and fitness advice that can guide a student to experience overall development of his/her
physical and mental well-being.
So, which trend do you bet on? What is your outlook on fitness trends for 2016? Please
comment your answers below and we’ll pick up from there.
