Personal Training Among the Most Popular Fitness Trends in 2011
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27 — The American Council today announced the top ten fitness trends for 2011 based on an annual survey of its extensive worldwide network of personal trainers, group fitness experts, advanced health and fitness specialists and lifestyle and weight management consultants. With over 2,700 responses, the findings conclude that consumers have a more positive outlook on the future economy and also realize the importance of taking care of themselves – inside and out.
“After what has been a tough couple of years economically, things are looking up as far as the fitness industry is concerned,” said ACE’s Chief Science Officer Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. “Consumers are ready to focus on improving their overall health. We will witness an increase not only in personal training, but in value-added wellness services such as nutritional counseling by registered dietitians at gyms and fitness clubs, corporate wellness plans and youth-based fitness curriculum. Additionally, we will see a continued trend toward working out with a buddy or within small groups for motivation, as well as continued interest in boot camp-style workouts, unique activity options like Zumba, TRX Suspension and interval training.”
The following represents ACE’s listing of the top fitness trends for 2011:
— Economic Upswing: In general, consumers are preparing for an economic
upswing that is motivating more individuals to resume their personal
training and fitness regimens. This promising shift was also observed
in ACE’s 2010 Fitness Professionals Salary Survey, which showed an
overall increase in annual salary rates and benefits for full-time
fitness professionals across all categories this past year.
— Added-Value Wellness Services: More gyms and clubs will begin to hire
other allied healthcare professionals to serve the expanding needs of
their health-conscious members. ACE’s partnership with NuVal(TM) LLC,
creators of the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System, a nutritional ranking
system that guides consumers to more nutritious food choices, recognizes
the need for people to take care of their physical health by also
monitoring their dietary intake.
— Stress Reduction Through Fitness: With the increased knowledge of how
stress negatively affects the body, gyms and clubs will start offering
wellness programs so their members develop effective strategies for
managing their stress levels. Consumers can expect to see new and
improved programming to help alleviate this all-too-common by-product of
our time-pressured lifestyles.
— Technology Becomes a Support Resource: Although there have been a great
deal of technological advances within the fitness industry, online
interactive classes will not proliferate in 2011, demonstrating the
desire for human contact with fitness professionals. However, social
networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube will become increasingly
popular serving as an online motivational support system to complement
personal training sessions.
— Buddy System: Healthy support groups will become a more popular offering
in gyms due to peer encouragement and increased potential for success.
This thinking also holds true for older adults, with the majority of
them seeking group classes to stay fit. ACE’s Trainer Program for AARP
includes a number of new benefits to address the unique needs of this
population, which remains dedicated to living healthy lifestyles.
— Most Popular Workouts: Boot camp-style workouts will remain popular
among consumers based on its intensity and efficiency. Zumba classes
will continue to offer a fun alternative to more traditional dance
classes, while TRX Suspension training and interval training both offer
intense workout experiences with impressive results. Consumers will
learn about the effectiveness of interval training in an upcoming ACE
study in 2011.
— Small-Group Workouts: Small-group sessions remain a very popular way
for individuals to exercise. Whether through personal training,
strength training, cardiovascular exercise, or sessions for older
adults, small-group sessions will be “in” as a way to socialize, cut
costs and stay motivated.
— Youth-Based Fitness: Expect to see more youth-focused classes and
clients popping up in gyms thanks to the national attention and focus on
childhood obesity. Schools and fitness centers will also incorporate
more exercise curriculum for the youth population and, as such, take
advantage of ACE’s Operation FitKids curriculum, which has recently been
revamped and expanded with a new program targeting students in grades
6-8.
— Corporate Wellness: Whether it is through the hiring of in-house
personal trainers or discounts and incentives offered to employees that
join a health club, corporate wellness programs will emerge country-wide
to help encourage healthy lifestyles among workers, especially
time-crunched consumers.
— Elevated Professionalism: There will be a significant increase in the
hiring of personal trainers that hold a NCCA-accredited certification at
gyms and fitness centers. With consumers becoming more educated and
fitness-savvy, they understand the need for fitness professionals to
have the proper education and high-quality certifications.
About the American Council on Exercise
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s premier certification, education and training organization, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction. ACE sponsors university-based exercise science research and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization. For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE website at www.acefitness.org.
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