Alan Holl of Fitness First Middle East gives us his top five fitness trends of 2016.
Wearable tech: This is not just any wearable tech, but tech that can give your heart rate, track activity, offer GPS, provide feedback and connect to your music. It seems everyone is selling a wearable tech product these days, but the true market leaders are companies that understand the lifestyle, rest, sleep and recovery element of the user.
Online fitness: YouTube and other sources of video online are joined by live-streamed classes and online personal training through apps and websites. The biggest-growing trend is with 25- to 40-year-old female users who are interested in weight control, looking good and feeling their best. It's all about wellness and not just fitness.
Fitness and wellness for specific user groups: Tailored fitness for older adults and "ageing athletes" is on trend, with a focus on mobility rather than intensity along with fall prevention. Youth training is also growing and starting to break into specific groups with tailored programmes for 6- to 9-year-olds, 9- to 12-year-olds and 12- to 15-year-olds. Strength training is a big focus in older groups, but gamification, blending fitness with games, in the younger age groups remains the hook.
Nutrition: Not just about eating right, but also people wanting to know more about their bodies – from blood sampling for hormonal health to intolerance testing – enabling better insight into the barriers of goal attainment.
Wellness: The biggest shift in the fitness industry in the past 12 months is wellness. Pre-generation and recovery is as important as the activity, and fitness elements of yoga, nutrition and activity tracking with sleep and hydration are key measurements to a complete wellness lifestyle.
