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Let’s take a look at what fitness trends moved to the front of the class this year.
Virtual Fitness: Over the past two years, we have seen a virtual fitness revolution thanks to companies like Peloton and apps, such as Daily Burn and Nike Training Club. According to Forbes, from pre- to post-pandemic, the U.S. has seen a 429 percent increase in prerecorded exercise content usage and a 1,214 percent increase in livestreamed class usage. Given the diversity and availability of on-demand workouts, we no longer have a reasonable excuse not to get to the gym.
Wearable Technology: Wearable technology has become far more sophisticated since the onset of the pandemic. Watches, jewelry and monitors that were once used to simply track steps and calories are now designed to track sleep quality, body temperature, stress, heart rate, hydration and other information. A recent Gartner study estimates worldwide wearable technology spending to hit $94 billion in 2022, more than double of what consumers spent in 2019.
Entertaining Exercise: COVID-19’s mandatory quarantines and gym closures made it nearly impossible to pursue daily workout routines. Health enthusiasts responded by finding more creative ways to get outside and get moving. Hiking, paddleboarding, Zumba, trapeze and alternative dance are just a few activities that saw significant increase during the pandemic. As we return to a sense of normalcy, the expectation that fitness can and should be fun has returned with it.
Laurel Famigletti is an area resident and owner of EndorP.H.I.T, where she provides virtual group fitness classes, in-home personal training and virtual nutrition coaching.
