Fitness trends for 2022

VIWE NDONGENI-NTLEBI

Get moving this year with these TRAINING TRENDS

THE current health pandemic has created and amplified many fitness trends. Some of the biggest fitness and training trends of 2021 included high-intensity interval training (HIIT), wearable workout technology and garments like waist trainers. Most of these trends are still around on the rise even in 2022.

According to leading market analysts, these are the main wellness patterns of 2022:

Wearable technology:

Wearable technology is the top fitness trend for 2022, according to a survey of 4 500 health and fitness professionals by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

“Tech advances have made it easy for users to collect important health metrics and work with fitness professionals and healthcare providers to develop healthy lifestyles and increase quality of life,” said ACSM past president Walter R Thompson, who served as the lead author of the survey, in a media release.

Exercise as medicine in a recovery format

Lee-Ann Caboz is the brand and communications manager at Under Armour and says (we will be) using exercise as medicine in a recovery format: walking, yoga, body weight routines.

Regular exercise has been shown to improve health and reduce the severity of diseases accompanying an unhealthy lifestyle.

Outdoor activities:

Caboz says hiking and watersports naturally increase and enhance lung capacity. This includes small group walks, group rides and organised hiking groups with participants meeting in a park, hiking area or bike trail for short and daylong events.

Health/wellness coaching

According to ACSM, coaching integrates behavioural science into health promotion and lifestyle medicine programmes. A one-onone and small group approach provides support, goal setting and encouragement.

Home exercise gyms

These have been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic. The use of minimal equipment or treadmills and bikes at home for solo or family activities is a trend that is not fading away soon.

Smart technology goes way beyond workout bikes; this area has expanded exponentially and now contains a variety of fitness equipment, including advanced rowing machines and weightlifting devices. There are also full-length exercise mirrors that act as a personal trainer – it’s a whole different type of personal training in the comfort of your home.

Group training

Group training is a wonderful way to get into exercising, as you’ll have people to encourage you, while also making training a social activity. Get a few friends together and work out a programme to suit all everyone’s needs as far as possible; you’ll definitely feel motivated to keep going.

Running clubs

Running clubs allow members to meet new people and compete together while getting fit.

HIIT

This high-intensity interval training programme has always been popular among fitness enthusiasts seeking higher levels of training. With the growth in bespoke fitness facilities, offering a HIIT class is a sure way to keep many of your clientele happy. It’s quick and effective.

APP technology home workout programmes

A fitness lifestyle should offer you the ability to plan according to your needs. By taking personal responsibility for your health and fitness, half the victory is won. But these APPs will offer accountability because fitness takes discipline.

Myofascial Release

To recover from those HIIT and functional training sessions, or from the general stresses we place on the body daily (including emotional/mental stresses), enrol in a myofascial release class. Once a week is enough to feel the effects of releasing the connective tissue that sits between the muscles and the organs; the fascia.

Group training is a great way to get into exercise. | ANDREA PIACQUADIO Pexels