Democrat/Leader Page 29
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
FEELING Changes behind 2014 Fitness Trends are seen in gyms By LAUREN ALBRECHT CORRESPONDENT Many local health professionals are raising eyebrows over the number one rank in the recently released fitness trends tallied by the American College of Sports Medicine. The top spot is high-intensity interval training, which means working out as hard as you can for a short period of time followed by a brief period of rest. Regardless of survey results, various experts believe that intense workouts pose a higher risk of injury. “It could result in orthopedic injuries or cardiovascular complications for people who aren’t accustomed to this kind of exercise. That’s the danger of them which is why I was surprised this came in as No. 1,” says Walt Thompson, lead researcher on the trends report and a regents’ professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Those defining the trends were 3,800 fitness professionals who work in commercial, clinical, community and corporate gyms and health clubs. They completed the ACSM questionnaire to determine what is destined to be huge this year. According to Emily Perez, SLP, rehabilitation director for Spring Lake Rehab Center, the recent announcement of fitness trends don’t relate to local demographics. “We see ongoing emphasis on fitness programs for older adults as the most enduring trend,” said Perez. Perez believes that a better predictor of trends can actually be seen inside the gym. Health and fitness gear is racing to keep up with senior requirements. The treadmill has now morphed into an anti-gravity device, called the AlterG. It has the ability to offset 80 percent of body weight. Ultimately, it means that patients who struggle with walking can lighten their load and get their step back. A standard stationary bike might not make the cut when it comes to older adults. So, an upright stationary bike has changed into a recumbent type. A larger padded seat that rotates and handlebars that swivel make it easy access. Handles that calculate heart rate are now standard on most treadmills and bikes. Many seniors have tight leg muscles that can’t fully extend on a
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A recent study shows high-intensity interval training is ranking high, but for elderly people it could result in injuries. bike, which results in feet sliding off the pedals. Today’s recumbent bikes have features that keep feet in place. Other examples include innovative braking mechanics that adjust to the flow of leg movement and take the jarring off injured or aging joints. Mainstay trends annually appear in the top 10. Functional fitness is again on this year’s top 10 ranking. Exercise gear once more correlates to the trends. New technology consists of incremental weighted pulleys that resist or assist 360 degrees of movement. Pulley mechanics signify that if someone wants to get back to tennis or golf, the equipment can be calibrated to give what is progressively needed in any direction to improve strength with function. For the last six years, educated and experienced fitness professionals ranked in the top five of survey results. There continues to be exponential growth of educational programs, especially for physical therapists. Perez said local fitness trends are all about seniors. “It’s about having
the right equipment and having well-trained personnel that are expertly versed in seniors’ health and well-being,” she said.
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As for the current number one spot of high-intense-interval training, Perez believes it will be a short-lived fad.
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