Fitness Trends for 2007

Top Fitness Trends for 2007 

What's Hot for the New Year

• Baby Boomers like me are looking for time-effective and efficient workouts.
  
  Life is too short to spend it in the health club, but, of course, you want to look good, too!
• As a corollary to the bullet above, we're also looking for simple workouts we can do virtually anywhere with minimal equipment.
  
  While belonging to a health club will remain popular, doing all of your workouts there will be less popular. Look for an increase in home exercise equipment and body weight exercise programs. (We boomers want to be home near our kids), and ...
• Online fitness training and web-based accountability with programs like my StephenHoltFitnessOnline.com (co-branded with FitSync.com) bring the expertise of the world's top personal trainers to everyone in a personalized way that fitness DVDs and videos cannot.
• Higher expectations from certified and credentialed personal fitness trainers.
  
  Personal training is yet again one of the fastest growing professions. As the supply of trainers increases, they'll be even greater demand for trainers with higher levels of specialized education.
  
  Look for the National Board of Fitness Examiners and their Personal Trainer National Board Exam (which I helped write) gain in prominence.
• Yoga, Pilates and other mind-body activities are still hot. Look for more personal trainers to include Yoga and Pilates moves in their workouts.
  
  Also, more Yoga and Pilates instructors will offer paid, small group sessions in addition to the massive, free classes currently offered at many health clubs.
• Functional Training is still on the incline with so-called traditional machines and body part training on the decline.
  
  (Too bad Functional Training still doesn't have a definition we can even somewhat agree upon.)
• Even more exergaming. Last year's hits were Dance-Dance Revolution and Kilowatt. Hot items for 2007 will be EyeToy and Wii.
• Small Group Strength Training continues to climb in popularity. Small groups means each client pays less while the trainer earns more per session. What's not to love?!
  
  Look for an increase in no-frills, boot camp fitness classes.
• Youth strength training and general fitness programming as we struggle to attack teen and youth overweight.
  
  (Technically, we're moving away from the term "obesity' when referring to kids.)
• More senior fitness. Yep, we're all getting older. Look for more strength training and flexibility options for seniors.