In the age of technology, it seems fitness wearables will be all the rage in 2019 according to an annual survey of health and fitness professionals published in the November issue of ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal®, an official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
The great news for all Metafit™ coaches is the continued rise of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), group training, increased interest in hiring certified fitness professionals, and growing interest in workplace health and wellness programs.
What's Hot, What's Not.
The survey Conducted each year since 2007, included responses from more than 2,000 health fitness professionals from around the world.
Highlights of the 2019 annual survey;
- Wearable technology returned to the top-ranked position it had occupied for two consecutive years, before dropping to number three in last year's survey.
- Group training, defined as classes of more than five participants, was rated number two for the second year in a row. This item was recently revised to distinguish it from small group personal training, which was ranked number 19.
- Rounding out the top five were high-intensity interval training (HIIT), referring to short bouts of high-intensity exercise followed by a short rest period; fitness programs for older adults, which has made a strong return to the top 10 in recent surveys; and body weight training, which uses the person's own body weight to provide resistance.
- There's a growing emphasis on employing certified fitness professionals -- certified by ACSM or other nationally accredited organizations. A revised item specifying professional certification ranked sixth in the 2019 survey.
Full list below.
- Wearable technology
- Group training
- HIIT
- Fitness programs for older adults
- Bodyweight training
- Employing certified fitness professionals
- Yoga
- Personal training
- Functional fitness training
- Exercise is medicine
- Health/wellness coaching
- Exercise for weight loss
- Mobile exercise apps
- Mobility/myofascial devices
- Worksite health promotion and workplace well-being programs
- Outcome measurements
- Outdoor activities
- Licensure for fitness professionals
- Small group personal training
- Post-rehabilitation classes