Contributed by Midtown Athletic Club
Wondering what?s hot and what?s not in fitness this year?
National Fitness Director Scott Hopson outlines the?Top 4 Fitness Trends for 2015 to
provide you with some ideas to jump start your routine if your fitness resolutions have begun to lag.
1. Fusion Classes and Small Group Training
?Gone are the days where people are searching for a solo and singular fitness experience,? says Scott. What?s hot are hybrids:?Spinyasa (spin and Yoga Vinyasa), small group training, multi-station OMNIA workouts, and water-dry land classes.
Why? ?Because they?re fun!?, says Scott. Fusion classes and small group training allow you to try something new and exciting in a less intimidating, social?environment, which increases your comfort level by providing a social space in which to work out.
And once you?re in, you want to come back because of the connections?you’ve?made with others in?your class or small group.
?We?re finding that members also feel badly when they miss their group workouts, because they feel they’ve let down their friends in class who count on them to be there for moral support. Once you find your community, you don?t miss workouts often because of the friendships formed over fitness,? says Scott.
2. Biofeedback
Wearable technology that allows you to not only track your heart rate, but also your daily stress level and training zone provide you with the data you need for an effective workout.
The younger generation is suffering from adult diseases (Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Cholesterol) and older adults are living longer with disease.These two facts make biofeedback data essential to maintaining or improving health. Our coaches are trained to work with members on effective biofeedback such as Polar, and MYZONE technology is currently available in two clubs, with more to come. The on-screen data?provided by these tools allows you to see?the exact effectiveness of your workouts with medical-grade accuracy.
?Knowledge is power,? says Scott. ?The data we provide via these tools makes you accountable for your health, which is key to making the lifestyle changes needed to improve overall fitness.?
3. Mind.Body
Yoga and Pilates classes will be hotter than ever this year. According to Scott, ?People are more stressed than ever before, and they?re turning to Mind.Body classes for balance, connection, and centering.?
While certain extreme workouts at smaller studios and gyms may serve to break you down by encouraging overtraining and under-recovery,Mind.Body classes elevate your spirit through helping participants learn to slow down, breath more completely, and focus on total wellness. This is something people will focus on in 2015 more than ever before.
4. Youth Movement
Parents are realizing that the earlier they introduce their kids to a fitness routine, the easier it will be for them to?continue leading active lives as adults.
?To adapt to the growing interest in youth fitness,?Midtown has created a?model based on child development,? says Scott. ?Our Youth Fitness coaches and instructors focus on the entire child, including cognitive, emotional, and gross motor skills, to ensure that our programming perfectly fits kids?in every age group.?
We?re also working hard to transform?each club?s Kidtown into an area of active, ?focused play so that when kids are visiting, they?re engaged in physical activity to grow both their bodies and their minds.?
Several clubs have kids fitness equipment from Exergame Fitness and?Pavigym installed, with more clubs following suit in the future.
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