What's Trending In 2023?
As we start wrapping up the first quarter of 2023, let’s take a look at what’s trending in health and fitness so far this year.
Keeping It Low Is The New Getting High
In the busy and chaotic world of today, many of us are looking for a reason to slow down - especially when it comes to choosing how we want to workout. While on the rise for the past few years, research suggests that low-impact exercise is continuing to grow in popularity, with trend forecasters naming it one of the “biggest buzzes” to look out for in 2023.
So why the shift? High-impact exercises (like burpees, box jumps and heavy lifting) have been known to cause a lot of inflammation for a large majority of people, whereas low-impact classes and movements allow you to be just as effective in building your endurance and strength but with less inflammation and without the same high risk of getting injured. A good yoga class or session at the barre has also been reported to be directly linked with having a host of mental health benefits too - and with poor mental health on the rise, it’s no wonder workout seekers are turning to these slower and more relaxing forms of movement.
What does that mean for fitness businesses? If they haven’t already, both in-person and online trainers should consider adding low-impact offerings, as well as ways to promote recovery.
Finding Fitness
Brick-and-mortar fitness is back; but hybrid fitness is here to stay; with recent reports showing online fitness as the number one workout trend of the year. What may have seemed like a temporary solution at the start of the pandemic, has since become one of the most effective, ongoing components of the fitness landscape. From Instagram and Youtube to having an on-demand content library or even their very own personalised app, many trainers and professionals in the industry are now embracing a mix of both in-person and online workouts in order to adapt to their clients’ new needs and schedules.
The Gender Divide
Recent studies suggest that men not only exercise longer and more regularly than women, but that they also frequent gyms and fitness studios more often; and as a result are more satisfied with their overall fitness level. Women on the other hand have been shown to be far more intentional with their exercise regimes, especially when it comes to structuring them around times of pregnancy as well as their menstrual cycles and menopause. From workouts geared towards supporting women over a certain age to mommy-and-me classes and more realistic promotional materials (goodbye, overly-Photoshopped stock images); fitness businesses are now more prominently looking for ways to not only expand their offerings to better serve their female clientele but help them feel more excited about fitness too.
With these takeaways in mind, we have no doubt that the year ahead will be yet another exciting one for the fitness industry. We’re excited to see what else is in store - are you?
Team Sudor