More personal training, increasing use of wearable devices among some of trends for new year, say local experts
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
What’s new for fitness in 2019? Local fitness experts offer their top picks for the coming year’s hottest trends.
• “In 2018 we saw a huge boom with interest in HIIT-[high intensity interval training] style training, what I’m reading in my industry magazines now leads me to believe this will continue but we will also see more express style workouts and classes for those short on time. You can get a lot done in 30 minutes if you know what you’re doing.
• “Personal training will continue to be popular as I believe people will always have the need for personal accountability and to ensure they are exercising safely. As we age, our bodies change. It’s exciting to exercise in a large group but when you have old injuries or specific functional goals you’ll be better off under the direct supervision and instruction of a degreed, certified personal trainer.”
— Randy Sabourin, Team Leader, Metro Fitness in Syracuse and Fayetteville.
• “They’re not always ‘new’ trends, but moving up or down in popularity. I think in 2018, we’ve seen wearable tech, but this year, it’s getting so much better in its ability to track multiple domains and provide feedback and they’re getting much more accurate. When the new Apple watch came out, that got a lot of publicity. There’s also FitBit, and Garmin has things out there, smart watches and heart rate monitors and GPS tracking. They can do so many more things. The trackers can work when you’re on indoor equipment. Now it can track when you’re on an elliptical. They can track calories, amount of sleep, sitting time — which is a big deal now.
• “Group training, not necessarily at a facility, but there are a lot of online group training opportunities, like a treadmill that connects remotely to a class for listing rankings. It’s for individuals who are competitive and want to be the fastest in the group. For others, they want to feel they’re in a group. there’s a motivational leader there. Or you could be in the Alps or Bermuda virtually. Or it could be going to the Y and being part of a class.
• “More are seeking out certified fitness individuals. Because they want to do something for fitness but they don’t know how.”
— Carol Sames, Ph.D., program director for Vitality at Upstate Medical University.
• “No longer are the days of killing yourself with intense amounts of cardio as a punishment for letting yourself go, but rather a holistic wellness plan to help give the strength you need to navigate a joyful life of balance.”
— Kate Flannery, licensed psychotherapist, Metro Fitness in Syracuse and Fayetteville
