It’s that time of year again when the fitness world prepares to tackle the latest trends that are swarming the industry. The American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM, takes a poll of thousands of health and fitness professionals from around the globe to help identify the top fitness trends for the following year. The survey helps the industry to make critical programming and business decisions to prepare for the future. Now in the 14th year, it is no surprise that Wearable Technology has again retained the top spot as #1 fitness trend for 2020.

What else made the list? The top 10 fitness trends for 2020 are:

1. Wearable Technology (2019-1^st): For the fifth year in a row, wearable technology remains in the top 3 trends for the year ahead. That technology does not seem to go away, and it includes heart rate monitors, fitness trackers, smart watches, and GPS tracking devices.
2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) (2019-3^rd): HIIT involves short bursts of activity followed by a short period of rest or recovery. Popular due to the maximization of intensity in a short period of time and the rise in group training/ boutiques.

3. Group Training (2019-2^nd): With the influx of boutique group training offerings, there is no surprise that group training remains high on this list. Group exercise instructors teach, lead and motivate individuals though intentionally designed group exercise classes. Group programs are designed to be motivational and effective for people at different fitness levels, with instructors using leadership techniques that help individuals in their classes achieve fitness goals.
4. Training with Free Weights (2019- n/a): Previous surveys included a category described as “strength training.” Determined to be too broad a category, strength training was dropped in favour of the more specific free weight training. Free weights, barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, and medicine ball classes do not just incorporate barbells into another functional class or activity.
5. Personal Training: More and more students are majoring in kinesiology, which indicates that they are preparing themselves for careers in allied health fields such as personal training. Education, training and proper credentialing for personal trainers have become increasingly important to the health and fitness facilities that employ them.
6. Exercise is Medicine (2019-10^th): Exercise is Medicine (EIM) is a global health initiative that is focused on encouraging primary care physicians and other health care providers to include physical activity assessment and associated treatment recommendations as part of every patient visit and referring their patients to exercise professionals. 
7. Body Weight Training (2019-5^th): Body weight training uses minimal equipment, making it more affordable. Not limited to just push-ups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get “back to the basics” with fitness. Scalable deployment methods such as Insanity are enticing more people to get more active with less equipment every day.
8. Fitness Programs for Older Adults (2019-4^th): As the baby boom generation ages into retirement, some of these people have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts. Therefore, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active.
9. Health/ Wellness Coaching (2019-11^th): Health/Wellness is a growing trend to integrate behavioural science into health promotion and lifestyle medicine programs. Health/Wellness coaching uses a one-on-one (and at times small group) approach with the coach providing support, goal setting, guidance, and encouragement. The health/ wellness coach focuses on the client’s values, needs, vision, and short- and long-term goals using behaviour change intervention strategies. Previous surveys included wellness coaching, but for the 2019 survey, the term “health” was added, which better describes the trend. Wellness coaching has been in the top 20 trends since 2010.
10. Employing Certified Fitness Professionals (2019-6^th): Rightly so that our people and their knowledge remain in the top 10 trends. Given the large number of organizations offering health and fitness certifications, it’s important that consumers choose professionals certified through programs that are accredited by CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity).

As technology becomes more advanced, so does the consumer’s awareness and curiosity on how hard they are working and progressing overtime. In a market of over 201,000 clubs and 174 million members worldwide, there is no better time to embrace technology as an integral part of any gym strategy.

Leading industry provider, Myzone, helps to show millions of people around gyms that the space doesn’t need to feel intimidating and competitive. By devising a way to reward effort, Myzone has leveled the playing field so everyone has an equal opportunity to show how hard they are trying. The key behind successful implementation of a wearable strategy is to engage with the product and use it as a tool to help make potential or existing users take that step to regular activity.