Predictions of exercise trends by fitness professionals may confirm your decision to install Norwell Outdoor Fitness equipment at your park or facility—in a big way.

For the past 12 years, the health and fitness industry’s decisions have been guided by the results of a yearly survey conducted by the editors of American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal. This survey, completed by thousands of fitness professionals around the world, helps determine trends for the coming year.

Top five fitness trends for 2018*

Forty possible fitness trends were identified. Based on 4,133 responses received from fitness professionals such as physical therapists, personal trainers, and health fitness specialists, the top five fitness trends predicted for 2018 are:

  1. High-intensity interval training (HIIT). This is identified as short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by short periods of rest for a duration of 30 minutes or more. This was also the number one trend in 2014 and continues to be a popular form of exercise across the globe.
  2. Group training. Group training consists of larger groups of five or more people led by an instructor in various activities such as aerobics, bicycles, and dance. This trend first made the top 20 last year.
  3. Wearable technology. This trend is new in recent years and includes the use of activity trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors, GPS tracking devices, and smart eye glasses during exercise. It is hard to predict how the use of technology will influence physical fitness in the future, but it surely will continue to grow.
  4. Body weight training. The use of your own personal body weight as a form of resistance training has been used for centuries (think push-ups and pull-ups). This form of training has previously been in the number two and three positions and continues to rise in popularity with the recent introduction of equipment specifically engineered to use body weight as resistance instead of traditional weights.
  5. Strength training. Similar to body weight training but with the use of barbells and weights. This has ranked highly on the survey for several years because of its commonplace usage and can be done at a club or at home with proper equipment.

Three of the top five trends show need for Norwell Outdoor Fitness equipment

This study shows a market need for Norwell Outdoor Fitness equipment in three of the top five trends:

  1. High-intensity interval training (HIIT). Many of Norwell’s pieces can be used at a high intensity, followed by a short rest break, such as the air walker, rider, hip station, and cross elliptical trainer.
  2. Wearable technology. Norwell offers a free app for use on smart phones to log workouts, challenge friends, and get instruction on proper usage of each station.
  3. Body weight training. All of Norwell’s Outdoor Fitness equipment is designed using body weight as resistance. This makes it easy and safer for all ages and abilities to use the equipment.

In addition to these three items, there is increasing desire for outdoor exercise. Many people are finding the sunshine and fresh air more invigorating than the sterile environment of a gym. And, of course, there are many studies showing the benefits of being outdoors.

Spend your dollars wisely

This survey is especially beneficial to community-based organizations that want to invest in their communities but have limited resources. When funds are in short supply, there’s big value in knowing they’re investing in something that is going to be utilized. An outdoor fitness park provides a free service to residents of all ages and attracts new residents and visitors, while encouraging an active, healthy lifestyle.

Outdoor fitness equipment is also a wonderful addition to retirement communities, corporate wellness programs, schools, apartment complexes, and vacation resorts.

Here’s five more reasons to consider a Norwell Outdoor Fitness park for your community.

Get a free quote

As the national distributor for Norwell Outdoor Fitness, Sterling West is your source for design and installation services of a Norwell Outdoor Fitness park. Ask us for a free quote for your park or business.

*Source: American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness Journal, http://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2017/11000/WORLDWIDE_SURVEY_OF_FITNESS_TRENDS_FOR_2018__The.6.aspx

Sterling West is a park, playground, safety surfacing, and outdoor fitness representative company based in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Our mission is to experience the joy seeing people of all ages have fun and stay fit, knowing we have enriched the lives of others. For more information or for a free consultation, call Sterling West at 877-537-3470 or check us out at www.sterlingwest.net.