As we prepare for 2021, Brits are looking for new ways to revive their workout routines with the latest industry trends, classes and techniques.
The start of a new year provides the perfect chance to get yourself feeling motivated, set yourself new, achievable goals and identify what you want to get out of your fitness journey.
To lend a helping hand, Steven Virtue, fitness development manager at Total Fitness, the North of England’s leading health club, shares his predictions for the fitness trends we’re expecting to see in the new year.
Remote coaching
In the wake of Covid-19, remote coaching is set to be a big trend for the new year. It’s a great way to motivate you to train both at home or in the gym, as it allows you to work one to one with your coach or personal trainer on an online platform. You can receive regular workouts which provide you with fresh fitness content to train to and the remote model allows you to post your results from each session on the platform, so your trainer can review your progress and make recommendations for the next session.
Covid-19 restrictions have encouraged more and more gyms and trainers to expand their online presence to encourage more people to be able to train no matter where they are. This trend will help to keep people motivated and allows them to fit fitness around their lifestyle.
Wearable technology
Although not a new trend, wearable fitness technology has been an extremely popular, staple trend which is set to continue into 2021. Since its insurgence in 2015, this has been one of the most discussed subjects in fitness and is continuing to develop as the years go on.
Fitness tracking devices provide an in-depth look at your physical activity and the smart technology offers recommendations to improve your daily exercise routine. Providers such as Garmin, Polar, Fitbit and Apple watches are all great devices and will help to keep you on track with your fitness goals.
Wearable technology has been proven to help keep the wearer on track with their fitness goals and these pieces of tech can record data specific to the user’s requirement and activity trends, which is what makes it so appealing to the wider demographic – it makes fitness more personalised and transparent. Marry this up with fitness technology being more and more accessible and this a great staple trend for those wanting to stay motivated in the new year.
Covid prescribed fitness training
For those who have contracted Covid-19 and are looking to continue with their normal fitness routine, it’s important that they reintroduce exercise slowly with a gradual build-up. There is increasingly more being understood about the long and short term ramifications of the virus so it’s vital that those who are recovering do so safely. We know the virus is a respiratory disease and so it’s important not to try and do too much too soon following recovery, especially cardio-based exercises which can take a toll on the lungs.
There has been an increase in training providers offering Covid-specific fitness courses in recent months, with the main intent of introducing members back into the training environment whilst closely monitoring cardiac problems and long-standing lung issues.
There is still much to learn about the virus and the various ways it can affect your physical self, but it’s likely that this fitness trend will become more important in 2021, as we learn more about Covid-19.
Virtual fitness
Virtual fitness training is class based and can be completed online, in gyms on a main screen or on equipment. This type of training is on the rise as it provides a great solution for people who prefer to exercise in the comfort of their own home or on a relaxed schedule in their local health club.
The likes of Les Mills classes and Life Fitness on demand, which we offer in our Total Fitness clubs, also helps those who are classed as high-risk in the current pandemic to exercise safely as they have less exposure to others while doing so. Covid-19 has definitely impacted the popularity of this type of training, although more and more operators are leaning to this form of fitness delivery as a solution to timetabling programming – it’s a trend we expect to see more of in 2021.
Outdoor fitness training
Lockdown has seen a rise in fitness bootcamps in parks and outdoor spaces around the country and is something which looks to continue even whilst gyms are open in the new year. Bootcamps and outdoor fitness, such as running and cycling have been keeping the nation fit and is still very much alive, as it provides people with an opportunity to mix up their fitness routine and get outside in the fresh air when they can’t attend the gym.
