The Future of Fitness
The fitness trends of 2022
By Madelyn Austin, Contributing Writer
At the beginning of every year, new fitness trends spiral across the Internet. As spring approaches and winter begins to pass, the 2022 trends become more concrete. They largely act as an extension of 2021’s most prominent themes, but the most significant distinction is the emergence of holistic fitness.
The term holistic fitness is described as training that addresses the whole person, not just the physical gains (Holistic fitness: is this the future for fitness professionals?, n.d.). The objective is to achieve total wellness by growing physically through a combination of mental and physical routes, a process that includes physical fitness, nutrition, mindfulness and mindset coaching. This lifestyle has grown due to social media usage; people are exposed to healthy meal recipes, videos of ways to relax the mind and wholeness coaches with training goals each day on their feeds. To learn how to lead a completely holistic life, many hire personal trainers to help them achieve goals on their personal path and maintain balance in their lives. Who doesn’t want a stress reduction while also getting physically fit?
In addition to holistic fitness, there are several other changes to fitness this year. The concept of at-home workouts has strongly developed as people decide that staying at the house to exercise is a benefit to their time management. Due in part to holistic lifestyles, the definition of working out has strayed. In 2022, more emphasis lies on the aspects surrounding the workout. Some people engage in alternative methods to be healthy, so the following examples aren’t necessities for maintaining health. This list includes just a few developments of the at-home workout realm (Collins, 2021).
Mini Workouts
If you’re trying to squeeze in a workout during your lunch break or spread your workout across the day in 5-10 minute intervals, you are engaging in what is called a “mini-workout.” The importance of moving your body for a designated specific amount of time is being replaced with the goal of simply staying active throughout the day. An extremely popular mini workout is HIIT, an exercise that has been popular for a while but has rapidly grown as an at-home routine. Its short time commitment and various levels of intensity are attractive to many who have limited time to exercise.
The Versatility of Wearable Tech
According to health professionals at the American College of Sports Medicine, wearable technology is the top trend for fitness this year (Kufahl, n.d.). Health and fitness trackers are the most utilized with Apple and Samsung holding the most dominant positions in the market. A new popular gadget is the hearable, a device that curves around the ear to provide a more engaging experience during a workout. It can perform several tasks beyond playing tunes; for example, the smart devices can make and receive phone calls, connect with digital assistants like Alexa and control other devices.
Girl Power + Gyms
Female-only gyms isn’t a new trend, but it rose again in 2021, and the theme of female empowerment continues with 2022. The trend is being heightened by TikTok as the hashtag #WomensOnlyGym has around 18 million views (Jennings, 2021). This trend has also been increasing in part due to the spread of viral videos portraying people being watched at the gym. Hundreds of videos have been posted with the footage of someone, typically a girl, working out and someone else creepily staring. Examples like these increase the appeal for female-only workout areas for anyone who has experienced similar occurrences.
Who can create the best personal gym?
From Peloton bikes to wall-mounted interactive experiences like Mirror and Total, the at-home gym has taken off to a new level this year. Obviously developing heavily at the beginning of the pandemic, the at-home gym continues advancing in technology. People are purchasing gym equipment as a form of self-care because the design of the gym is a large part of the aesthetic. Basement, attic, rustic, yoga studio and barre are just a few examples.
In general, fitness in 2022 revolves around self-care and mental health. As the pandemic has changed the essence of daily life, it has changed the definition of fitness to more than simply physical gains. Just remember that if time is limited, a 10-minute workout video that is able to be done on the living room floor can call your name.
Sources:
Collins, A. (2021, December 10). Fitness Trends That Will Completely Take Over 2022. The List.
Griffiths, B. (2022, January 3). Fitness Trends 2022: the Game Changers Are Coming. Polar.
Holistic fitness: is this the future for fitness professionals? (n.d.). TAFE NSW.
Jennings, T. (2021, July 9). Women-Only Gyms Are Going Viral On TikTok and They Look Incredible. Shape Magazine.
Kufahl, P. (n.d.). Wearable Technology Is the Top Fitness Trend in 2022, Per Survey. Club Industry.