The fitness landscape is changing at pace. Yesterday’s big trend is today’s old news. So how to keep your finger on the pulse? We’ve asked Myprotein PT, Tom Bailey to compile to give us a glimpse into what things might look like in the months to come.
Here are his top three:
1. People will out-grow their home gyms
“2021 was lockdown after lockdown, being confined to our four walls with little to keep us busy. We turned to at-home training as an effective way to spike endorphins and break up the monotony of being sat inside all day. Many of us rapidly outgrew or lost interest in living room HIIT workouts which meant kitting out a mini home-gym or garage gym with adjustable dumbbells, benches, barbells and plates. For most people this was a great introduction to weight training and was enough to keep them progressing and interested but not for much longer.”
“I predict a big increase in gym-goers and people that started doing some form of weights at home, looking to continue progressing with their weight training by signing up to a gym where they have more equipment versatility, more space and heavier weights. Strength training is on the rise compared to last year and I believe it will continue to grow.”
2. We’ll seek out a balance of physically and mentally stimulating exercise
“With limited gym access throughout the year, this opened the minds of gym-rats to the possibilities of exercising outside of the gym environment. With a good base level of fitness and strength, they found activities where they could actually put their training to use but with increased social and mental stimulation.”
“We’re seeing a rise in activities like mixed martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and cross training — many of which combine the challenge of physical strength and endurance, a social aspect and mental acuity.”
3. Online coaching will continue to increase
“Although fast-tracked as a result of lockdowns, I believe online coaching is still in its infancy. There are thousands of online coaches but many are figuring out how to best deliver services such as personal training, nutrition coaching and accountability through an online platform while still being as effective as in-person coaching. In addition to this, many people are tentative about online coaching for this very reason — the fear of not getting as good a service as in-person.”
“Online coaching platforms are continuing to evolve every month with more metrics to track progress, and better technology to keep people accountable and deliver the best possible service, but I predict it will take at least another year before having an online coach is as popular as somebody having a personal trainer.”
Take Home Message
Nobody wants to find their workout boring — we all want to enjoy exercise. Luckily, there’s an endless array of fitness trends to try, meaning you can always find something to keep you interested and to make sure you keep giving 110%. And if you’re looking to add some variety to your nutrition this year, check out Myprotein’s range of healthy foods and snacks or plant-based protein.
