Every year since 2006, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have conducted a survey to predict future health and fitness trends for the following year. In the November and December edition of the ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, they released the results for their Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2019, and the results are pretty interesting.
The survey conducted is used to help predict trends in both fitness and wellness for the following year with responses from those who work in the health and fitness industry, while also identifying fads, or activities/workout styles that are only relevant for a short period.
In their report, the ACSM states that they received 2,038 responses from nearly every continent and these responses were made up of 65% women and 45% men. Additionally, they report that over 60% of the survey respondents stated to have 10 or more years of experience in the industry, and 45% of the total respondents reported to make an annual salary of $50,000 or more.
Wait, why do these demographics matter? In respects to predicting trends and fads, experience can play a heavy role in accurately doing so.
Below, we’ve included the top ten 2019 fitness trends predicted from the ACSM’s worldwide survey (to view the full 20, click on the ACSM link above). Are they all specific to strength sports? No, but some of them are, and some of them can indirectly relate to where strength sports as a whole are heading.
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Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2019
1. Wearable Technology
2. Group Training
3. High-Intensity Interval Training
4. Fitness Programs for Older Adults
5. Bodyweight Training
6. Employing Certified Fitness Professionals
7. Yoga
8. Personal Training
9. Functional Fitness Training
10. Exercise Is Medicine
Takeaway Thoughts
Let’s address the elephant in the room, yes, the survey was conducted by the ACSM, so the results might be slightly skewed compared to if another certifying entity conducted the survey. And there’s no denying the fact that the list above isn’t incredibly directly relatable to specific strength sports, but it can be useful information nonetheless.
If you work in the industry, or you are heavily invested in training yourself, then understanding these potential trends can help you excel in things like training others, marketing yourself, and connecting with others. Not to mention, being ahead of the curve is never a bad idea. The awareness of what’s trending and adapting that to what one specializes in can be a useful key to success.
Feature image from @acsm1954 Instagram page.
