Top Fitness Trends for 2009

by Ryan Halvorson

Making News:

A recent article posted on Forbes.com may have caused fitness professionals nationwide to breathe a big sigh of relief. Despite broadening financial woes, it appears that consumers are not yet willing to give up fitness facility memberships. So what will those consumers expect from fitness professionals for the remainder of 2009? According to a survey published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), educated and experienced fitness professionals tops the list. “Certification and accreditation for health and fitness programs and professionals are becoming more common,” states Walter Thompson, PhD, FACSM, FAACVPR, Regents Professor at Georgia State University. The remainder of the list is in many ways congruous with the 2008 IDEA Personal Training Programs & Equipment Survey (IDEA Fitness Journal, 2008; 5 [8], 36–43), which cited personal training, strength training, balance and stability training, and core training as areas of increasing interest. Here are the top 10 fitness trends, as determined by ACSM:

1. educated and experienced fitness professionals

2. children and obesity

3. personal training

4. strength training

5. core training

6. special fitness programs for older adults

7. Pilates

8. stability ball

9. sport-specific training

10.balance training