The fitness sector is being innovated and improved at this very moment. The latest in tech and science are altering the game of fitness by helping us to optimize our potential, both physically and cognitively. The focus of the health industry is finally shifting from superficial values to a more well-rounded vision that includes the mind, body, and soul.
The future of fitness will make health an inclusive prospect for all and inspire more happiness in everyday life. Let’s take a look at some specifics that we can look forward to integrating into our fitness routine.
1. Advanced Wearable Tech
Wearable technology is rapidly evolving with entire innovation labs focusing on fitness technology. Companies are striving to more accurately monitor the whole body with less hassle by creating smart activewear. Specifically, devices that connect to specialized pieces of clothing with embedded sensors. Activewear that connects to apps is also now a thing, providing valuable insight into your workout performance.
Smart shoes are also being designed, which records running, walking, and jogging data itself—no need for that extra piece of wearable tech like smartwatches.
And that’s not it—companies such as Adidas and Under Armour are changing the game of wearable tech with a plethora of original patents on the rise.
2. More Engaged Gym Experiences
We’ve already seen gyms and group fitness classes begin to fundamentally change in order to draw a more diverse, engaged crowd. No longer are you simply paying for a workout, but rather an experience. Now in almost any city you can find one of the trendy studios where projectors screen videos and light shows with coordinated music that almost makes you forget you’re sweating your ass off!
Well, the future of fitness looks like this–but more full-on. Virtual Reality glasses complete the experience: How does a bike ride through the French Alps on a breezy summer day sound? Not bad, right? There is even a VR exercise machine that targets the core and can mimic flying or deep diving.
In addition, health clubs are engaging clients by using apps to track heart rates and progress both in and out of the gym. This holistic style of data tracking encourages clients to recognize that fitness doesn’t stop when you leave the gym.
3. Increased Personalization
Arguably one of the most important developments in fitness is increased personalization. DNA testing is becoming increasingly accessible, and is now being used to obtain insight into the influence of genes on health and ultimately create tailored workout and nutrition plans. There are already a few companies that create individualized workout and nutrition regimes based on genetic results from a simple saliva test.
DNA testing allows health experts to make more useful, pointed recommendations based on your genetic weaknesses and strengths. For instance, the tests can complement your workouts by identifying certain nutrients or vitamins that your body needs more or less of, as well as which exercises you will benefit most from. Personalizing fitness through DNA testing has vast potential to create more efficient pathways to health.
4. Holistic Fitness
The trend of holistic health is on the rise and this will only continue as more and more people realize the importance of health is about much more than just appearance. And it’s about time, if you ask us! Finally, fitness companies are beginning to see the whole picture: fitness, nutrition, body image, mind-body-soul.
Health clubs are tapping into the power of a positive mindset by focusing on community and ingraining habits early on. Gyms and studios of the future will look more like community centers, where people not only sweat but also harvest that healthy community lifestyle by sharing meals, enjoying coffee, and working on their laptops.
Another example of this holistic approach is an increased focus on the quality and amount of sleep we get, which is critical to our wellbeing, yet often overlooked in today’s busy world. New gadgets monitor the quality of your sleep in hopes to improve your sleep cycle. There are also sleep gadgets that monitor the conditions of the room you sleep in throughout the night and then make specific recommendations to optimize your night’s sleep and get you on the way to living a more creative, productive day.
By harnessing the latest in technology, science, and healthy living, the world of fitness is making a paradigm shift. Swapping old values for more beneficial ones like connection, accessibility, and play, the future of fitness looks a lot more colorful.
Perhaps the most important change is a push to ingrain these values into our younger generations. Movement and fitness will be a primary source of connection in the future, a critical component of a healthy day at school or in the office.
