Keeping you updated with the latest trends and future outlook of fitness equipment
When BODYCRAFT was founded in 1994, our progressive vision was to help as many people as possible achieve their wellness goals through creating the ultimate in safety, variety, design, affordability, and motivation. Of course, a lot has changed in the past 20+ years, but we strive to remain open-minded in our approach to fitness and wellness.
After reading Technavio’s latest report on the global connected gym equipment market – an analysis on major trends expected to impact the market over the next five years, it got us thinking more about some of the most recent fitness trends and where the industry could be headed.
Connected Equipment
Thanks to a major increase in health apps on smartphones over the past couple years, people all over the world are finding more unique ways to workout, meditate, eat healthier, and track their progress along the way. As unlikely of a pairing as it seems, technology and health/wellness are working very well together!
The next logical step seems to be more integration between these apps and actual fitness equipment. Wearable smart technology looks like a natural fit. Consider the Evalu.Run insole, a sensor placed in the sole of a runner’s shoe that measures precise data and even offers helpful coaching and advice to the person wearing it.
Top-of-the-line fitness equipment, like the 800M Blu Series Treadmill, already offers connectivity like a heart rate sensor. But by combining wearable technology with this equipment, people will be able to take their fitness goals to the next level. On the horizon, it seems like these wearable devices, health apps, and fitness equipment will only continue to merge and become smarter.
Exercise As Lifestyle
Fitness is no longer for just the athletes of the world. Research continues to be published showing all the benefits of exercise for not only getting in shape, but for mental health, for better sleep, for reduced anxiety, and for living longer, just to name a few. Sitting has even been branded as, “the new smoking.”
With exercise, fitness, health, and wellness at the forefront of people’s minds more than ever, there is a demand for practical fitness equipment that is easier to integrate into one’s lifestyle. Our SpaceWalker Treadmill does just that! It’s not only a treadmill, but a standing (or walking) desk that also easily folds into a piece of furniture. Look for more of these types of fitness equipment over the next few years.
Strength Training and Functional Fitness
What about trending types of exercise? Strength training is a big one. It’s no longer just for the biggest fitness buffs, as people are realizing that lifting weights isn’t going to make them bulky, but will help them burn more fat, improve metabolism, and even slow the effects of aging.
Functional fitness training, which is often used to help rehabilitate and preserve the independence of older adults, has been widely adopted by everyone from high-level athletes to the ‘average Joe’. It trains your body the way it was designed to move while improving coordination, balance, power, and endurance. Many people have commented on how much it helps them with routine daily activities, such as carrying groceries or picking up their child.
In 2017, there are so many new ways to train, new trends, and new ways to workout, that it’s hard to keep track of everything! At BODYCRAFT, we’re thrilled that fitness is on the minds of more people today. As we look ahead, we remain dedicated to the same goal we set out with in 1994: help as many people as possible achieve their wellness goals.