Gym Industry Trends In 2013

The 2012-2013 Edition of Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Department of Labor has projected that the employment of fitness instructors and trainers will grow by 24% from 2010 to 2020.[1] The handbook further states this increased demand for professionals in fitness industry originates from the changed perception of insurance companies and businesses about fitness.[2] Today, organizations recognize the benefits of fitness and health programs for people and this has resulted in more incentives for people to join gyms and other fitness facilities.

Fitness Trends of 2013

Let’s take a look at the top ten fitness trends of the year 2013 through the survey conduced by American College of Sports Medicine, which involved 3346 fitness and health professionals all over the world.[3]

1. Experienced, educated and certified trainers are what most fitness enthusiasts are looking for.
2. Strength training. This is no longer restricted to body builders, and people are focusing more on strength training to improve overall muscle strength.
3. Body weight training. Body weight exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, squats and planks are in.
4. Exercise programs for childhood obesity. Need for exercises programs aimed at tackling growing rate of obesity among children is rising.
5. Weight loss exercises. This has been a trend that has always been there and will continue to be a trend this year.
6. Fitness programs for elderly. Many gyms are looking at expanding their customer base by targeting the aging baby boomer generation through exercises that are age-appropriate.
7. Personal training. As an increasing number of trainers are getting certified, their services are being utilized by medical fitness and corporate wellness programs.
8. Functional fitness. This is strength training to improve coordination, balance, endurance, force and power to perform activities of daily living effectively. These are usually aimed at older adults.
9. Core training. It is believed that strengthening of core muscles is beneficial for all age groups and people are fast realizing the importance of having strong core muscles.
10. Group personal training. This type of training caters to the budget-conscious health enthusiasts. There is a growing trend where personal trainers cater to a group of clients at a steep discount.

How to Prepare for the Projected Influx

As the inflow of people and fitness professionals into the industry increases, so does the need to organize your fitness business. It is vital that a gym today efficiently and correctly manages their financials and tracks their member’s attendance and activity. In other words personal training sessions, commission calculations, liabilities, new members sales, eft, dues, cancellations, and other activities related to your fitness business are to be managed properly in order to take the most advantage of this projected growth. A good fitness management software solution can simplify these time-consuming tasks while you focus your time and energy in marketing the niche that stands you apart from your competition.

Helping the Fitness Business Operator via Software

Making the most of your fitness facilities instructors and personal trainers depends most on having accurate information about members’ usage of the facilities, or lack thereof including retention, and attrition rates. But with the fitness industry having a high turnover of members and personal trainers, accurate information can be difficult and time consuming to calculate. By having a good gym management software solution, this vital information can be at your fingertips daily. Knowledge is the key to improvement and improvement is the key to staying competitive in this growing and already saturated industry.