Insights Into How Exercisers Rely On Digital Technology

Every year, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) surveys more than 4,000 fitness professionals to find out what they see as the fitness trends for the upcoming year. The list of the top 20 for 2020 came out in October, and now’s a good time for fitness centers and gyms to make sure they’re addressing at least some of the trends.

The top five trends on the ACSM list:

1. Wearable technology
2. High-intensity interval training
3. Group training
4. Training with free weights
5. Personal training

There are more than few takeaways for health clubs and exercisers from this year’s list, but one of the most striking is the trend toward digital.

Digital Connection Is Essential

Wearable technology has appeared in the top spot of the survey for four of the last five years. This fact continues to illustrate how important it is for facilities to be current with technology. Exercisers have come to rely on digital connection to their workouts.

They track their progress with an Apple Watch or use an app like eGym to get holistic picture of their fitness journey.

There’s a reason why wearables have emerged as a top trend, exercisers feel they benefit from them. In a survey by GlobalWebIndex of people in the United States and England, 56% of respondents said they enjoy looking at the data on their device, while 51% said it helped them feel more in control of their health.

Fitness companies like Life Fitness have innovated to make sure exercisers are getting the most out of their workouts. Premium cardio consoles from Life Fitness pair seamlessly with Apple Watch. Workout information from the treadmill, bike or cross-trainer is shared with the Apple Watch in real time.

Signs This Trend Isn't Going Away

The GlobalWebIndex survey also hinted that the wearables trend is here to stay. 34% of respondents say they own a wearable device, and a whopping 32% said they plan to purchase one in the future. If the numbers are even reasonably accurate, that's a massive number of future wearables owners.

What Exercisers Are Using Wearables For

Another insight provided by the survey was how exactly people are putting their wearables to use. Most, 66%, use it as a step counter and 53% claim to use it as a calorie counter. Those were the top uses, and both are related to fitness. 

It seems pretty clear through these stats and recent trends that digital technology will be a huge part of the future of fitness. The best course of action for health clubs and fitness facilities is to embrace it.

See how Apple Watch easily syncs with Life Fitness cardio equipment.