The continuous lockdowns you witnessed during the height of the pandemic accelerated a long-term trend towards more emphasis on digital fitness. Learn about the industry’s short-, medium-, and long-term forecasts, including the impact of AI on every aspect of the market and the further gamification of the sector. Learn here about the current trends and future movements that will define the high-end fitness and wellness industries.
- IoT-Enabled Fitness Equipment
Although fitness trackers and smartwatches have been available for some time, the upcoming wave of wearable technology is expected to be far more sophisticated. Smart shoes and socks are only two examples of wearable and athletic clothing that may capture biometric data such as step count, distance covered, muscle stretch, and heart rate, all of which can be used to improve and personalise an individual’s at-home exercise routine. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will become more common in fitness trackers. Wearables may use AI to deliver more personalised and accurate suggestions and feedback to better assist its users in optimising their exercises and achieving their fitness objectives.
- Exercising Made Fun
Gamified fitness incorporates game mechanics such as points, badges, leaderboards, and awards to keep users interested and engaged. Fitness trackers and other gamified fitness applications and programmes let users compare their progress to that of their friends and family and earn virtual badges for achieving certain milestones. There has also been a proliferation of eSports—professional gaming—teams and leagues throughout the globe. Watch out for competitions incorporating eSports such as first-person shooters, strategic, and combat games.
- Customised Workouts
With AI, modern fitness applications can tailor exercise routines to each user by considering their current fitness level, health status, and desired outcomes. Exercises, lengths, rep counts, and difficulty levels may all be suggested. Apps like Gymfitty and ArtiFit, which employ artificial intelligence to tailor exercises to each individual, are revolutionising the personal training industry. In addition, the study of exercise and health genetics, a relatively new discipline, will keep growing. Today, a DNA test may reveal your unique metabolic rate, muscle composition, endurance response, and best dietary type, all of which inform your individualised health and fitness recommendations.
- Biohacking
The DIY biology movement known as biohacking, which focuses on enhancing health, performance, and happiness through deliberate intervention, is predicted to remain popular next year. Nutrigenomics is a subfield of biohacking that examines the relationship between what you eat and your genes. By tracking and adjusting their intake of various nutrients, individuals are attempting to biohack their own cognitive and emotional states. Biohackers will increasingly look to these embedded gadgets to help them achieve their fitness goals.
- Holistic Health
There is also a movement towards valuing mental and emotional health as much as physical health. Therefore, in addition to conventional exercises, you can anticipate a rise in the popularity of fitness programmes emphasising mindfulness, stress reduction, and healthy eating. Now, fitness trackers can monitor a person’s sleep, stress, and other markers of mental health and offer tailored, all-encompassing advice and services to help them cope.
Conclusion
Because of our shared desire to improve our health daily, the fitness sector has maintained the growth it experienced. Technology focused on wellness inspires new ways of communicating, consuming information, and engaging in physical activity. The industry benefits from a highly engaged audience with a strong desire for the latest innovations.