Some thoughts and discussions from me.
My Predictions on Future Fitness Trends
Good morning, my friends!
I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Right now, as I’m starting this post on Sunday morning, I’m feeling very nostalgic. I just caught up with some people from back home, and…dare I say…I miss Illinois right now? I don’t feel like this very often – in fact, this might be the first time I actually miss Illinois, rather than the people in Illinois (the people, I miss a LOT.) But I did have a very happy life there!
Don’t get me wrong though, I love Colorado and everything about it. I mean, on Saturday we drove an hour west with these two and white water rafted in the mountains of Colorado!
photo c/o Lauren
We went courtesy of Lauren and the AVA rafting company, and had so much fun! And of course, then had a celebratory beer (or two) at Tommy Knockers brewery 
Pumpkin beer – with a cinnamon brown sugar rim. It was basically Christmas in a glass…in July.
Anyway, I guess what I’m saying is I have lots of happy memories back in Illinois, and every now and then, I miss them! I see that as totally normal. I am kind of curious to see how I feel as time goes on, though. Will these feelings increase? Or decrease even more as I live here longer? Only time will tell; I’m can’t predict the future!
But I do try…
From the topic of homesicknesses (I could call it that if I were being dramatic) to the topic of fitness, as it always seems to come back to on this blog, let’s talk about future fitness predictions!
Every now and then I just like to say what’s on my mind on this little space of mine. Recently I was talking with another trainer about what we thought future fitness trends would be in the next decade. We talked about what would keep on growing, and what would fizzle out, and we agreed on two main beliefs:
1. Functional training would continue to grow.
I think people really do enjoy fitness more when it’s FUNctional. It seems more like play time when you’re using your body weight, free weights, med balls, stability balls, and challenging yourself with plyo’s and other mechanisms of using your body in physically challenging ways.
Instead of just mindlessly putting in your 30 minutes on the elliptical, or picking weights up and putting them down over and over and over, (which are both completely fine!) I think functional training tends to keep most people engaged and entertained more. Plus, you don’t need thousands of dollars to be able work out functionally. All you need is your body weight, and a few heavy things!
And the second belief…
2. Crossfit popularity will likely decrease and lose popularity.
I know that some (a lot of) people are going to disagree with me right out of the gates, but I stand firm in my belief that the Crossfit craze will die down. And it comes down to one reason, and one reason only: I see FAR too many clients who are just getting back to working out because of a crossfit injury (seriously, about half of all new clients I see have previous injuries from crossfit.) I see shoulder, knee, and back injuries from Crossfit all. the. time.
And I know that probably not all Crossfit boxes are way too intense for the average person, but a lot are for a lot of people. Let me also say that I haven’t ever tried Crossfit, and a handful of my blog friends (none of my real life friends do, though, come to think of it…) love it, but I think there are far too many people getting injured from Crossfit for it to keep gaining popularity.
As for me? I’m loving a mixture of functional fitness and resistance training with weights. Right now, I’m doing a full body lifting workout 3 days a week, and just added 1 day of a metabolic functional workout in that’s just about 20 minutes long. I’m also, of course, hiking, and loving it 
Now I want to hear from you! What are your fitness trend predictions? Do you agree or disagree with me?
What kind of fitness are you loving right now?
I agree with your prediction on Crossfit, it will definitely die down soon. But right now I am loving my upper and lower body strength circuits, quick HIIT session and copious amounts of Yoga!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Power Monday #7 Sleek and Strong Arms
and Ive still never tried the fit which be cross.
yet :-0
Miz recently posted…What’s your brand saying?
I want to TRY CrossFit but I don’t want it to be my only form of exercise and I want to make sure I’m at the right place, with the right people when I DO try it!
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More recently posted…Pumpin Blood
Love this Paige and I really hope that functional fitness will continue to grow! In terms of crossfit, as a crossfitter myself I do hope the “trend” dies down a bit. I think you are 100% right, because it’s the “it thing” right now, far too many boxes are rushing to open and then have lackluster coaching simply because the coaches themselves aren’t trained enough. I’m really fortunate to have found an amazing box with a focus on safety and we tend to have very few injuries but I know that’s not the norm. I started crossfit when it was a small community and not many people knew what it was, and I actually miss that a bit! I think the major popularity right now might be giving crossfit a bad rep, when done right, it can be really effective. Sorry for the rant 🙂 Love this post!
Danielle recently posted…How to Kick Sugar and Not Hate Your Life!
I was hoping a crossfitter would way in 🙂 Thanks for that perspective, Danielle. Glad you found a gym that’s right for you!
Totally agree with you Danielle! I CrossFit also and it does make me nervous that so many people are opening up boxes and training people when maybe they aren’t quite ready for it yet. But, I think this tends to happen when any sport first takes off in popularity. I mean, remember a few years ago when yoga hit its stride and studios popped up everywhere (and have since gone out of business!) and injuries were rampant bc of untrained instructors pushing students too far? Yowza. That stuff makes me nervous! Luckily, our gym doesn’t have any injuries either and I’m so glad I trust my coach 🙂
Colorado Gal recently posted…Sunday Morning on the Trails
Totally agree with the functional training. People will always gravitate towards and FUN and effective workout- especially if the format is continually changing!
I also hope crossfit will fizz out- I’m guessing the craze about it now is how jazz revise was back in the day…just a bit overboard (but props to those who love it)
Lately, I’ve been loving hot yoga…and I had always sworn it off as something I would never do! I’ve found it helps my mental clarity AND I have a more positive outlook on my body 🙂
Jen @nutcaseinpoint recently posted…I Like Saturdays
I did this, too! I had no idea why people would ever want to do yoga in a HOT room. Then I tried it, and something about it just feels awesome!
I totally agree, especially about functional training. Glad you had a great weekend. Gotta’ love friends n’ good beer. 🙂
Tiff @ Love Sweat & Beers recently posted…MIMM: Beach Trip!
Crossfit scares me. Same with them savage races and generally obstacle course races. I know it something I could learn to do and do well, but as injury prone as I am, I just can’t do it!
Right now I am training for a marathon, so I am mostly running and doing light strength circuit training. I also do yoga and a zumba strength class once a week (ever take a zumba class with a body builder as the instructor? It’s awesome!). I get a few spin classes as well and hoping to be able to add some in soon.
I’m in off season right now, but come September, I will have inline speed skating practice again as well. Busy busy!
I definitely agree with you on both counts. On the Crossfit side, I think it’s largely a fad – and all fads die sooner or later. That being said, I still want to check out a class soon – I always feel like I need to try something in order to form a solid opinion on it.
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted…MIMM: Camping Weekend.
Totally with you on the functional training! I love it for just those reasons you mentioned above. I haven’t gone to a crossfit class – partly due to cost and more so the sole reason of fear of injury! It will be interesting to see if there’s another ‘fitness craze’ like that, that happens.
I feel like pilates is also becoming more popular! Or maybe always has been.
Danielle @ Labelsarefortincans recently posted…New Recipe: Chocolate Chai Smoothie
Love this idea for a post. Totally agree with you on them too. It’s so funny how fitness and food trends come about and then turn around completely, it kind of makes me laugh how we still get SO obsessed over fitness and food trends, when we for the most part know that they are just that…trends. I always wonder how people fall into them.
Lisa recently posted…Simply Lovely
I absolutely agree about Crossfit. It’s definitely the in thing right now, and I’d like to give it a try, but I don’t think it will stay this popular.
Natalie @ Free Range Human recently posted…MIMM: I’m Choosing The Positive
yep, i think you are spot on. We need to focus more on Functional fitness anyway! and i think there are going to be more combo classes. SPin Yoga, etc.
lindsay recently posted…Don’t Bump My Happy & GF Chocolate PB Nuttzo Pie
I TOTALLY agree with with you, about both.
One thing I hear from people who hate “working out” is that it is boring. When I ask them what they don’t like about it, the first thing out of their mouth is that they “hate the treadmill”. If only they knew the wonders of functional training! The treadmill is a place to start, but honestly, people are going to get WAY more benefits (mentally AND physically) through dynamic workouts that engage multiple muscle groups and keeps peoples interest.
The idea of functional training is REALLY growing. I see more and more reality TV shows promoting it, as well as workout programs, classes, and DVD’s that are using it over classic steady state aerobics any day !
My thoughts on crossfit are also similar. The prices to join a crossfit gym are CRAZY high. I admire that the atmosphere can be motivating, but I’ve just heard way too much about injury for it to last long. I enjoy going to a few free workouts my local crossfit gym offers a few times a month, but I would never join.
we agree with you!! we have never done a crossfit workout, do not really have a desire. But as long as people are doing things they enjoy and not hurting their bodies then we say keep doing it. But we are all about short and simple workouts.
I agree with you! Crossfit is like all the other fads and will die down too. There have have numerous other fads that went through the same thing and yes, I too, as a trainer see lots of crossfit injuries.
I also think the running community will continue to see gains. Races are getting bigger and bigger!
I agree with you about Crossfit (as did an IHRSA panel discussion I was on last year), for exactly the reason that you state.
I think that small group training popularity will continue to grow. It is mostly functional training, fun because of the group setting, and a big money saver over one-on-one training.
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta recently posted…Feel Confident with Poise (and win a $100 Visa Gift Card!)
Yes! I agree on the semi-personal/small group training, too.
I definitely agree that functional training will continue to grow. It is an enjoyable and effective form of exercise and it always keeps things interesting and fast-paced. I can’t say much about crossfit since I haven’t tried it myself, but your prediction is surprising to me. I thought more and more people would get into it, but I can also see your pout about the injuries. Great post!
Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves recently posted…Sleepy Monday
I totally agree with both of these! I have a ton of patients and friends who have gotten injuries from crossfit, and for me- it is just too intense! I do love functional fitness though. Way more fun!!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted…Back to The Hills
I agree about CrossFit. A group of people come into my gym and do CrossFit almost every day. Once thing I’ve noticed is they are compromising their form in order to get a “good time” and beat other people. I’ve tried it with them a few times and it provides a change of pace and makes you push yourself harder when competing, but as you said, people are prone to injuring themselves. So many people aren’t performing the exercises properly. In school last semester, our teacher who is also a Physical Therapist talked with us about how so many people doing CrossFit injure themselves, especially their knees. Many of her athletic clients have injured themselves from CrossFit.
Good post….It’s nice to know that not everyone is getting in the CrossFit rave!
Steph recently posted…Color Dash
I am all about functional training! Definitely agree.
Two words. Pumpkin Beer.
But really.. I’d have to agree that the CrossFit fad will die out. That is not to say there are many valuable exercises and routines one can learn from it.
One prediction of mine: the stigma of lifting weights for women will eventually decrease. Too many women today are afraid that lifting weights will make them bulky… this couldn’t be further from the truth!
The basics will always be the basics. Good ol strength training performed slowly with immaculate form is low risk and sustainable for EVERYBODY for their entire lives!!! Throw in some H.I.I.T cardio a few times per week and EAT correctly and you can be healthy, fit and aesthetically pleasing. Bill Phillips is still right. Body for life was the idiots guide to bodybuilding or bodybuilding in disguise. If training is not sustainable its not worth it. Crossfit breaks 90% people. The average person wants to progress way faster than it takes to learn to do a snatch or an overhead squat with a PVC pipe. They want results NOW and wanna do what the cool guy in the box is doing NOW. Therefore Crossfit is a flawed product from word go that is riding a wave of popularity that will soon frizzle away to become a tiny marginal isolated cult sport much like hardcore dru-riddled bodybuilding. It can not be marketed to the masses.Crossfit looks super cool but is for the physically gifted with the neaural and endocrine system and biomechanics of a god. So unless youre a 20 year athletic old farm Crossfit is probably gonna do more harm than good.
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