BISMARCK, ND (KFYR) – Innovations and technological improvements have made fitness professionals say 2022 will be a year of continued growth in the industry.
Fitness doesn’t look what it used to be just ten years ago. Exercise science and technology have improved, and the pandemic has expanded home exercise options.
Although the pandemic closed gyms in 2020, that hasn’t stopped people from exercising.
“I’ve done a lot of walking outside actually,” said Scott Westermeyer, a Bismarck resident, who is now back to working out at the gym.
Before the pandemic, working from home probably meant limited education. Now, even with gym members returning, the idea of working out from home has been embraced as a fitness supplement. Users flock to convenient virtual classes that connect users socially with real-time instruction. Gyms add virtual classes to their programming.
“You can do exactly what they do in the studio here at home. This has been something that has become very popular, especially during the pandemic, but it is something we have also started,” said Jordan Moorman, director of fitness at Proximal 50.
Coaches say both personal training and at-home fitness are here to stay.
“It’s more about finding what works for you. If you can do everything you want to do at home, that’s great. If you love coming to the gym, you know that’s a social thing for a lot of people, they love the community feeling that they are in The gym, which is great too.I think they’ll be here,” Moorman added.
The exercise frenzy at home isn’t the only way people are embracing their health right now. Fitness technology allows people to customize training and diets for their body types.
“You know everyone’s bodies are different. Genes play a big role in that,” said Kali Stein, a registered nurse at Proximal 50.
One piece of technology used in the fitness world is the DEXA Scanner. The DEXA scanner close to the 50s analyzes body composition. It allows people to step off the scale and more accurately measure health and fitness progress.
“The DEXA scan is a great way to start because we can repeat it in six months or 12 months. Maybe you haven’t had any changes on the scale, but you’ve reduced your body fat, visceral fat, or you’ve not only preserved muscle but gained a little bit of weight. Muscle Gaining a little more muscle can help the metabolism process, thus burning more fat.So it’s a great tool we love to use because sometimes people may not see changes on the scale, but they will notice how their clothes fit and we can then give them Specific numbers in a follow-up,” Stein said.
The fitness gurus of the future say we’ll likely see more technical workouts, short workouts, and hybrid gym experiences that transcend the pandemic.
In the past decade, a major question for exercise scientists has been how exercise can improve the formation of aging bodies and brains. Scientists say movement of almost any kind and quantity can positively change how people think and feel.
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