This is a guest post by Insure Fitness Group.
As we see out the final months of 2018, we wonder will 2019 be more of the same or will things shake up in the fitness industry? Yes and no. Some things will remain the same and others will change considerably.
In terms of the business
2019 will see some additional polarization of clients, and the specific demands unique to their generations. At one end, millennials are prepared to pay top dollar for their boutique workouts and will likely increasingly look towards high intensity but social workouts.
At the other end, baby-boomers who are now being told by their doctors they need to hit the gym for age related health reasons or get fitter, will continue to expand. You should expect your business to need to cater to both. This requires different messaging and marketing.
Talking about clients, expect them to be well aware of the trends, their options, and what their goals realistically are. They will know more about fitness in general, what they want to achieve, and how they intend to go about it. Conversely, it will be on trainers and instructors to deliver results.
You can expect two direct effects of your client’s knowing more. You will need to know (a lot) more than your clients do. Not just about the correct way to do an exercise. You will need to understand physiology, metabolism and nutrition as well. You will need to invest time in Continuing Education and being ahead of the reader of health magazines. But the positive effect is when a client believes you can help them, they will stay.
Make sure that your licenses are totally up to date, and you keep up to date with continuing education.
Lastly, especially as millennials become more engaged, get rid of paper. You will need to take electronic payments, whether that’s Venmo or you get a square reader, is up to you. The ease of offering various payments styles to your clients will be an added benefit to your business.
What about exercise?
Okay, the business side will change, but what about exercises themselves? The elephant in the room is motivation, and so unsurprisingly, there are lots of trends and fads. But there are also some very definite trends which are going to make a difference.
Team workouts will still be in style. The camaraderie and sense of belonging from a workout with friends isn’t going to go away. What will be different is how these happen. Boutique gyms which specialize in one area will become more popular. These can be things can be anything from underwater spin classes – to barre, they will continue to be popular options for anyone looking to get in shape.
The amazing thing about boutique gyms is the cost. The theory is specialized advice costs more than general advice does. Boutique gyms can be as much as $32 per class but certainly not less than $20.
Expect more fusion classes. Barre and Cardio, or Pilates and anything you like to add. The concept is to add a cardio burn into an alternative class so there is a higher calorie burn and an increased metabolism work as well as the stretching, balance and muscle work.
Remember where we previously mentioned today’s client is more educated on fitness and has more specific goals in mind? They are aware of the effects certain exercises can have and want classes or programs that do it all.
Barre Intensity is an especially great workout, since it incorporates attributes of Pilates, dance, and functional fitness. This will help with clients who want to target all muscles and increase calorie burn.
Trends come and go, but at the beginning of every year it’s vital to consider the following;
There are plenty of clients out there – how will you get your share?
Clients are prepared to pay for what a personal trainer can bring, but the trainer needs to be educated, personal, and informative. Above all the trainer needs to expect a knowledgeable client.
Trends will come and go, but you need to be ahead of them. Maybe try implementing fun ideas such as “workout of the day” to keep your sessions or classes fresh.
Technology. It will be there and you need it. It’s the best way to track and give feedback to your exercise savvy clients.
This is a good time to be a personal trainer or group fitness instructor. Better yet, this is a good time to be an excellent personal trainer. Be one who makes a difference.
Stay insured with Personal Training and Group Fitness Insurance by Insure Fitness Group.