Each
year the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), otherwise known as the
Harvard of fitness certifications, predicts the top fitness trends for the
coming year with its annual “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends.” During a
complex process of secret balloting similar to Survivor: Fitness Island (yes,
Survivor IS still on the air) a group of 2,620 fitness gurus select their predications
for the hottest trends from a list of 37 potential trends. Each week we’ll be
examining a different trend for 2012 and how it relates to your health and
fitness – complete with a healthy dose of our two cents. This is part 1 of a 20 part saga. That's right, we're doing these Star Wars-style!
Trend
#1:
Educated and certified fitness professionals
Details: The field of
kinesiology (the study of human movement, in case you didn’t want to Google the
precise definition…) is booming. Accredited certification programs like ACE, NASM,
ISSA
and most notably ACSM (ooh, fancy acronyms)
raised the bar on their certification standards. People intent on becoming
trainers or group fitness instructors are now earning four-year degrees in the
field then bolstering that education through certification with accredited
governing bodies.
The
Verdict:
Ten years ago, most people couldn’t tell you what “kinesiology” meant. Trainers
were “certified” by taking weekend seminars and spitting out words like “reps”
and “cardio” – if they even held a certification. Group fitness instructors just needed a lifetime supply of spandex, head bands and Reebok high tops. That’s all changing and we,
in the fitness industry, couldn’t be more delighted! This means your trainer or
Boot Camp instructor has a better understanding of biomechanics, minimizing
your risk of injury and enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of your time at
the gym1. The bottom line: Better education = better quality of
training and instruction.
