(Mettis Trainer — November 27, 2015) — Pay a visit to any fitness club and you’ll find it chock-full of different body shapes and sizes, all lifting, pulling, running, rowing and cycling in an attempt to lose weight, get fit or add to their already hulking frame.
The 2015 State of the Fitness Industry Report has revealed the health and fitness industry in is absolutely thriving, with more clubs, more members and a greater market value than ever before.
In fact, one in every eight people in the US and UK are members of a gym.
The strongest growth indicator, however, is the total industry membership, which is up 5.8 per cent over the last year
Innovative Thinking
David Minton, Director of The Leisure Database Company has said: “The results are great news for the industry and finally we have some innovation and fresh thinking coming through; the consumer obviously appreciates the new experiences, as shown by the sharp increase in member numbers.”
However, for every person happy to hit the gym solo, there’s an apprehensive and trembling newbie – the one who wouldn’t know a protein shake from a McFlurry – awash with fear and loathing as they attempt to negotiate the often baffling series of machines.
But this is an area where qualified personal trainers are helping to ease the trepidation.
While it’s easy to imagine these fitness professionals as torturous drill sergeants with an unending lust for pain and a desire to see their clients suffer, the reality is actually very different – they’re the ones shaping the new experiences David Minton refers to above.
Accredited Professionals
In a bid to attract and retain clients, though, the modern personal trainer must make sure they’re equipped with much more than a pair of thighs that could crack walnuts – they must possess the appropriate credentials from a recognised training provider.
After all, while a physique Arnold Schwarzenegger would be proud of is undoubtedly impressive, without the supplementary academic background and knowledge of the nuances governing the industry, they’re unlikely to make any real headway.
Consequently, the range of available fitness courses is furnishing personal trainers with the requisite skills they need to support their clients to achieve their health and fitness goals – and make the gym a less daunting place.
So what’s next for the fitness industry?
Well, in a word, its technology. If the current trend continues, gym memberships will continue to rise with many more fitness establishments and personal trainers working to carve out their own piece of this undeniably lucrative and rewarding industry. What will all of these new gyms use to attract and keep their paying customers, more – and better – technology.
Two years ago FitBit(r) took the fitness technology niche from a curiosity to a business. The Fitbit Flex wristband tracks the number and speed of steps you take throughout the day and when you set it to sleep mode, it monitors your wakefulness and movement during sleep. The Flex synchronizes this data with your own Fitbit account via Bluetooth. A wireless Bluetooth USB adapter lets you synchronize using any computer and the Flex synchronizes in the background for Bluetooth enabled phones.
From the mobile apps or the website, you can log:
- additional details about your activities, including those that the wristband doesn’t adequately measure, like yoga or weight lifting
- additional periods of sleep if you forgot to set it to sleep mode
- foods eaten (with calorie and nutritional info from the Fitbit database)
- amount of water consumed
- body measurements, including weight, measurements, heart rate, blood pressure, glucose
- a journal of your mood and other health factors
International CES Innovation Awards
FitBit was propelled into the fitness world with its recognition as a International CES Innovation Award winner. This year, more great technologies will be on display at the International CES convention in Las Vegas. The event will run from January 6-9.
This year’s Honoree in the Fitness, Sports and Biotech category is the Mettis Trainer(r). The Mettis Trainer(r) shoe insert, and companion smartphone application, is the first to monitor real-time balance, force, and weight distribution while running on the course or on the field of play. Each insert has three BendSensors(r), weighs less than 60 grams, and features a comfortable yet durable insert estimated to last 300-500 miles.
Using a smartphone, the Mettis Trainer(r) displays real-time data via Bluetooth(tm) to a wireless device. These proprietary BendSensors(r), manufactured by Flexpoint Sensor Systems, measure force applied in each heel, and on the lateral and medial side of the foot.
The public, retailers and manufacturers can be among the first to give Mettis Trainer a run at the CES Show in Las Vegas, at booth No. 72961.
About Bend Tech, LLC
Bend Tech, LLC the company behind the Mettis Trainer(r) develops next generation sensor technology designed to improve athletic performance. Based in Salt Lake City, Bend Tech was founded by Jules Anthony “Tony” deGreef, a former California Highway Patrol officer with over 30 years of entrepreneurial and executive sports experience. More information is available at www.press.mettistrainer.com, or by calling (801) 897-8669.
Source: http://newswire.net/newsroom/blog-post/00091167-the-fitness-industry-is-going-from-strength-to-strength.html