Early 1900’s

• Bicycling is all the rage
• Physical education became an important part of the school curriculum
• Competitive sports such as baseball, boxing, horse racing, and collegiate football were very popular
• Physical training became important when many military draftees for World War I were declared unfit to serve

1920’s

• Charles Atlas “The World’s Most Perfectly Developed Man” – the Dynamic Tension Health and Fitness Program is introduced to the world
• Joseph Pilates invents pilates
  1930’s
• “The Health Builder” vibrating machine was thought to shake the fat right off
• High volume endurance training was thought to be bad for the heart.
• The Jitterbug dance was born

1940’s

• It was believed that weight training would slow an athlete and most athletic coaches banned weight training.
• The All-American Girl’s Baseball league is born.
• Swing dance is ‘hoppin’.

1950’s

• Endurance exercise was thought to be harmful to women.
• Weight lifting was not a socially acceptable activity for women.
• Circuit training made its appearance.

1960’s

• Jack Lalanne and Muscle Beach
• The term “aerobics” was coined by Dr. Kenneth Cooper

1970’s

• We learned that daily exercise is a major component of health.
• Jogging becomes a huge trend
• Mr. Olympian and Mr. Universe Arnold Schwarzenegger and his bodybuilding trainer Joe Weider

1980’s

• Celebrity work out videos were a plenty
• Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda’s aerobics are the latest thing
• Rebounders – bouncing your way to fitness
• Leg warmers and head bands were worn by many

1990’s

• Tae Bo, kickboxing and boxercise were inspired by martial arts
• Home gyms with treadmills, stationary bikes etc. become popular
• “As seen on TV” craze – ab rollers, ab flexs etc.
• Suzanne Somer’s thigh master
• Physical activity and active living for health benefits

2000’s

• Innovative Bow flex equipment became popular.
• Spinning, strip aerobics, Tai Chi, aqua aerobics, core strength exercises, Thera-balls and yoga  (even though it is a 5000 year old concept from India) become popular
• Pilates made a come back

2005

• Bosu-balls are the new Thera-balls
• “Hydroride” stationary biking underwater
• “Brikam Yoga” performing yoga in a room at 35-40 degrees Celsius

2006

• Strollersize
• Hot Yoga
• Strippersize

2007

• Older adult specific.
• Small-group personal training.
• Youth programming.
• Personal trainers taking a team approach.
• Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi.

2008

For the second year a survey (Fitness Trends) the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) predicted the following fitness trends for 2008:

1. Educated and experienced fitness professionals.
2. Programs to fight childhood obesity.
3. Personal training - it is becoming more realistic and accessible to the public.
4. Strength training – both men and women are incorporating strength training into their daily physical activity.
5. Core training - not only abdominal work but stability balls, wobble boards and foam rollers
6. Older adults specific progrqms.
7. Pilates - a physical activity that targets the core while using the entire body.
8. Functional fitness - using strength training to improve balance, coordination, strength and endurance all the while improving one’s ability to do activities of daily living.
9. Swiss ball - helps with stability, balance and strength.
10. All varieties of yoga.
11. Combining exercise and weight loss.
12. Spinning.
13. Sport-specific training.
14. Balance training.
15. Group personal training.
16. Outcome measurements. Defining and tracking outcomes.
17. Comprehensive health promotion programming at the worksite.
18. Reaching new markets. Commercial, clinical, corporate and community programs.
19. Worker incentive programs. Employee based health programs.
20. Wellness coaching. Focusing on the clients values, needs, vision and goals.

For more information regarding the top 20 trends for 2008 please visit the World Wide Fitness Survey by clicking here.

For more ideas for physical activity click here to visit out ‘Where to be active’ section of our web-site.