5 Things That Epitomize The Boutique Fitness Center
It’s inevitable that after faithfully making their New Year’s resolutions, Americans' collective attention turns to health and fitness. A frenzy to renew or purchase gym memberships ensues, to the consternation of veteran gym rats who invariably find their favorite machines perpetually occupied in January.
As developers are increasingly expected to deliver high-quality, bespoke fitness centers as vital components of their office and multifamily projects, they should be aware of these five things dominating the modern fitness center as the new year approaches.
Wearable technology, including activity trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors and GPS tracking devices, has become ubiquitous at the gym. Wearables can also be linked to cardio equipment using things like the Preva Software from Precor, allowing users to add time spent on the treadmill, elliptical and other machines. They can track things like historical performance, gains, session duration and energy expenditure. This keeps exercisers engaged and creates a sense of community by tracking exerciser results and goals.
One of the surest ways to adhere to a new fitness regimen is sharing results with friends who can keep each other accountable, even introducing an element of friendly competition with an office pool.
Body weight training for some still conjures mental images of ceaseless push-ups and pull-ups, but it's actually much more versatile. Body weight training, also referred to as “functional training,” allows people to get “back to the basics” of fitness. The pros at enerG wellness, who helped produce this list, suggest facilities offer functional training stations such as Queenax to capitalize on this.
High-Intensity Interval Training involves quick bursts of activity followed by a short period of recovery or rest. HIIT is beneficial because it cuts workout time in half while achieving maximum results. The new Assault Bike from Precor, which has been featured in the CrossFit Games, is a perfect product for exercisers who want to measure heart rate, revolutions per minute and watts during their HIIT workout.
Strength training remains an indispensable component for most fitness facilities. It’s an essential part of a complete exercise program for all physical activity levels and genders.
It's seeing a resurgence in gyms as it gains wider acceptance. Extensive research in respected exercise and physiology journals debunked two pervasive myths, proving strength training is not just for bodybuilders.
First, adolescents were previously advised to avoid weight training, as the mass was thought to put pressure on the spinal column, stunting growth. This concern turned out to be unfounded. The opposite is actually true, as weight-bearing exercises (executed with proven techniques) can actually increase bone density and growth.
Second, women used to eschew weights in favor of cardio, believing the former would add "bulk" to their figures. This also turned out to be an irrational fear, and a lean-muscled physique is very much in vogue at the moment.
The enerG wellness team recommends a combination of strength stations and free weights in the fitness center.
Group training is already big, and getting bigger. Group exercise instructors train, lead and motivate individuals through expertly designed group exercise classes. Group programs are motivational and effective for people of all fitness levels, and are usually designated by how much prior experience is required to succeed in them.
Some of the most popular are spin classes, barre classes and yoga. The pros at enerG wellness recommend Spinning by Precor, which offer indoor cycles that are readily integrated in any facility, as they can be easily moved to accommodate a dual purpose yoga or personal training space.
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