10 Trends for Fitness and Facility Design Posted: Apr 2013 Posted by: Mats Inc.

Fitness Facility Design Trends for 2013 – From branding and equipment to comfortable locker rooms and inviting lobbies, understanding current recreation and fitness trends leads to successful projects for designers, happy club owners and satisfied fitness club members.

Fitness Trends for 2013

1. Self-Monitoring – I hear there’s an app for that…Smartphone apps track and store data that keep track of what you eat, how well you sleep and how much you move over the course of the day. Download the data and analyze your activity.

2. Mobile Classes – Can’t make it to the gym today? Fitness videos are readily available on the web and we can expect our options to increase as fitness experts capitalize on streaming and live capabilities of the Internet to access larger audiences. Dedicated fitness websites such as DailyBurn, StreamFIT and workoutsondemand offer a variety of workouts for a monthly membership fee.

3. Heavy Lifting For Women – Heavier weight lifting is increasing in popularity among women for many good reasons including stronger bones and better muscle definition.

4. Trimming Workout Time – So who’s not short on time? HIIT, high intensity interval training is a highly effective way to reduce body fat and moderately effective for improving endurance in a shorter amount of time. Like the name suggest, HIIT workouts are intense so starting out slowly will help avoid potential health risks.

5. Body Weight Training – Remember middle school gym class? Proving to be some of the most effective ways to train, old-fashioned exercises like push-ups, rope climbing, uphill running, squat thrust and lunges are popular again.

6. “Functional” Training Classes at the Gym – According to WebMD and others, functional fitness uses strength training to “improve balance, coordination, force, power and endurance.” Functional training helps improve overall performance to support movement for everyday activities, especially helpful programs for older adults.

Fitness Facility Design Trends for 2013

1. Continuing into 2013 is the use of large open space in fitness facility design. People don’t want to feel like they are trapped into one type of exercise. Spacious areas for cardio equipment and weight training with additional roomy sections for popular exercise and instructional classes allow club members to change up their fitness routines and keep them motivated.

2. Dark, basement-like workout spaces are unquestionably a thing of the past. The latest health and fitness center design includes lots of windows to allow natural light into the activity spaces. Studies show that natural light plays a major role in overall body rhythm and energy is not produced from movement and exercise alone. Floor-to-ceiling walls of windows can also give members scenic views of the property and make the facility appear larger and more open.

3. Natural lighting combined with crisp, clean design help to create an inviting fitness center. Incorporating earth tones and water features add to a serene and appealing atmosphere.

4. Interesting punches of color and accents on walls, flooring, equipment and décor contribute to energy levels and work together to inspire the workout.

Article Resources: (Health Trends, January 2013, Huffington Post; Top Fitness Trends for 2013, October 2012, Webmd.com; 13 Fitness Trends to Watch for in 2013, Shape Magazine; High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Fat Loss and Endurance, February 21, 2013, SportScience.co)

Categories: Architect & Designer News, Sports and Fitness Flooring