Group Fitness Classes Top Trends in SGMA Report

The fitness industry is on the upswing, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association's 2012 edition of Tracking the Fitness Movement, which monitors at-home and health club fitness trends. Topping the list of fastest-growing trends among health club members are class-based activities such as yoga, high-impact aerobics, cardio kickboxing and stationary cycling, which accounted for five of the top ten.

More Americans are joining health clubs, as well, the report indicates, increasing from 50.2 million in 2010 to 51.4 million in 2011. But while 74 percent of Americans reported being involved in some type of activity, inactivity continues to grow among the younger generation, with youths between the ages of 6 and 24 accounting for one quarter of those reporting no level of activity.

The report breaks down statistics on 22 activities by gender, age, income, total participation and frequency of activity. Among other trends highlighted in the report, the two fitness machine categories that generated the most sales in 2011 were treadmills and elliptical machines. Walking for fitness is the most popular activity among all age groups, and while treadmills and hand weights rate second and third in popularity, respectively, among Baby Boomers and Generation X, Millennials prefer running/jogging and bowling, an activity that reflects the social nature of this generation. The report does not say whether Wii bowling was counted as part of the statistic.