Fitness trends for 2012

1. Strength Training
Pretty much every piece of fitness research suggests that strength training is a critical part of a balanced health and fitness programme for people of all ages, activity levels and genders. Expect weight training to play an increasingly important role in fitness programming in 2011 - especially where weight loss is involved.

2. Functional Fitness
Exercising to lose weight and look good is fine, but ever increasing numbers of people - from office-based to manual workers - are looking for programmes that help them to manage the demands of their daily lives better. This means that exercises that focus on enhancing everyday movements are set to gain in popularity. Check out the Kickstart board in club for effective exercises that help you target your legs, back, arms and abs!

3. Core Training
Conditioning the muscles of the mid-section, including the pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen - all of which provide support for the spine - has been a priority for knowledgeable trainers for some time. As stress levels escalate and back problems multiply, so will the demand for core strengthening exercises. Pilates is great for improving strength, why not book a class at your local LA fitness club?

4. Group Personal Training
Personal training will continue to expand as people seek individualised help and advice with their training but as a new development we are also likely to see more people working with PTs in small groups. Look out in selected clubs this January for the launch of our brand new small group training programme “Accelerator”.

5. Yoga
On the flip side of the exercise intensity coin, more and more people are being drawn to the calm strength that yoga projects; the inexorable rise of this powerful mind-body medium shows no sign of abating in 2011.

6. Measurement
Like every other industry, fitness is utilising technology like never before and so you can expect to see an increased focus on measuring exercise results and outcomes. This is particularly true at LA Fitness where we want to help you set realistic exercise goals and achieve them.

7. Classes
High-energy dance-based classes (like Alesha Dixons Dance Fusion) have captured the imagination of the public - particularly in the wake of TV shows like ‘Strictly’. These classes will continue to go from strength-to-strength in 2011. The popularity of group cycling is also forecast to grow even further so why not try a Spin class next time you visit club?

8. Wellness coaching
Wellness coaching is something that is relatively new on the scene, but at a time when we are seeking a better balance in our lives, more and more people are looking to their health club to provide them with insights into how to manage pressure and stay healthy. This is something that LA Fitness is committed to doing for our members.

9. Social Media
You would have had to be living on a different planet not to have noticed the role that social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter are playing in people’s lives. We will be using these sites to enhance our relationship with you even further in 2011. The LA fitness Facebook page is already up and running and we are launching our Twitter service this month where you can follow us @LAfitnesstips.

And for those of you who would like to take it up a notch …

Sports Specific
Fitness tends to be specific - put Lance Armstrong in the pool or Michael Phelps on a bike and they are not the same athletes. Training for a particular event or activity is on the increase and we have a whole range of programmes that can help you get in shape for your chosen sport, take a look on the Kickstart board to see what’s available.

Strength Training
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has enabled some of our members to get great results from their cardio training in record time. We expect this higher intensity trend to continue into the weights room where (experts say) most people probably don’t lift as much as they are safely capable of doing. Please always seek advice from a member of the fitness team before attempting to lift heavier weights.

Bodyweight Exercises
Press ups, dips, pulls ups etc. aren’t exactly new, but when you combine them with exercise balls and BOSU balls they create an extremely challenging workout that combines strength with balance and elevates your heart rate too. Expect to see a whole variety of innovative new exercises from our coaches that will push you even further next year.

As always when embarking on a new type or level of exercise you should seek the advice of a member of our Fitness Team so they can ensure that you only do what's safe for your body and that you use the correct techniques to ensure you get the results that you want.