Thanks to social media, words like trending, viral, and influence have become, well, trendy. Trending and accumulating views are the goal for influencers to make a buck. Some of it is useful, some of it is garbage, but it is all designed to attract attention for financial gain, the main goal. In the world of fitness, feedback from surveys is compiled each year to see what is popular. The goal is to guide organizations and fitness facilities toward their offerings to satisfy patrons which does lead to making a buck. Although fitness trends have remained fairly consistent over the years, there has been a little movement in trends from 2023 survey feedback.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conducts a yearly survey and lists its top 20 fitness trends. There are a few observations to note about the survey and how it compares to previous years. Some of the changes are influenced by technology while others by human behavior. There are also the tried and true trends that will most likely never fall off the list.

First, the 2023 list as follows:

1. Wearable technology
2. Strength training with free weights
3. Body weight training
4. Fitness programs for older adults
5. Functional fitness training
6. Outdoor activities
7. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
8. Exercise for weight loss
9. Employing certified fitness professionals
10. Personal training
11. Core training
12. Circuit training
13. Home exercise gyms
14. Group exercise training
15. Exercise is Medicine
16. Lifestyle medicine
17. Yoga
18. Licensure for fitness professionals
19. Health/well-being coaching
20. Mobile exercise apps

The list is fluid from year to year as some trends fall out of the top 20 and then return with a vengeance at times. Let’s take a look at some of the 2023 trends.

• Wearable technology has maintained a high ranking in recent years. With all the new technology, this should be no surprise. What is a surprise is that in 2013, this did not even make the list. 2013 doesn’t seem like that long ago, but wearables have come a long way in 10 years. Don’t be surprised if virtual technology tops the list 10 years from now.
• Strength training with free weights is making a triumphant return. Strength training has always hovered somewhere on the list but is now being more defined to just free weights. This is a very important distinguishment as facilities choose how to prioritize equipment purchases.
• High intensity interval training (HIIT) has taken bit of a hit. This is definitely still a go to for many fitness enthusiasts, however, it wasn’t even on the radar in 2013. It then reached the #1 trend in 2018 and stayed in the top 5 until 2023, coming in at #7. Maybe the “high intensity” aspect has become a little tiresome?
• Home exercise gyms and Outdoor activities both reached and have stayed in the top 20 sometime around 2020, about when you would suspect (FYI, it’s no surprise that Online Training was #1 on the list in 2021). The positive is that these trends mean that people are taking it upon themselves to stay active at home and outside of just their gym memberships.
• Exercise is Medicine first appeared on the list in 2017. This is a global initiative to continue the enhancement of the medical industry’s prescription of exercise versus just encouraging patients to be active. This trend also fits for those that are taking it upon themselves to improve health versus depending solely on medication.

The ACSM Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends is interesting to read and compare from year to year. The most important thing about the list is to remember that it does not need to define you in your fitness journey. Just because something is popular doesn’t mean it is the most effective. The end goal is to be healthier. Just as a YouTube video may get millions of views, it doesn’t mean it is of any use to you. Focus on what works for you even if it is not trending.