Keep an eye out for these health and fitness trends in 2022
The latest wellness tech builds on previous innovations with an eye to putting you more in control.
Credit:
Echelon Fitness
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The health and fitness world has shifted over the past few years—namely, there’s been much more time spent exercising at home or outdoors and less time spent in the gym or studio. And while many have returned to the gym, some found they prefer keeping their workouts within their own four walls. It looks like at-home fitness is going to get even more attention in 2022, as companies seek to improve equipment like cardio machines and fitness trackers many are already using.
To see what may soon be available for your home gym, check out these health and fitness trends we think you’ll be seeing this year, based on what we saw at CES 2022.
More virtual coaching options
Virtual personal training can help you get the most out of your workouts.
Exercising from home has its advantages, but without guidance from an instructor, you may be left wondering if you’re doing it right. Brands like Tempo and Tonal have already brought AI-powered virtual coaching to consumers, and it seems that more companies are looking for ways to let consumers access personal trainers through their screens.
For one, RowerUp brings a robot coach to your rowing machine. Using AI-powered technology, RowerUp can analyze your movements via webcam and give you real-time feedback on your form. RowerUp’s technology can also be used for other workouts like running and CrossFit, and you can expect to see similar offerings emerge in other sports.
Home workout gear innovations
Get ready for upgraded home exercise equipment.
Unsurprisingly, home workout equipment is here to stay. From exercise bikes to strength training accessories, you’ll be able to find plenty of gear worthy of a spot in your home gym—or more realistically, the corner in your living room—no matter your preferred workout method.
Echelon Fitness revamped the classic exercise bike with the EX-8s. With a curved 24-inch screen and dual-speaker sound system, it's designed to better mimic the in-person cycle studio experience. The EX-8s also makes cycling more user-friendly by moving the resistance adjustment to buttons on the handlebars, which are easier to maneuver when riding out of the saddle than the typical center knob.
But if you’re bored with exercise bikes, or its common cousins, treadmills, ellipticals, or rowing machines, consider the climber, a la the Versaclimber you may have noticed in the back of a gym. Like using the elliptical or rowing, climbing provides a low-impact cardio workout which also engages your full body, by mimicking the movement of climbing a ladder. CLMBR is allowing users to climb at home with a machine more compact than other cardio equipment.
A focus on recovery
Exercise recovery will be the focus in 2022.
You may also find some new ways to rest your muscles in 2022. In addition to foam rollers, massage guns, and heat therapy, alternative recovery methods such as cryotherapy, wherein your body or specific parts are subjected to very cold temperatures for a short period of time, and red light therapy are gaining traction.
Red light therapy in particular may be beneficial for muscle regeneration, and you may soon be able to take it with you to the gym, thanks to Lumaflex. Lumaflex makes portable and flexible pads that emit red light, so you can use them wherever you want (on your body and in your life).
Biometric tracking beyond step count
Learn more about your body with smart health tracking.
In the last few years, fitness trackers and smartwatches have added next-level biometric sensors to dig deeper into your health, with devices such as the Apple Watch gaining FDA approval along the way. The trend continues with additional devices aiming to give you greater insights into your blood pressure, glucose levels, heart health, and more.
For example, the Withings Body Scan smart scale measures your fat mass and muscle mass by extremity and uses a six-lead ECG to assess your cardiovascular health and detect signs of atrial fibrillation (A.K.A. a-fib). Withings also claims the Body Scan will be able to track nerve activity through your feet’s sweat glands by using a small electrical current. This technology could detect neuropathy, or nervous system damage, which may result from an underlying condition such as diabetes. (Withings is currently seeking FDA approval for the Body Scan, which may debut without all these features should the approval fall through.)