As we enter another new year Caroline Dancelady wonders and predicts! whats going to be new and upcoming in the Fitness Business and specifically Children’s and health fitness and wellbeing.
Since Covid, Lock downs and the world pivoting in all forms Ive noticed a change in the Fitness industry. In my experience people are leaning towards a wellbeing and comprehensive approach to health.
From my extensive knowledge of working with children every day, Ive seen huge changes within children, their fitness levels, concentration levels, and emotional abilities.
So here are my predictions of what I think is going to rock in the kid’s fitness world and continue developing within the children’s and young people fitness industry.
- Outdoor Fitness. After periods of time restrictions, the desire and need for children and families to be outside for both pleasure and learning has steadily increased and unlikely to change any time soon. People could see the benefits of using out living as an addition to their overall lifestyle. During lockdowns more people and families started cycling and walking in their local area. Like all habits, these things need a revamp. So as children’s fitness coach could you provide a 2023 feel to Outdoor fitness camps/bootcamps, outdoor family yoga?
- Tic Tok Routines! Now hear me out! Ive found out that embracing the latest social media trend or at least having some understanding of it goes a long way when working with kids and teens. The kids I work with love it, if I can join in with the latest TikTok dance routine or fitness challenge, to be fair I enjoy trying to master them myself! Like all these things, everything in moderation, set boundaries, especially about the use of TikTok be open with your students about what is acceptable on TikTok especially within the dance moves. Make it fun! start sessions and classes with short TikTok challenges, create your own or set them up as fun homework.
- Family fitness. 2023 we will see the continuation of fun family fitness, all the Fs! We are increasingly blending our time together of fitness activity and family time. Many families have an ethos of keeping fit and healthy together as a family unit. Families are willing to experiment and investigate different fitness and health activities. For example, you only have to see the boom of paddleboarding in the UK. During the UK 2022 summer the increase of paddleboards groups of families joining together to go paddleboarding was huge. Purchasing a paddle board became mainstream, as easy as buying one in the high Street supermarkets, such was the demand of that product. Family fitness can be anything that you as a fitness instructor educator can deliver. So that could be boot camps circuit training outdoor fitness absolutely anything you could think of teaching as a fun family friendly fitness session.
- Inclusive activities. Inclusivity is a buzzword. We are used to seeing inclusivity as a daily subject. Its common place to see people wearing sunflower lanyards too be able communicate & consider someone else’s disability or disadvantage. Most playgrounds and play parks are now equipped with disability access play equipment such as swings and roundabouts. It is now commonplace for leisure facilities to offer quiet sessions these reflect as sessions which are adapted for children and young people who find excessive noise lights and other stimulation disruptive yet would still like to be able to join in within the activity or facility. if you can offer sessions to children and young people with special education needs learning needs or physically disadvantaged needs you are then opening your services and special skills to a wider range of users as well as being able to offer to a specialised market.
- Mindfulness gratitude and kindness. During lockdown we saw an increase in people thinking about others, being thoughtful of how other people felt as well as themselves. Mindfulness and gratitude is now a regular activity as part of the school day. Children are asked to be mindful of their actions towards themselves and each other. Specific sessions to children and young people could include a relaxation session with mindfulness and gratitude as part of those activities especially if added to a part of a yoga or Pilates session.
- Private swimming pools. I’m not sure if this is something that is just specific to my area, but I have increasingly seen a rise in independent swimming instructors approaching private owners of domestic swimming pools and then using the pool facilities to provide swimming lessons. There is a definite business model for moving away from the traditional site of a swimming pool whether that be local authority run or an independent chain. During 2022 I have started teaching aquarobics in a lovely domestic pool owned independently by family. I rent the pool from them at a specific time and a teach aquarobics. This could also be done for swimming lessons and kids pool parties. Clearly there are many things to take into consideration in this line of income such as insurance qualifications hiring facilities etc.
7. Family fitness festivals. Fitness festivals are a growing market, and more and more are popping up across the UK every year. I have taught in some of them and have participated with my family. There are hundreds of different activities such as yoga Pilates strength conditioning boot camp hula hooping on all of these activities could be something that you could provide .
8. Fitness obstacle courses and races. This year my son, myself & my friend and her son attended a local inflatable 3 k obstacle course. We had fun bouncing over things jumping over things leaping things and having a great time! It was a fantastic event we came away with a medal and a free bandana! it was a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends doing something a little bit different yet sporty.
9.Pop up events During half terms & holidays I contact my local council and provide pop up fitness events in my local park. I usually deliver a free 45 minute fun fitness activities session. Simple games, skipping, hoops and balls. Pop events can be a fabulous way to increase your profile and marketing within your local area. I found that usually after doing one or two of these sessions I’m then on the council’s peripheral vision as the go to expert for fitness and health.
10.Smart tech fitness. My 11-year-old is now playing contact rugby I am investigating the use of smart tech mouth guards, the tech records impact & intensity. Fitness smart tech wear started with heart rate monitors step monitors as well as well as body worn cameras. Kids love tech, could you incorporate fitness tech into your existing activities that you are providing? Everyone loves to know how many steps they have achieved how many miles they have ran. Wearing trackers can be a wonderful way to engage children who may not be keen on exercising but are engaged with the information that they can gain from fitness smart tech, exploring their own levels and fitness targets.
11. In 2022 we saw a phenomenal year for women in sport and girls in sport. The England Lionesses football team, England rugby ladies and cricket .The media and wider sporting environment has embraced the rise and interest in girls and women taking part in sport and healthy activities. In my opinion we should absolutely embrace this and go with it access funding that is now widely available for girls and women participation in activities and sports
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