Fitness trends Netherlands 2012 – 2014

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As every year, the new year is often characterized by a number of new fitness trends and some enduring ones. We look ahead and offer our vision on which fitness trends in the Netherlands will be temporary and why, and which sports developments will remain. Do you want to know what the trends and developments are in the field of sports and health?

Below, we look back at the top 10 fitness trends in the Netherlands from 2012 to 2014.

Top 10 Fitness Trends Netherlands 2012

1. Personal training Guided training yields more results. This is also the case with personal training. Each person is different, and with the rise of many healthy trends, we see that athletes value individual advice and assistance in their training. Custom fitness schedules, as well as dietary advice and advice on supplements, have become increasingly common in recent years.
2. Core training The importance of the ‘core,’ i.e., the abdomen and lower back, for your body has become clear this year. Strength training specifically targeting the core helps not only to strengthen your abdominal muscles, lower back, hips, and pelvis, but it also contributes to maintaining good posture. We will see much more of this in the coming year, and we expect it to be a strong trend.
3. Group personal training Shared suffering is half the sorrow? In times of economic downturn, where the individual remains important, personal training in a small group setting is a solution. We have seen this emerge in large numbers this year, and we expect it to continue. For many people, it’s also ideal to train together with a stick behind their backs.
4. Bootcamp Back to basics! Temporary trend or here to stay? We believe that the call to return to basics is a lasting trend. This is evident in nutrition, as people eat much more consciously and naturally. And sports follow this trend closely. We believe Bootcamp is here to stay.
5. Zumba There is no more enjoyable workout than on the dance floor. Zumba has had its peak but is far from over. We expect this trend to continue, albeit to a lesser extent, next year.
6. Functional fitness Often used as part of personal training, functional fitness is something that can offer a solution for many people.
7. Yoga In times of economic downturn and rising stress levels and cortisol levels, it’s time to relax. Since the end of the crisis is not in sight, we don’t expect the rise of yoga to slow down soon.
8. Outdoor activities Back to basics is popular, as mentioned in nutrition and training. Some outdoor activities that we will continue to see in large numbers include bootcamp, running, and sports events such as Mudmasters and Urban Athlon.
9. Spinning We want to exercise in this cold country, so spinning is an alternative for the avid cyclist or recreational cyclist who wants to maintain their condition in the winter.
10. Corporate fitness Absenteeism? Companies are becoming increasingly aware that the healthy lifestyle of their employees can contribute to lower costs for absenteeism. Many companies invest in fitness subscriptions or other forms of corporate fitness to encourage employees to live healthier and more consciously.

Fitness Trends Netherlands 2013

Above, we described in an article what we believed would be the fitness trends of 2012. Now that 2013 has arrived, we also want to give an outlook on the expected trends for 2013. In the trends of 2012, it mainly emerged that athletes primarily wanted to return to basics. Additionally, one of the trends was training in groups. Finally, a very important trend was outdoor training. Would these also be the trends for 2013? Our top 10 is listed below:

1. Functional Fitness: What’s the point of heavy fitness training if the movements don’t help you in daily life? Functional fitness is an emerging trend where exercises not only contribute to a better shape and a healthier lifestyle, but also make daily tasks easier. Always useful when you have to carry groceries inside, for example.
2. Fitness for the elderly: We are all getting older than before. Because seniors are becoming more aware of their health, we will see more fitness for seniors.
3. Personal training in groups: It’s a crisis! And just because we feel it in our wallets doesn’t mean it has to affect our health. Therefore, we expect more personal training in group settings.
4. More movement for children: Not only seniors, but also youth will make strides in sports this year. Awareness among parents is increasing, which is reflected in more physical activity and healthier eating habits for children. So in 2013, we will see more children engaging in strength training.
5. Bootcamp: A trend we already saw in 2012 and will see again in 2013 is bootcamp. Going back to basics and pushing your limits remains immensely popular!
6. CrossFit: Back to basics with CrossFit. The workouts are short, intense, and require participants to exert maximum effort, but CrossFit is the fastest-growing fitness program in the world. So, we also expect to see a lot of CrossFit in 2013!
7. Bodyweight training: Another trend we see, related to the basics. No expensive fitness equipment, but exercises with your own body weight. Benefits: inexpensive, effective, and can be done anywhere. Trend in 2013!
8. Outdoor training: Running, cycling, bootcamp. These are all outdoor activities. This is and will remain a trend that we see coming back. Why choose a stuffy gym when you can exercise outdoors?
9. Core Training: To address problem areas like the lower back and abdomen, core training is an effective tool. This is evident in group core training classes like XCO.
10. Personalized independent fitness programs: With the rise of smartphones, there are many fitness apps that you can do specifically tailored to your goals and physical condition. Additionally, there are training programs that you can sign up for online, such as: WIJ fitness, Insanity, P90X, Zumba, CrossFit, and Tabata style.

Fitness Trends Netherlands 2014

In 2013, we mainly thought that Bootcamping (like in 2012) would be a popular sports activity, and in addition, CrossFit made huge strides in 2013 (and 2012). Read our previous articles on the fitness trends in 2012 and the fitness trends in 2013 here.

Functional Fitness

I think the emphasis will increasingly be on functional training. Functional training is a way of training that not only ensures a healthier lifestyle but also makes daily activities easier. For example, you try to tailor exercises to movements that people often make daily. This trains you in the correct posture and execution and builds up your condition to make the activity possible.

Core training

Power and strength come from the Core. The Core must be strongly trained before you do other heavy strength exercises. Many new fitness tools such as the TRX, the TRX Rip trainer (for rotation), and other sports attributes are designed to focus training on the core (trunk).

Bootcamp

Being active outdoors in a group setting. After a good Bootcamp, you feel completely empty and have the feeling of having trained hard.

Crossfit

The popularity of Crossfit is far from over and will continue to grow in 2014. A very intense strength effort for the real athletes.

Balance and stability training

The Netherlands is still aging. For many older people, it is important to stay mobile and to be able to walk safely. Balance and stability exercises can certainly help with that. What does a balance and stabilization training look like? It is important to train in a proprioceptively enriched environment. You do this by creating an unstable (but controllable) environment. This makes a lot of demands on the internal balance and stabilization mechanisms of the human body. There are several popular tools that allow you to train for stability well. It is therefore important to train in an unstable environment and using not too heavy weights with many repetitions. Examples of objects that create an unstable environment are: Swiss ball, Bosu ball, Balance discs, Wooden planks, Foam pads, etc.

H.I.I.T. training

High Intensity Interval Training is an explosive training variant in which almost maximal training (90% or more of VO2max) is performed for a short duration. Then, a short rest is taken or less intense training is done, followed by returning to almost maximum training capacity. Many untrained individuals can often train harder and achieve more through this training than if they were training at a moderate intensity for a long time. Another advantage of HIIT training is that it takes up much less time. So, this is a form of training that is ideal for people with the excuse of “lack of time.”

Personal guidance

In recent years, exercising in gyms has become increasingly cheaper. Many large sports chains can offer very cheap gym subscriptions. Many small sports businesses have been taken over or have stopped because they cannot compete with the low prices of the large sports chains. It’s great to be able to exercise unlimited for 15 euros a month. But I also know that this means less guidance and personal attention. Especially for many older people and people with little sports experience, it is necessary that this personal attention is there. I think many people would rather look for a gym where it’s quieter and where there is more personal attention, even if it costs a bit more.

Personal training

I also think that in 2014 many people find personal training too expensive. But personal trainers have also found something for this, namely small group training. If, for example, you come to exercise with five people, there is still a lot of personal attention, and the costs can be shared. Ideal for the athlete and for the personal trainer.

Online

More and more fitness professionals see opportunities on the internet. How easy is it to look on the internet for how to do a certain exercise? In addition, with many sports attributes, you can train the entire body (with internet guidance) comfortably in your own home.

Apps

Many Apps provide information about exercises, nutrition, etc. In addition, many apps help during exercise, for example, to process data such as the number of calories burned, distance covered, etc. Nowadays, you can also register for classes via the gym’s fitness app.

Powerbags/Gymstick/Aquabags

These are like backpacks filled with water or sand. With these, exercises for the entire body can be done, with an emphasis on core stability and strength.

Strength training for women

Although I’m not sure if this will be a trend for 2014, I’m including it. Even if only to encourage it again. Unfortunately , there are still some wrong prejudices that really need to be dispelled. Women are so afraid of getting broad and muscular that strength exercises and dumbbells are avoided. Firstly, the amount of testosterone in women is much smaller than in men, so they don’t need to worry about that. In addition, strength training is extremely good for bone health. The extra muscle tissue that women build through strength training is metabolically very active, resulting in burning more calories at rest. And a good strength training session also leads to higher calorie burning long after training! In other words, only benefits!