"Mindful" exercise programs will increase in
popularity, particularly many styles of hatha yoga, tai chi,
stretch/relaxation-themed, Pilates-based exercise and the many
composite forms of mind/body fitness. They will become more
mainstream, appearing in fitness centers and personal training
programs. Mind/body exercise further enhances self-efficiency
as well as muscular strength and balance and can be modified
to fit an enormous spectrum of fitness and health levels.
Richard Cotton, chief exercise physiologist and an ACE
spokesman, said martial-arts themed classes are succumbing to
the need for variety from fitness enthusiasts. "People
like to try something new," he said. Fickleness aside, he
would like to see more people participate in an old standby --
walking. " We need to walk to function," he pointed
out. "And you don't need to raise your legs high."
There's beauty in simplicity, he noted.
Strength training classes, meanwhile, give people a chance
to work in a group, Cotton continued, an environment where
some people might feel more comfortable.
As for sports-specific personal training, Cotton said any
program that gets people participating in recreational
activities and in better shape is worthwhile. The link between
fitness and improved performance has also been cited.
"Recreational activity is booming," he said,
citing the golf boom as an example. "Golfers will try
anything to get better. They'll even try exercise." He
noted that professional golf, a sport where some participants
haven't exactly resembled Adonis, is changing on the fitness
front. He lists such current stars as Tiger Woods and David
Duval as examples of pros in excellent shape who also boast
excellent careers. It's not a coincidence, said Cotton.
Online coaching is already here, and one of its
practitioners is Brian Day of Somerville, a personal trainer
who offers to design a personalized exercise program for
customers at his www.fitnessbyday.com Web site.
"People fill out an online health history
questionnaire and describe what their goals are, and then I
design an exercise program for them based on their history,
their goals and the resources they have available to
them," said Day.
Via e-mails, Day also monitors and motivates his clients so
they can stick with the program. In addition, clients can
click on "Ask Your Trainer" to submit any fitness
question they have and then receive a timely response.
Day initiated the site in October and so far has five
clients. The monthly membership fee is $35. This includes the
customized program and a personalized online home page for
tracking results. Pictures and descriptions of how to perform
the exercises are also part of the package.
"Everyone is pretty happy with them," said Day.
"You get a professional designing an exercise program for
you. You're not just getting a program out of a
magazine."
Designing the programs can be a challenge, according to
Day, since different people have different needs and different
resources. "Some people are a little less conditioned
than others," says Day. "I encourage them to walk
with free weights. But if they don't have free weights, I
suggest substituting soup cans."
The major difference between personal training via the Web
and traditional personal training is the lack of a spotter,
someone to correct you immediately if you're making a mistake.
"But eventually they'll be able to send me videos via Web
cams," says Day, offering his own prediction of a
technical advance for the future.
Finally, "mindful" exercise programs will
continue to thrive as more people become aware of the
connection between mental and physical health, said Cotton.
Now, if they can only invent a healthy doughnut.
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