SGMA Fitness Industry Brief, July 25

Listed below are some of the highlights of the 2012 edition of SGMA?s Tracking the Fitness Movement in the US.
*At the bottom are the top 5 fittest US cities, see if you can guess what they are.

SILVER SPRING, MD ? July 25, 2012 ? There are strong signs that the U.S. fitness industry is vibrant and on the upswing. According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association?s (SGMA) 2012 edition of Tracking the Fitness Movement, there are a number of trends that are driving interest in fitness activities ? both at home and in the health clubs:
1. 18 out of the 30 fitness and exercise activities covered in this report had some increase in participation from 2010 to 2011;
2. The new aerobic activity known as boot-camp style cross training has attracted 7.7 million participants;
3. More than 50 million Americans are using a treadmill;
4. The number of runners/joggers is up 7% from 2010 to 2011; and
5. Nearly 60% of all new fitness participants are women.

?For the legions of Americans who work out, exercise at a health club, or utilize a home gym, they understand the value of fitness in their daily lives ? personally and professionally,? said SGMA President Tom Cove. ?By getting everybody in this country on the same ?fitness? page, we will reduce the burden on the health care system, reduce absenteeism in the classroom, improve productivity in the work force, and enhance the quality of everybody?s lives. It?s an issue which is affecting all aspects of American life ? the private sector, the public sector, academia, and even the military. And SGMA is busy on Capitol Hill supporting legislation that will play a role in getting America fit and healthy.?

Notable News on Fitness:
No Place Like Home. The top five fitness activities which people tend to do more at home than in the health clubs are: (1) home gym exercise, (2) stretching, (3) other exercise to music, (4) low impact aerobics, and (5) yoga.

What?s ?Hot? at Health Clubs. The top five fitness activities which people tend to do more in the gym than at home are: (1) rowing machine, (2) weight/resistance machines, (3) stationary cycling (group), (4) stair-climbing machine, and (5) abdominal machine/device.

Popular Purchases. In the $4.49 billion (at wholesale) fitness industry, the two fitness machine categories which generated the most sales in 2011 were treadmills ($1.146 billion) and elliptical machines ($1.056 billion).

The Fitness Indicators. The five most popular fitness activities in the U.S. are (1) walking for fitness, (2) treadmills, (3) running/jogging, (4) using hand weights, and (5) working out on weight/resistance machines.

Fittest Cities. The top five cities in the U.S. with the highest rates of individual activity (per capita) are: (1) San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, (2) San Diego, (3) Las Vegas, (4) Austin, and (5) Birmingham (Alabama).

Ultimate Updates

Source: http://www.ultimatesportsequipment.com/3359/sgma-fitness-industry-brief-july-25/

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