The Next Big Things for the Future of Health and Fitness

These days, staying fit is easier than ever — with fitness apps, videos and readily-available trainers via Skype, FaceTime, etc., you no longer need a gym membership to keep up with your fitness goals. And thanks to the advancements of technology, your workout is about to be taken to a whole other level, whether that means experiencing a change of scenery via Virtual-reality fitness or tracking your muscular fatigue with a running shoe.

Below, see the next big things for the future of health and fitness.

Virtual-Reality Fitness

The ultimate solution to gym fatigue? Virtual-reality (VR) fitness. Imagine rowing in the Maldives or biking in the Dolomites. With VR fitness, you can—or at least it feels like you can—simply by putting on a headset that integrates with a corresponding cardio machine. The concept isn’t entirely new. It first gained traction in 2014, but expect to see it become more advanced (think wireless headsets, less bulky and higher-resolution images) and accessible (price-wise and availability-wise) in the near future. Who knows? We may even be able to get VR workouts with celeb trainers via the device.

DNA Testing

Tailored workouts are being taken to the next level with DNA testing. Rather than relying simply on a personal trainer for a customized workout, fitness buffs and athletes are looking to DNA tests to help them discover which foods and exercises are best for them, based on their genes. DNAFit is a company that offers home-test saliva swab kits. Once the samples are analyzed, it provides its customers with a report and infographic on the results as well as a consultation for a game plan.

Next-Gen Fitness Trackers

Wearable fitness trackers aren’t going away anytime soon: The wearable tech market is estimated to be worth $34 billion by 2020, so it’s safe to say they will play a role in the future of health and fitness. However, these devices are headed far beyond just the wrist. Under Armour has already launched a smart running shoe that not only tracks your time, distance and pace but also measures muscular fatigue, and Panasonic is developing a camera that can measure your heart rate simply by looking at you. According to research and advisory company Gartner, artificial intelligence could soon be incorporated into wearables to turn them into health-monitoring tools that can assist with the early detection of health issues, such as arrhythmia.

See how you should explore the future of health and fitness with our quiz on which trends are right for you!