By Toni Krasicki
THE POWER
OF
GROUP EXERCISE
F
or some of us it’s hard
to believe that group
fitness can be traced
back to 1968 when Kenneth
H. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H.,
introduced the concept of
aerobic exercise. Shortly
after, Judi Sheppard Missett
founded the dance-based
fitness program, Jazzercise,
and the rest – as they say –
is history.
In Australia, the last three decades
have seen prolific changes to the group
fitness landscape, with Les Mills making a
huge impact in the late 1990s, and more
recently, the explosion of small group
training classes, and with this we have
seen an exponential rise of boutique
studios solely catering for this type of
training.
16
training, group training and group
exercise, where participants can have
an experience, not just a workout that’s
led from the stage.
As we head deeper into 2016, here’s
what some of the industry’s key
organisations have to say about the
group exercise landscape with regards
to now and the future.
We’re seeing the traditional or more
linear styles of group exercise evolving
into or being replaced by more 3D or
functional (for lack of a better word)
styles of classes. People are looking to
be more well rounded: to be stronger,
more mobile, and to be better movers
overall.
Alisha Smith, Education Manager,
Australian Fitness Network
Mind body classes such as yoga and
Pilates are continuing to make a strong
impact, and mindbody blend classes
such as Barre (th