Fitness professionals and health club operators risk failure if they grow complacent amid an ever-changing social landscape.
A study by consumer group Nielsen Company, published by Les Mills, suggests that personal trainers that do not adjust to their clients' needs could quickly find themselves out of business, as people are inundated with offers of alternate forms of fitness and exercise.
The Future of Fitness report explores the trends that may shape human fitness and activity, and their effect on the fitness industry over the next few decades.
It also outlines key challenges that confront the global fitness sector.
According to the report, permanent connection via the internet is transforming how people do business, socialize and, potentially, manage their health and fitness.
Personalization of services is also increasingly required by discerning and demanding consumers, and is being made ever more available by advancing technology.
The report also claims that convergence, blurring and blending are permanently breaking down and reshaping existing categories of products and services. In its conclusion, Nielsen Company encourages the industry to stay "fresh, relevant and competitive" by creating and embracing the opportunity that arises from a number of emerging challenges.
Fitness professionals should be prepared to provide fitness solutions to health problems such as diabetes, obesity or ageing may not be enough to sustain the fitness industry's future.
According to a Les Mills spokesperson, the report has been put forward as a starting point to explore how the fitness industry can thrive as the very definitions of "fitness", "health", "fitness industry" and "health clubs" change.
Les Mills Founder Phillip Mills said that in general, the current model asks consumers to fit themselves around a gym-centric machine - yet tomorrow's consumers are likely to be much less compliant.
"Future consumers are less likely to embrace fitness through hard work," he added.
"They will want fitness to be shaped around them. They will ask our industry to become more people-centric."
"Smart businesses will capitalize on the changing demands of articulate consumers. Our industry has the opportunity to lead the change by, for example, helping to ensure that consumers' changing tastes are informed by knowledge and are linked to good health and wellness outcomes."
