More Stupid Fitness Toys

January 14, 2011 Rick Kaselj Fitness

I hate to say it, but in 2011 we will see more stupid fitness toys.

Yes, that is Prediction #9 for 2011.

#9 – Stupid Fitness Toys

This stuff cracks me up, but I also shake my head when I see this kind of stuff.

Every week there seems to be a new fitness gadget for people to buy to help them with their fitness goals.

The general public is not the only group obsessed with new fitness gadgets. Fitness professionals and associations are as well.

I know this will piss off a few people and probably a few fitness associations as well, but oh well.

I have been talking about this with several leaders in the fitness industry and thought it was time to say something about it.

Hey Fitness Professional, Do You have a Stupid Fitness Toy Problem?

I know I did and looked forward to attending fitness conferences and getting all the new fitness toys.

I would buy all of these fitness toys because I could get them at a great deal at the conferences.

This is what would happen to my new fitness toys:

I would use them for a while, and then they would end up in a box in the basement.
If I used them with my clients, they would ask me where they could get one, and I would not know where they could get it.
I would use it with my clients, and they would think they could only do the exercise with that piece of equipment.

Now I think hard if I need the new fitness toy.

I ask myself:

Do I need this?
Am I going to use this at least once a week?
Is this that much different than a piece of equipment I already have?
Can I do the exercises with another piece of exercise equipment?

Do Fitness Associations Have a Problem with Stupid Fitness Toys?

Sad to say, “No.”

I remember when I went to my first fitness association conference in 1996 and I was very excited. I took all of these great sessions where I learned a lot of great information. Many times they were the exercise science stream of the conference.

Over the last 15 years, fitness conferences have changed, and the exercise science stream has thinned out.

Now, most fitness conferences revolve around fitness equipment.

A fitness equipment company will rent a booth at the conference and present several fitness sessions involving their equipment.

It is an unfortunate trend that is occurring in fitness conferences.

I expect to get some hate comments with this post. So feel free to post them.

I have one more prediction to come. That will be my last for 2011. Before I go, here is some fitness equipment that we will see at a fitness conference near you: