Exercise Trends: A View from Product Management
Cybex is uniquely positioned to observe and respond to changes in how people exercise. With our broad customer base, and
a heritage in orthopedic rehabilitation and sports medicine, we gain insight to the complete performance continuum from
deconditioned users to elite athletes.
Trend 1: The latest scientific research is pointing out that low intensity long duration exercise is not as effective at
stemming heart disease or increasing one’s overall level of fitness as higher intensity training.
Cybex Solution: We have applied this research along with our knowledge in exercise science to provide products that can
deliver exceptionally broad workloads with balanced joint and muscle loading. This allows the deconditioned user to begin
exercising without excessive stress. Further, it allows the average person to train harder for better results and the athlete
to explore new performance potential without over stressing the joints.
Trend 2: Trends in fitness equipment are largely driven by customer expectation and demand. As the customer changes, their
demands also change. The well-known demographics of an aging population has altered equipment needs partly because, in the
past 15 or so years, those who exercise have gotten older. While this group 15 years ago had more time for themselves, they
now find that they have more responsibilities to the home and workplace and they need to fight for every minute that they
can find to train. This means that they are looking at facilities that are closer to their homes or workplace and facilities
where they can make their training event a family outing.
Cybex Solution: Time restrictions mean that no longer do exercisers have 45 minutes to sit on a bike - they are looking
at methods to get better results in less time and in ways that don’t abuse the body. This means that variations of cross
trainers and the express circuits have become much more popular. The success of the Cybex Arc Trainer has shown that a better
result in less time is a popular workout. The express circuits have also created a secondary trend as many of the users
find the limitations of doing exactly the same thing over. Once they find that their progress has reached a plateau, they
begin looking for new ways to continue their progression.
Trend 3: While weight loss and appearance have long been the main reason for training, as the health club population has
gotten older and become parents with teenage children, their goals have changed. Now the ability to keep up with the kids
is a key objective. They are exercising for their health as much as for their appearance. As the older members of the original
health club population ages, their goals turn even more to functional health with an eye toward an active retirement.
Cybex Solution: A better result in less time is only one of the outcomes of superior biomechanics. Being able to do more
in less time also means that less wear and tear is imposed on the individual and that means a lot to a body that has experienced
a good share of living. Simply allowing someone who has not been comfortable exercising to do so, gets them one step further
to their goal of keeping up with the kids or walking 18 holes or running that 5K.
The attributes that enhance the experience for older exercisers can be found in each Cybex product. Because 18 holes are
not just flat and uphill, the 750T includes decline. Because knees might not bend like they once did, our Range Limiting
Devices respect the integrity of the joint and its strength capabilities. For those who are thinking about really getting
back into the game, the ground based training and versatility lets the individual prepare for a wide variety resistance
movements.
Summary:
Cybex is committed to developing fitness products that our customers value. We monitor exercise trends and use our findings
to assure that each Cybex product is designed to enhance the user’s health through biomechanically correct exercise.