Sports & Fitness Trends 2020

On January 26th and 27th I was at the ISPO, the international trade fair for sporting goods and sports fashion in Munich. There I received information on the current sports and fitness trends in 2020, met with other bloggers and influencers, and made contacts with companies from the industry.

I am always asked about current trends in the sports and fitness industry. After all, as a blogger like no other, I have to be at the forefront.

Anyone who knows me and who has been following me for a long time knows that I’m not the one who chases trends. I’m more familiar with things that have been tried and tested and proven to help you reach your fitness goals in no time. It doesn’t matter if you run longer and run faster, build muscle, lose weight and define your muscles, or just become athletic.

Goals, motivation and habits usually play a bigger role than recent trends. I am concerned to lay the foundations for sustainable change. No wonder two of my books are called Muscle Building Basics and The Pig Killer.

However, this does not mean that I live in a cave. If there are new ideas, I deal with them and integrate them into my fitness worldview. Whenever I find out about new tools that can make strength or running training easier and / or more effective for you, I add them to my repertoire and communicate them.

After visiting the ISPO, I decided to write this article in which I would like to give you an overview of where I currently see trends in the sports and fitness industry as I perceive them at ISPO. yes.

What is ISPO really?

ISPO is an international trade fair for sporting goods and sporting fashion that takes place annually in Munich. At the same time, there is no longer a single major exhibition in Munich. There is also an ISPO in Beijing, one in Shanghai and an ISPO OutDoor, which is also held in Munich during the summer.

There is also a range of events that take place in different locations throughout the year and focus on a variety of special topics in the industry.

Why I was at ISPO 2020

In recent years, I have never been to ISPO for various reasons, although I have been invited over and over again. This was mainly because I had never seen big starting points for myself, and other events like Fibo were just more interesting to me. For example, most of the ISPO is dedicated to mountain and winter sports. These are two areas that I have very little to do with.

However, this year I decided to take a look at the spectacle. On the one hand, I did this to see where the industry trends are heading. First of all, I wanted to take the opportunity to meet some interesting people and establish contacts.

Several campaigns for bloggers and influencers were organized at the fair. There I met like-minded people and was able to exchange ideas with them. Of course, I also told them about FiBloKo and I hope one of them may appear in November.

I also made some contacts with companies from the industry. Such a personal acquaintance simply creates a completely different basis for possible future collaboration. We also need sponsors now so that FiBloKo 2020 can go the way we envision.

I have noticed some industry trends that I would like to share with you next.

My Top 6 Sports & Fitness Trends 2020 by ISPO

Besides the cool people I met, I discovered many interesting products at ISPO. Many of the products were new collections with some small new features and additions to the product range of their respective companies. However, there have been some (I think) quite innovative things.

I tried everything I saw and what was left in my head to combine into the trends I see in the industry right now. I have to say that I didn’t see much at the fair because it was not very interesting for me (winter sports).

Here are my 6 best sports and fitness trends of 2020 from ISPO. By the way, everything is much less technologically advanced than you might expect.

1) megatrend stability

Overall, sustainability is a megatrend that has been increasingly associated with the health of megatrends lately. Many manufacturers are now paying more and more attention to leaving the least possible impact on the production of their products. This means that they attach more importance to not polluting the environment with production.

Some manufacturers also knowingly use recycled materials. Other companies are increasingly using renewable raw materials. I met a sportswear manufacturer who made (almost) 100% of their products from recycled plastic waste.

At one point or another, I found it a little exaggerated to point to adding 10% recycled material or using 5% renewable raw materials. Overall, however, I strongly support this development.

A very cool and innovative product that I would like to highlight in this context is the Infinite Running sneakers invented by Nico Russ.

With these boots, the modules in the sole can be replaced, and therefore the boot can be used much longer than regular sneakers. In addition, they can be individually tailored to the needs of the runner using different module hardnesses. This, in turn, brings me directly to the next trend.

2) Megatrend personality

The pursuit of individuality is certainly not a new phenomenon in our society. However, so far I have the impression that athletes express their individuality quite well by choosing certain brands and products. One or the other may have helped here and there with a separate accessory.

However, the demand for individualization seems to be so great that it is especially heavily given to it nowadays. Technical and organizational advances also play a role in ensuring this.

There are many different types, ranging from custom fit and color of sportswear to modular adaptation of various sports equipment and auto-added nutritional supplements.

You may soon receive a custom protein shake from a robot, or you can order custom running shoes from a running store and running socks tailored to your feet.

3) Safety of Sports Trends

Okay, safety in sports isn’t really a real new trend, but a very old topic. I am listing this here in line with the 2020 fitness trends at ISPO because there were some really useful and innovative products on display at the fair. In some cases, I wondered why they were gone for so long.

This includes dedicated airbags for winter or water sports, engineered airbag systems, tiny but powerful emergency alert systems, secure mountings, and even more reliable protections. I still remember my first snowboard back protector, which was basically just an uncomfortable soft plastic shell. Meanwhile, there are protective shirts where you no longer notice you are wearing them, and they still protect much better.

In this photo, Thomas, founder of Dalion-Watersports, introduces his new safe kitesurfing mount. It was such a product that I was amazed that it hadn’t been around for as long as the popularity of kite surfing has become in recent years. This was especially interesting to me because I started studying it last year.

For me, as a serious distance runner, it was also very interesting that some shoes were introduced that were specially designed for long distance running and long distance running to reduce the risk of injury. I am currently focusing on the half marathon distance, but if I dare to go long distances again, I will again deal with it more intensely.

4) Megatrend Multiple Benefits

Another fitness trend in 2020 that I spotted at ISPO is the topic of multipurpose. Ideally, products should be used for multiple things. For example, the Tranzport ceiling bracket can also be used as a sling trainer can be used for training. Shoes are designed to be used in a wide variety of situations.

This is very practical, especially when traveling, because you don’t have unlimited space in your suitcase. The solution can be less or less.

In addition to increasing specialization (individual, tailor-made shoes for each surface and running style), there is also a generalization (shoes for each surface and running style). I find this interesting and also benefit from it as I also travel a lot for work.

5) Fitness Trend 2020 of Regeneration

Regeneration is still a big screw in the sports sector that you can turn. Too little attention is often paid to this important component of learning, especially in the hobby and hobbyist field. However, this seems to be changing more and more.

Tools like the self-massage roller from Blackroll * are already widespread. However, passive components of regeneration such as sleep are also receiving more and more attention. This comes in the form of nutritional supplements for better sleep and faster regeneration, or through special sleepwear, bedding, mattresses and pillows for optimal regeneration after a hard workout.

For me, the topic of regeneration, which also goes beyond warm-up, is also particularly interesting as I gradually reach the age where I quickly get a check for poor regeneration. For example, I can no longer sleep on any surface without pain the next day. In addition, it’s getting harder and harder for me to improve performance, and I’m always looking for which screws can be turned without spending much more time.

Accordingly, I am currently looking for a new mattress and am trying out one of these special sports pillows.

I also particularly liked the Reboots Recovery boots. Who can afford a foot massage after every workout? I am really thinking about getting a pair. However, the relatively high cost has prevented me from doing so until now.

6) VR Sports Trend & Esports

At the end of my list of 2020 fitness trends, I would also like to briefly highlight the high-tech topics that one party could expect here.

Yes, virtual and augmented reality are also playing an increasing role here. It will surely be used in some studios in the next few years. As for private users, I still have a hard time imagining this in the field of sports and fitness. All of this is still too complex, expensive and underdeveloped. Ultimately, it’s probably just a matter of time.

There are quite a few fun apps in the play area.

Overall, the E-Sports segment was highly represented at ISPO. I still find it difficult to recognize esports as a real sport. However, there is definitely some workout to be among the best here. Meanwhile, a lot of money is undoubtedly being realized. Top athletes make more money than some Bundesliga professionals.

I also had the opportunity to speak with several E-SPort Pros, and I noticed that they really train a lot to keep their body and mind in the best possible shape.

My conclusion from my first ISPO

All in all, the ISPO was a pretty cool event and I’m glad I decided to attend. Connecting with other bloggers, influencers, and companies in the industry is definitely worth the time. After such an event, I am always motivated to continue using Fitvolution and FiBloKo.

It was also very interesting to get an idea of ​​the trends in the industry. I hope I can also give you some interesting information.

As I said, my focus is a little more fitness-oriented, and therefore I’m especially excited to be on Fibo in April. If you will also be there, please contact me. Maybe we’ll meet there.

Hello

And don’t forget: your health is your health!