FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 25, 2002

NATIONAL TRACKING STUDY IDENTIFIES NEW FITNESS MANTRAS: FLEXIBILITY AND STRENGTH TRAINING

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Pilates, Elliptical Trainers, Yoga, Hand Weights and Other User-Friendly Activities Supplement Traditional 1990's Cardio Exercise

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But Losses in Other Activities Slows Overall Fitness Growth to a Standstill

HARTSDALE, N.Y. -- Cardiovascular exercise, centerpiece of the 1980's and 1990's fitness culture, is being heavily reinforced by two other essential pillars of physical health — flexibility and strength-training. From 1998-2001, aggregate participation in Cardio workouts has been statistically flat (-2%), lagging far behind the growth of Strength-Training (+12%) and Flexibility/Stretching activities, which have skyrocketed by +23%. These were among the findings of the 15th annual Superstudy® of Sports Participation, conducted in January 2002 among 14,276 Americans nationwide, by American Sports Data, Inc. (ASD).

Accommodating legions of women, older enthusiasts and deconditioned beginners, the fastest growing exercise forms tend to be workouts that are less taxing or take a lesser toll on the body — and at the same time, help provide a balanced fitness regimen.

The top growth activity was Pilates Training, which increased to 2.4 million participants in 2001 — a 40% leap over the initial year 2000 measurement of 1.7 million. This hybrid endeavor (a blend of stretching, balance and strength exercise) is dominated by women, who constitute 85% of all participants. Elliptical Motion Trainers — "no-impact" pedaling machines that are particularly amenable to those with knee problems — surged by 34% in the past year and by 114% since 1998. The compound measurement of Yoga/Tai Chi yielded 9.7 million adherents in 2001 — up from 6.2 million in 2000 (+32%) and 5.7 million in 1998 (+71%).

While the activity of Stretching has grown from 35.1 million participants in 1998 to 38.1 million in 2001 (an increase of 9%) its relatively youthful demographics (average age 34.7) are suggestive of an ancillary function of warm-ups and warm-downs — incidental to a main sport or athletic activity. But for many people, especially those over the age of 55 (who constitute 19% of this population), Stretching is an important exercise in its own right.

The analysis of Strength Training is far more complex, according to ASD president Harvey Lauer. "One reason for the growth of this component," he states, "is the general elevation of fitness in the public mind, and our realization that strength is an essential ingredient of health. But just as importantly, the evolution of social values is allowing women and older exercisers to participate without stigma or self-consciousness. And the third thing is that the fitness industry is enabling these groups to participate by ingeniously providing user-friendly products and actively promoting a new brand of low-stress fitness."

In the 1950's and even the 1960's, weight lifting was not a socially acceptable activity for women. But in 2001, women accounted for 45% of all those who train with Free Weights, up from the ASD benchmark measurement of 30% in 1987. Women comprise 60% of all people who use Hand Weights of five pounds or less.

In a striking parallel to the evolution of female fitness, vigorous activity in one's twilight years is no longer an embarrassment — or worse, a vaguely deviant behavior. In 2001, 13% of all Free Weights users were aged 55+, compared with only 3% in 1987.

Aquatic Exercise, another user-friendly activity, claimed 7.1 million adherents in 2001, a jump of 12% from the previous year. This kinder, and arguably gentlest of all fitness pursuits is dominated by women (77%) and represented by the second largest percentage of seniors over 55 for any fitness endeavor (24%). With a 55+ population of 27%, only Fitness Walking surpasses Aquatic Exercise in the advanced age of its constituency.

A kindred exercise, Fitness Swimming, reflected a 9% gain in 2001. With a population of 36.4 million, Fitness Walking has maintained an even keel in recent years; and to the surprise of some, middle age has not totally decimated the ranks of its younger sibling activity — Running/Jogging, which claims 34.9 million participants. Compared with 1998, the Running/Jogging population remains unchanged; but it is 4% higher than the year 2000 measurement.

While many fitness activities are edging upward, others are moving south: Over the past three years, the biggest losers have been Aerobic Riders and Nordic Ski Machines — infomercial-driven products whose usage has declined by 33% and 28% respectively. To the consternation of some observers, Outdoor Fitness Bicycling is also hemorrhaging, incurring a 21% loss in participants from 1998 - 2001. Stair-Climber usage and Aerobics have each suffered 19% declines during the same period, while another of yesterday's stars — Cardio Kickboxing — has endured a 12% participation loss from 1999 - 2001.

In the final analysis, says Lauer, "competing undercurrents are canceling out one another, giving the appearance of a relatively placid overall surface measurement of physical fitness." In 2001, 50.6 million people exercised at least 100 times in any single fitness activity, down from 51.7 million a year ago, and from 51.3 million in 1998.

Health club membership by contrast, grew from 32.8 million in 2000 to 33.8 million in 2001, a statistically insignificant gain of 3%. However, there has been a 7% increase over the past year in the number of health club patrons, who were not necessarily members. Since 1998, actual club membership has grown by 15%. The paradox of a robust health club industry in the face of a stagnating fitness movement can be explained, according to Lauer, as the sum of several factors: a raised level of health and fitness consciousness among Americans; the recognition of many would-be fitness participants that they need an external source of motivation; and despite a considerable rate of turnover — the ability of health clubs to retain active members. In 2001, health club members in the U.S. logged an aggregate of 3.1 billion visits, an increase of 25% over 1998.

The Superstudy® of Sports Participation was conducted in January 2002 and based on a nationally representative sample of 14,276 people over the age of 6, who were among 25,000 respondents targeted in a sample drawn from the consumer mail panel of NFO Research, Inc. 103 sports and activities were measured along over 20 demographic, attitudinal and behavioral dimensions. Data were also collected on health club membership and other subjects pertinent to physical fitness. This annual tracking study has been conducted by ASD every year since 1987, and sponsored by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association of North Palm Beach, Florida. For more information, call (914)328-8877, or log on to www.americansportsdata.com.

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