"A big trend to watch in 2012 will be the emphasis on
plyometrics for the general public (especially baby boomers)," says Ben Dearman, owner of
KDR Fitness in Lebanon, New Hampshire. "As we age, working on power production is sometimes a better way to preserve and build lean body mass as opposed to traditional weight training because we can use a very light load to reap amazing benefits.This trend will be incredibly valid as we continue to learn more and more about how the human body ages and responds to exercise."
For example, a 60 year old that plays golf (a plyometric sport) doesn't need to be able to lift a lot of weight, but does need to be able to control their body under low loads and high speeds (such as during a golf swing, racquet swing, etc), Dearman says. "Learning new tasks is a proven way to keep the brain young, so when someone has to learn a new physical task like a kettlebell snatch, they get a double whammy—the brain gets a work out as well as the body."
