Fitness Reads: Inventions Runner's World wants to see, plus examining the mind-body connection

What did the SNEWS team read this week that other industry insiders might find interesting? Read on to find out!

• We’ve noticed more apparel companies creeping into fitness trade shows over the past few years, and it’s probably because of a trend the Star Tribune reports on: Women want to look fantastic while they’re working out. The story talks about women in the Twin Cities, which was just ranked as the fittest metro area in the U.S. by the American College of Sports Medicine, who are willing to spend more money at places like Athleta and Lululemon.

• There’s a little something we do before long runs on hot days: We wet the band of our sports bra and put it in the freezer. Though when we initially put it on, it’s a bit of a shock, it keeps our core cool for at least five miles. That’s one idea we’d like to see turned into a new product, and Runner’s World has a ton more inventions they’d like to see, including a fun adaptation of our favorite ElliptiGO called the ElliptiMOW, which would allow users to get their workouts in while cutting the grass. How many of you think that would be a hit at your stores?

• There are days — today is one — where we miss our morning workout for no good reason. The rest of the day seems a little harder to get through, because our mood is negatively impacted. Workouts help us feel better about ourselves. We were particularly struck by the statement Body Love Project Founder Laura Sprague made in this story: “So many people hate their body, and that’s the most anti-life statement we could make.”

• There are a bunch of self-massagers out there for active folks. Our personal favorite is the Moji 360, because it has a flat side and a side with metal balls for a deeper massage. These products might be so popular because fitness buffs know the sooner you massage muscles after a grueling workout, the better the recovery time — at least that’s what this Wall Street Journal article reports.

• We were shocked Prancercize — a prancing exercise from the ’80s — wasn’t on this list of the top fitness trends from the 1800s to today. We think its recent resurgence should have earned it a spot, but maybe it just couldn’t compete with Suzanne Somers’ ThighMaster or Billy Blank’s Tae Bo. Check out this slide show for some fun pictures from back in the day.

• Fitness manufacturers have had great success working with medical facilities, and now that research has proven that cancer survivors who stay physically active have improved recovery rates, they might find even more. With these findings, oncologists might be recommending their clients engage in some exercise and even prescribe a program.

• Speaking of coupling fitness with medical care, this Telegraph story talks about how surgeons are not just taking into consideration a person’s age when deciding whether to perform a surgery — rather they’re taking into account a person’s fitness level. So doctors may be prescribing patients some pre-op exercise also.

• Though this IHRSA trend report that focuses on the reasons men and women work out is intended for fitness club operators, it could be helpful for specialty fitness retailers when selling equipment as well. The report noted that women work out to stay healthy, feel better about themselves, look better, lose weight and maintain strength. Men work out to stay healthy, stay in shape, feel better about themselves, maintain strength and build muscle.

• We know that not all current fitness equipment has accurate measurements when it comes to telling us how many calories we’ve burned or even how far we’ve run. So what about new fitness monitors like Jawbone Up and others that are all the rage? This New York Times story examines just how accurate those products are.

• So we don’t like to admit this, but we get exercise-induced asthma. Yes. It strikes even the best of us. But we’re going to be popping more vitamin C, because according to this Deccan Chronicle story it will help prevent bouts with the wheezing. Perhaps we’ll invest in a few bottles.

Did you read anything exciting this week? Send it to us because we want to read it, too!