It's the time of year when people are back in their regular routines, and New Year commitments may be starting to fade, particularly when it comes to fitness regimes.
Fitness is one of the few sectors in the service industry that sees an upturn in its finances during January.
To explore this industry, and the current trends in fitness in Ireland, Bobby Kerr welcomed Simon Hayes MD of Energie, Pat Henry of Pat and Karl Henry Fitness Centre and Kieran Keenan of Fit Squad to the Down to Business studio.
All of the panel members remark that this is a constantly evolving industry and that consumers are on the hunt for both value and quality.
Getting fit in 2016
Pat Henry comments that when he started working in the fitness industry in Ireland he was told, "I want you to get them in - get them out - get their money and start ignoring them once you get their money."
He says that the industry has come a long way from that point and that consumers have become increasingly focused on making the most of their time in the gym, leading to a spike in demand for personal trainers across Ireland while the standard of personal training in the country has gone "through the roof."
Simon Hayes says that personal training is becoming increasingly "mainstream" - working with Energie he adds that another major trend in fitness is a shift towards functional training.
These are exercises which use full body natural movements, rather than cardio heavy programmes, or ones which focus on using weights to train isolated muscles.
He adds that high-intensity training has also grown in popularity and that many gyms are updating their equipment and layouts to offer more space for functional exercises.
Kieran Keenan from Fit Squad runs a different kind of business - offering outdoor training with a focus on functional movement and improving flexibility, speed, power and strength.
Pat Henry also highlighted the benefits of weight training and its "anti-aging" effects. He has called on the Government to introduce policies such as tax breaks to encourage people to train and to look after their health.
His business has seen an increase in corporate interest as companies recognise the benefits of having healthy staff members, and staff see office gyms, or gym memberships as big perks when choosing where they want to work.
