The last few years brought a lot to the fitness world, including immersive classes, at-home workouts, and HIIT. You may be wondering what 2021 and the upcoming years will bring to health and fitness enthusiasts. As we think ahead, here are three fitness trends that we can expect to see this year.
1. Younger Generations Are Setting the Pace
Millennials and Gen Z make up more than 80 percent of people who pay for fitness memberships. The average age of fitness club members is 35; however, the majority of new members are in their 20s. These members are interested in new and regular fitness experiences, and it’s their workout preferences that will shape how clubs will change in upcoming years.
What do these active generations want? They’re looking for a broad array of options, group workouts, and the integration of technology in their club workouts. Clubs that don’t move forward with these offerings may face a drop in membership from a critical clientele group.
2. Social Fitness Is Not Just a Fad
2020 brought at-home fitness and social distancing. We will see a much-needed break from that in 2021 as people seek personal connections with like-minded individuals, including other gym members. We’ll see a rise in group exercise as a result of this need for social fitness experiences and human interaction at the gym.
After the isolation of the pandemic, people want to feel part of a community. People don’t want to go to the gym and work machines by themselves, but rather, they want to reconnect within the real world with real people. When working out in groups, gym members not only enjoy it more, but they also experience greater levels of exertion for a better overall workout. Working in a group also adds a level of accountability that increases the individual’s likelihood of returning regularly.
3. Technology Is Leading the Race
Fitness clubs and gyms that utilize technology will see a growth in membership, reach new clients, and find success in coming years. While on-demand, at-home fitness experiences have seen a surge due to the pandemic, it’s trends like smart technology that will drive individuals back to the gym.
Digital fitness experiences have grown in recent years, even before COVID-19, but they have not slowed the numbers joining fitness and health clubs. In fact, 2019 saw a record amount of gym memberships with the quantity of members steadily rising. Gyms that employ technology within their walls and take advantage of digital apps outside of them are benefiting the most from this rise in membership.
Digital fitness opportunities are drawing in people who may have previously been leery of joining a gym due to perceived cost, convenience, or lack of time. Now those who previously avoided fitness clubs – the self-conscious, the inactive, and the busy – are not only signing up for digital fitness apps, but are joining the gym for live fitness experiences.
Fitness Industry Trends
2021 and beyond will bring exciting new trends to the fitness industry. Led by Millennials and Gen Z, we’ll see an increase in group fitness and digital technology within and outside of the gym setting. Group fitness will continue to involve more gym members and bring accountability to those who may otherwise find reason to stay home, while digital options encourage those who can’t always make it to the gym to continue with their fitness routine. Clubs are available to bring the personal experience to the fitness routine, offering members of all generations the human relationships they crave with the physical workouts they desire.