2023 FITNESS AND WELLNESS TRENDS

COVID-19 and all its variants knocked the world back a few paces and some industries, like Fitness, took a tumble when that hit came.

The good news?

• People are nearly at their pre-pandemic fitness levels
• The industry has morphed and continues to evolve to meet consumers where they are on their fitness journey
• There has been significant growth, especially among some leading brands

This movement within fitness and wellness as a whole has us looking ahead to where we need to go next. 2023 has some big shoes to fill to get and gain engagement over 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

TOP 5 TRENDS TO WATCH

1. WEARABLE TECH

While not a new concept, tracking movement, heart rate, calories, and even body positioning, has made us a nation that needs to know. We want to see how hard we are working and what kind of results we are getting. We want to know we are doing it right and we want to support everything we do with the best nutrient components.

The current generation of wearables also keeps people connected to a community of like-minded individuals. This is a key component to supporting goals with accountability and helping grow the feeling of support through others.

2. INTEGRATION OF FITNESS/WELLNESS WITH MENTAL HEALTH

The pandemic taught us many things, not least of which was the toll that isolation and lack of physical activity can have on people.

The return to activity and the positive impact that it has on mental health has been well documented. The industry is pushing for increased integration of wellness and fitness that support mental well-being.

Yoga, meditation, red light therapy, cryo, cupping/scraping, acupuncture, and massage are beginning to find their way into gym culture and enjoying expansion where they were already in place.

3. DIGITAL AND LIVESTREAM

The worldwide quarantine forced the workout at home crowd to new levels. Die-hard gym rats were trying to figure it out on their own at home, with what little equipment they had. Enter the surge of Digital, and Livestream classes and training.

While the initial flood of classes and training may have slowed down, this is a trend that is not going anywhere. People like having the option to work out at home, on their own schedule. Or, increasing in popularity, people are bringing their favorite online classes and trainers with them to the gym. Extra trend watch: digital content specifically designed for in-gym use, focused on a single user or very small group of 3-5 participants.

To meet the demand, many brands are adapting in one of 3 ways:

• Livestreaming their own classes
  • to their other locations
  • to their member’s homes
• Providing on-demand and scheduled classes through their own app or in-club video player
  • via a third-party provider
  • using their recorded livestreams as content
• Creating a full production studio experience for digital classes
  • the home audience is the full focus

Trainers and coaches have also begun to use this tech and methodology for keeping up with their clients wherever they are.

4. WOMEN’S HEALTH

There has been a big shift in the industry to focus on programming and training that is designed to meet the specific needs of women.

For years, gyms had “aerobics” (cringe!) classes for women. And that was all she wrote. Even women that wanted to strength train had to contend with equipment designed for and sized for, men.

Recent research on the role of hormones, metabolism, and the very different in many respects female body, has helped support the emergence of female-focused workouts.

Nutritional support, potential variations in how exercises need to be performed, even exercise based on where a woman might be in her menstrual cycle, pre – and post-menopause, and new moms have taken center stage. New female-focused gyms are popping up. Even traditional classes have changed dramatically to incorporate strength training and a world of variety in programming.

5. STRENGTH TRAINING

The pandemic taught many that cardio at home is pretty achievable, but strength training is a bigger challenge.

Gyms are capitalizing on this by increasing strength equipment, classes, and goals. People are training with functionality and longevity in mind. Weight loss will always be part of the picture but consumers are savvy; they want the full package that exercise can deliver. Vanity is not on point, finally!

“BUT WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY”

Times have changed. What we were doing 5 years ago is just not enough. Today’s consumer demands more. They want flexibility so they can sweat on their schedule. They want a holistic experience, one that treats their body AND mind. They want community and they want convenience. It’s up to us to meet them where they are so they continue to reap the benefits of health, wellness, and fitness.

Let’s get out there and support them in their efforts. Fitness is essential!