The Future of Fitness is Here
With the rebirth of trap music, the start of modern online dating, internet stardom, and memes, the 2010s did us well; but now a new decade is upon us. As January first rolls around the corner, expect a bombardment of new year and new decade resolution articles: “How to start this decade off right,” “Top 10 ways to make it the best decade yet," “2020 won’t know what hit it.” Fitness fads will surround us and the pressure to hit the gym with the rest of the population will be immense. So, we are here to look back on the past decade and assess some fitness trends we are keeping our eyes on for the coming years.
At-Home Workouts
Peloton, the one-stop cardio shop blew up during the holiday seasons of 2018 and 2019. We now see over 1.4 million total community members and over 500,000 monthly subscribers. Peloton was one of the leaders in a massive shift in consumer thinking. According to our research partner, Gartner, “Most consumers lack the money, time and mental energy to engage in the kind of wellness too many brands relentlessly hock.” Brands have identified this pain point and are working hard to find engaging, innovative, and enduring ways to alleviate consumer roadblocks. With Peloton, they identified the need for simpler ways to be active and met it with their Peloton bike and treadmill. The innovative brand offered engaging instructors, supportive communities and accountability that all support a healthy lifestyle.
Group Workouts
Let’s face it: working out by yourself can be lonely. It can be hard to find motivation, hold yourself accountable, or push yourself further when it’s just you. That’s why people are looking towards group exercising. With five or more people, group classes are designed to have everyone stay motivated to work harder and keep working. Exercise apps like Aaptiv, Strava, and MyFitnessPal, have kept this trend afloat in the past couple of years, but with the current market saturation, gyms and tech companies are finding new ways to build engaging communities digitally and IRL. Whether you’re participating in a class at the gym or doing a workout on your Peloton, community gives consumers a reason to go back.
Stepping away from tech
According to Brian MacKenzie, author of Unplugged “By 2020, the global market for fitness-focused apps and devices is expected to grow to $30 billion. This means that more than ever, we’re looking at our wrists not only to check the time, but also to see how much we’ve moved, monitor our heart rate, and see how we’re stacking up against yesterday’s tallies.” This has resulted in losing touch with life around us, the constant distraction of a phone or smartwatch has only increased. However, we see a slight trickle of movement to step away from the devices we find ourselves staring at all day. The gym is no exception to that trend. 2020 will bring the shift of working out without a phone, earbuds, smartwatch, or any other fancy tech. If not, it would be good to try it out anyway.
Joyful Movement
The days of strict diets and rigid workout routines are over. We have seen a shift in thinking with the rise of body inclusivity, with plus-sized models and overall wellness, with eating in moderation instead of removing food groups. With that shift, there will be a trend we are all hoping remains strong: finding exercise that makes you happy: dance classes, outdoor activities, and even short HIIT workouts to break up the workday. The up-and-coming exercise tech, Mirror is providing solutions to fun ways to get active by giving consumers dance classes, barre, and more for those who would be uncomfortable in a brick and mortar situation. So don’t worry about fitting in a boring workout at the gym, find a fun barre class on Mirror, go take a hike, or be like the cool kids and learn some hip hop.
As we look to the future of a new decade, the fitness industry is ever-evolving. Finding new and exciting ways to be active in everyday life only helps to make living life more enjoyable. So go out and join a community, breathe in the fresh air, step away from the devices we find ourselves attached to; you’ll never know what you’ll find until you try!
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