Fitness trends 2022: wearables, home gyms and outdoor training
In 2022, wearable technology returned to number 1. At the same time, home exercise gyms and outdoor activities still ranked high, which clearly shows the aftermath of the pandemic.
Top 10 fitness trends in 2022
The ranking below follows ACSM's Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends. We keep the original terms recognizable, so the list remains easy to compare with other years.
- Wearable technology
- Home exercise gyms
- Outdoor activities
- Strength training with free weights
- Exercise for weight loss
- Personal training
- HIIT
- Body weight training
- Online live and on-demand exercise classes
- Health/wellness coaching
What stands out in 2022?
Home gyms in second place show that many exercisers invested in equipment at home. The gym was no longer the only logical place to train.
Outdoor activities remained third. Outdoor training was not just an emergency solution, but became part of many people's routines.
Online live and on-demand classes fell to ninth place. Digital training continued to exist, but lost the exceptional peak of 2021.
What does this mean for exercisers?
For exercisers, a hybrid reality emerged. Training at home, outdoors and in the club could complement each other instead of replacing each other.
Run your fitness business with more structure
- Planning, member management and coaching in one platform
- Built for coaches, studios and gyms
- Fewer separate tools, more overview
Strength training with free weights in fourth place shows that structural progress remained important, even outside classic machines.
What does this mean for gyms and coaches?
For clubs, 2022 meant that members had more alternatives. A gym therefore had to show more clearly why guidance, equipment and atmosphere add value.
Hybrid coaching became more logical: a program for home, sessions in the club and measurements via wearables could fit together in one membership.
How does 2022 fit into the longer trend?
2022 is the transition from forced online training to hybrid fitness. In 2023, attention shifts further back toward strength training and functional training.
Continue reading in the series: Fitness trends 2021: online training tops the list due to COVID | fitness trends by year | Fitness trends 2023: back to strength training.
Sources
Curious how FITsociety fits your business?
See how intake, training, payments and communication come together.
Start a free trial and explore the workflow at your own pace.
