ClassPass, the world’s leading fitness and wellness membership and a global provider of corporate wellness benefits, has released their annual data-driven trends report. ClassPass has the most robust database in the world of fitness, wellness and beauty search behavior, with insights compiled from 30,000 boutique studios, gyms, spas and wellness partners across 30 countries.
This year’s report focuses on the impact of the pandemic on fitness, wellness and beauty, the trends that have emerged post-lockdown and where these industries are headed in 2021.
The data is broken out into the following categories:
● Top Workouts of 2020 – Digital
● Top Workouts of 2020 – Studio Fitness
● Most Popular Days and Times to Sweat
● How Your City Is Working Out
● Social Trends in Fitness
● Beauty and Wellness Trends During COVID-19
● The Future of Fitness: 2021 Trend Forecasting
As 95% of studios around the world closed their physical spaces, ClassPass helped 5,000 top studios to add livestream and on-demand workouts, and 81% of ClassPass customers reported that they worked out using digital options. Here’s how they got their sweat on:
Top digital workouts of 2020:
- Yoga
- HIIT
- Pilates
- Strength Training
- Barre
- Dance
- Stretching
- Boxing
● HIIT’s share of all workouts increased by 26% and Pilates’ share of all workouts increased by 16%.
● *Restorative fitness is also very popular in 2020. Meditation and Stretching both rank
in the top 10 on-demand activities booked through ClassPass.
● At home classes that require less equipment are more popular. Classes that require
bodyweight only pulled in double the number of bookings as classes that require
equipment.
● When you find a strength training workout you love, you’ll repeat it. Strength
training is the on-demand workout most likely to be replayed.
Fitness travel is in:
● More than half of members have tuned in for classes taught in other cities.
● UK fitness fans are likely to “travel” to NYC and Amsterdam.
● North America fitness fans are likely to “travel” to London, Sydney and Amsterdam.
● APAC fitness fans are likely to “travel” to NYC, London and Los Angeles.
UK TOP WORKOUTS OF 2020 – STUDIO FITNESS
It has been an extremely tough year for studios, with many being forced to close for months, and some having a second round of lockdowns. However, the global data has been promising:
Top in-person workouts of 2020 as studios have reopened:
- HIIT
- Indoor Cycling
- Reformer Pilates
- Vinyasa Yoga
- Bootcamp
- Circuit Training
- TRX
- Hot Yoga
Additional insights:
● Members are booking equipment-heavy classes such as HIIT, Cycling, Pilates and Boxing classes. It’s likely that many members will continue with some combination of digital workouts, but rely on studio classes for the workouts that are tough to do at home.
● Since studios have been able to reopen, two underperforming genres during lockdowns have climbed back to the top: Indoor Cycling bookings have increased by 30% and Reformer Pilates bookings have increased by 18%.
● There was a 400% increase in the number of outdoor classes being offered by studios this year as many closed studios moved outside, taking advantage of fresh air and room to socially distance. 4 in 5 surveyed members reported a willingness to attend these classes, and we anticipate this will be a lasting trend into 2021.
● Transparent safety information is a key factor in the decision to return to studios, according to more than half of ClassPass members. To help, ClassPass added a feature that allows members to preview the specific safety and sanitation precautions of every studio, from distanced bikes to contactless check-in.
MOST POPULAR DAYS AND TIMES TO SWEAT
Most Popular Time To Take a Weekday Class: 12pm
For the first time ever, lunchtime is the most popular time to workout.
Most Popular Time On Weekends To Take a Class: 10am
Most Popular Times For Professionals on a Company-Sponsored Plan: 8am-3pm
Professionals are now much more likely to take a lunch class instead of an after work class. 89% of professionals say they feel more productive during the work day after exercising.
Most Popular Day Of The Week To Work Out: Wednesday
Workouts used to be stacked earlier in the week. Due to limited end-of-week happy hours and more time spent at home, there is less of a rush to get workouts done before the weekend.
FITNESS HAS STAYED SOCIAL, EVEN WHEN SOCIALLY DISTANT
Fitness fans have gotten creative with distant happy hours and remote meetups, inviting friends and colleagues to join them in a class.
● Most popular digital workout to take with friends based in other cities: HIIT
● Digital happy hour – most common time to take a digital class with friends: 12pm
● Most popular time to meet up at a studio with friends: 6pm
● Most popular studio workout to meet friends at as restrictions lift: Cycling
● Most popular workout to take with a colleague: Strength Training
THE FUTURE OF FITNESS: 2021 TREND FORECASTING
Taking A Crunch Break For Lunch Break:
● For the first time ever, 12pm is the most popular time to work out during the week.
● Lunchtime workouts have seen a 67% increase in popularity. This shift can largely be attributed to a rise in remote work, and the ease of no shower required virtual meetings. Even as people have returned to studios, the 12pm weekday time slot for in-person classes is more popular now than it was before lockdowns.
● Bristol, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Manchester and Brighton have all leaned into this trend, becoming this year’s Lunchtime Warriors, or the cities more likely to book a lunchtime class.
Open Air Gyms Are a Breath of Fresh Air:
● Outdoor workouts first emerged in Europe and have continued to grow in demand throughout the US. 4 in 5 surveyed ClassPass members are willing to try outdoor classes — ClassPass has added a search for “Outdoors” classes to support this trend and the number of outdoor class options has increased by 400% in 2020.
● Many studios are getting creative with outdoor classes including using beautiful city backdrops for class. One studio in Amsterdam even rented out an underutilized wedding venue! Los Angeles is the most likely city to book an outdoor class in the US. Edinburgh is the most likely city to book an outdoor class in the UK.
● For members who feel more comfortable with 1:1 instead of group workouts, ClassPass has also added personal training options through a new partnership with Fyt.
Corporate Wellness Benefits Have Become a Must-Have for Companies:
● 25% of professionals are exercising more now than at the start of COVID-19, with 1 in 5 using their previous commute time to exercise
● 4 in 5 professionals say fitness activities have been crucial to establishing a new work-from-home routine. 96% of professionals say they feel more motivated and less stressed after exercising, with 89% of professionals saying they feel more productive during the work day after exercising.
● 3 in 5 professionals who have participated in a team workout report feeling more connected to their team afterwards. Teams are most likely to book a private HIIT or yoga class to stay engaged and workout together, and hundreds of private classes have been booked.
● Since the start of the pandemic, ClassPass has offered remote fitness benefits to one million employees across companies of all sizes. The interest from companies is continuing to grow, and we expect fitness and wellness benefits to be more important than ever in attracting and retaining talent.
People Will Head Back To Studios Once They Feel Safe
● 92% of professionals hope to return to fitness studios and gyms in 2021, with 40% planning to return exclusively to in-studio workouts when they feel safe to do so (source: Nov 2020 study of 2,185 professionals from 19 countries)
● After attending their first indoor class since the start of the pandemic, 89% of subscribers responded they would go back as or more frequently to future classes
