The Future of Fitness: How the Pandemic Transformed the Way We Exercise

 

 

 

The COVID-19 pandemic will go down in history for many reasons, not least of which is the way it changed people’s behaviors. From hoarding toilet paper to buying dry goods from closed restaurant kitchens; making their own masks to drinking cocktails out of a can, life as we knew it changed.

 

With fitness clubs forced to close, pretty much everyone invested in some sort of home workout equipment, whether it was a pricey Peloton or a cheap set of dumbbells.

 

The AHA Moment

 

But here’s what else happened: people realized that they didn’t really “need” a gym as much as they thought; they discovered that there were a lot of exercises that could be done with little to no equipment and in half the time they’d normally spend at a fitness club.

 

The truth is: before, we were either over-exercising or not nearly as much as we thought we were – because we all know that those “breaks” between sets are nothing more than an opportunity to get back on your phone.

 

 

Working out at home isn’t only cheaper than a gym membership, it’s more efficient.

 

Now in 2021, that idea continues to resonate. In fact, a survey of 3,500 Americans[1] found that 76% of the people polled that had decided to work out at work out home during the pandemic, 66% said they actually preferred it. With millennials that number was even higher: 82% made the switch with 81% liking it more.

 

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The truth is: we were either over-exercising or, not nearly as much as we thought we were.

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What people discovered was that going to the gym had become a time-suck, taking much longer than really necessary, especially when you add in the delays caused by waiting for equipment, available lockers, or showers. Too many people working out at the exact same time every day was ultimately eroding what little personal time was left to them.

 

Fitness Clubs Have Their Own AHA Moment

 

Come the pandemic, fitness chains were either filing for bankruptcy (24-Hour Fitness) or trying to figure out how and if they could conduct classes online and charge for them.

 

 

24-Hour Fitness was never anyone’s favorite gym, but it was one of the cheapest. With the company’s permanent shutdown of numerous locations and no compensation for membership fees, plenty felt the time had come to cut the cord.

 

The long and short of it is, the big box gyms had already been struggling, what with boutique clubs eating into their core customer: Soulcycle, Barry’s Boot Camp, and CorePower Yoga knew that people wanted smaller classes, shorter sessions, and no waiting.

 

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Just how many Zumba classes do we really need ?

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Peloton found out something more: people enjoy the freedom of working out alone and anytime they want, especially if there’s a virtual coach on hand.

 

The pandemic was a veritable gift for the company, and Peloton doubled their business in 2020 to the tune of $1.8billion in revenue — enough extra cash for them to snap up Precor, the fitness equipment manufacturer.

 

 

Peloton and Mirror saw a sharp uptick in sales in the pandemic, beginning the process of more hybridized workouts, with home classes balanced with personal trainers.

 

While Peloton still has no real competitors, there are others out there making specialized home equipment, but online streaming classes are still booming even with gyms re-opening.

 

So Lululemon popped up and decided to buy the home fitness streaming device Mirror. They expect sales to exceed $150million by the end of 2021.

 

The Future of Fitness is a Hybrid

 

So, what’s the future of fitness going to look like?

 

Streaming and working out at home will still continue to grow as a trend simply because it makes sense for the way people live today.

 

Before, we had gyms on steroids, but we only used a fraction of what they offered. Just how many Zumba classes do you really need? And unless you belong to an elite gym, you’re often forced to work out with hardcore meatheads who hog the equipment or people who use the gym as their personal bathroom.

 

La Montgolfière in Paris has received attention for being a prototype for integrating fitness into a broader context of lifestyle and community.

However, gyms will not go away. They will get somewhat smaller and much more elevated in their design and offer. That means more expensive memberships, fewer mainstream fitness classes, and more social club amenities like a bar, lounges, and spa treatment rooms. Club members will use the gym for one-on-one training sessions that balance with their at-home training.

 

In Europe, some are hailing clubs like L’Usine and La Montgolfière as an indicator of the future of fitness clubs – more social club than traditional fitness in focus. Here, they have taken has taken the concept of the gym to a higher level with bespoke details like leather boxing bags, a restaurant, elegant lounges, and spaces where you can work.

 

Like the gentleman’s club of yore, a club like La Montgolfière becomes a “Third Place,” a place in-between work and home that is a community built around health, wellness, and a sense of belonging.

[1] by The New Consumer and Coefficient Capital 2021

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