Over the last decade, the way people approach and participate in fitness has shifted significantly. The industry had operated on a simple premise that if you wanted to get fit, you went to the gym, went for a run or followed a workout programme. The responsibility for staying motivated largely fell to the individual, but that model is changing today. More and more people are engaging with fitness, spending even more money on it, with the UK fitness industry reaching a record total income of £6.5 billion, up from £5.7 billion last year, according to UK Active. More businesses are recognising this shift and fundamentally reshaping their model to include performative immersive experiences, pop-up and one-off competitions, and in doing so, making fitness more exciting and purposeful.
During the summer period, many people were signing up for fitness events or retreats, domestically or even internationally, as a way to push themselves and do something beyond their normal fitness routine and comfort zone.
Music-driven immersive fitness experiences
People are increasingly looking for a fitness experience, not just another task to tick off their to do list. A major part of these experiences is the atmosphere that music and live performances create. Many fitness brands have recognised this need among customers and have succeeded, as shown by the likes of Barry’s and 1Rebel, who were early adopters of the dark room and roaring music to get you pumped during a high-intensity workout class. Barry’s business model has proved to be successful as Barry’s has opened its 100th location this year.
Many people now choose their fitness class based on the music that will be played, underscoring the importance of music as a main element of any fitness class or workout. In ‘Applying Music in Exercise and Sport’, Professor Karageorghis, an expert on the effects of music on exercise and sports performance, says that the right music is like a legal performance-enhancing drug, as people feel more energised and more willing to push themselves. But this is not a universal trend, as suitable music choices can vary by culture and location.
Rise in pop-up and competition-focused fitness
Having a competition style model is another powerful part of this fitness evolution, as you train for it, compete against your own results (or others!), and have a personal benchmark to improve against. A study by London Sport found that nearly half of those who sign up for a fitness event stick with their New Year fitness resolution beyond January, compared with just 10% of those who don’t. Over the years, these fitness competitions and races have become equally popular with both women and men, and they do not have to be intimidating or reserved just for elite athletes either. Fitness competitions can be designed to be accessible, attracting people who have never competed before and appealing to a much broader audience. Essentially, a competition can be a powerful (and fun) part of the fitness experience without making people feel that they need to be an elite athlete to take part.
Even brands outside the traditional fitness industry are recognising this shift, with many companies collaborating or launching their own run clubs, as seen with the beauty brand Lush. Maybelline New York has gone further, becoming the first-ever cosmetics partner of the TCS New York City Marathon, building a run club and cheer zone around the race. Other brands, such as Chipotle and Lucky Saint, have also created active fitness challenges, events, and pop-up collaborations. This demonstrates that powerful brands outside the industry understand that their target audience increasingly wants to participate in these types of healthy lifestyle experiences, and they want that the feelgood fitness factor to be associated with their brands.
Fitness with purpose
The broader societal shift in how people view fitness has coincided with a recent decline in drinking culture and late-night socialising. This is partly due to the rising cost of living with a pint now costing £10 in certain areas of the UK and the growing conversation in the wellness space, sparking further debate about what people do for leisure. This change is reflected in a recent study by Nuffield Health, which found that one in four people are now part of a fitness community, such as a run club, CrossFit group, or Pilates group, as a form of training as well as making social connections. This creates an opportunity for the fitness industry as well as other sector brands to provide the events that give the same energy, excitement and social connection that people have sought on a night out, but also provides longer-lasting health benefits.
Conclusion
The most successful fitness experiences won’t necessarily be those offering the most sophisticated workouts, but those that make people want to come back. Competition incorporated fitness is advancing rapidly, but the biggest challenge is retaining members after initial sign up. While the newest equipment alone won’t attract people, it’s important that businesses create an atmosphere that makes exercise fun, exciting and ultimately beneficial.. The future of fitness lies in combining music, healthy competition and socialising giving people a goal they can work towards and push their limits.
