2021 Global Report reveals key trends for the new fitness landscape

The Les Mills 2021 Global Fitness Report - featuring insights from 12,157 consumers across five continents - has revealed key numbers, insights and recommendations industry operators meet the needs of current and potential members, both now and in the future.
Three key trends identified in the report cover:
1. Quality comes first
In an industry as notoriously trend-driven as fitness, HIIT (high intensity interval training) is proving the exception to rule. Having dominated most of the last decade, HIIT is hotter than ever, with 32% of consumers listing it as their favourite class format.
However, it’s not just HIIT fans who are loyal - 58% of members say they would likely cancel their membership if their gym took away their favourite class, regardless of the genre.
Participants are also highly discerning, with 86% choosing to do branded classes, and 62% stating the presence of quality elements (the quality of music, instructors, equipment, choreography) are key to deciding which classes they attend.
In a world of endless quantity, it’s never been more vital to focus on quality, particularly from a digital perspective. With YouTube chock-full of free, average fitness content, clubs need to ensure they’re providing world-class content to keep members engaged and willing to pay.
2. Beginners break out
Lockdown has also spawned a new generation of fitness fans who have taken tentative first steps into fitness and are now deciding what comes next, with 27% of regular exercisers describing themselves as ‘absolute beginners’. But who are these new market entrants? And what do they want from a fitness experience?
Opportunities abound for operators who can appeal to these groups and understand the unique barriers to exercise they face. Although 81% of beginners are interested in group activities, 66% say they currently prefer to exercise alone, suggesting a confidence chasm that needs to be bridged before beginners feel fully comfortable.
Instructors and wider staff have a key role to play in ensuring they feel welcome, while helping beginners find intrinsic motivation to exercise will be key to their long-term adherence.
3. Total fitness transcendence
As home working becomes more prevalent and the boundaries between work and play are blurred, so too are the distinctions around the provision of fitness services, creating significant opportunities for clubs.
Employers are increasingly coming to recognise the benefits of an active workforce (and their responsibility to support this), while employees are gravitating towards companies that care, so the offer of quality fitness services is becoming a key differentiator.
The impact that wellness offerings can have on both work performance and employee health is also accelerating their prevalence, creating lucrative opportunities for omni-channel fitness providers to proffer their services and reach lucrative new audiences.
For clubs, the ability to demonstrate the scientifically proven impact of your workouts will place you in the box seat for winning in the workplace wellness market, where Return on Investment (RoI) carries great weight among decision-makers.
Click here to access the full report.
Image courtesy of Les Mills.
Related Articles
7th October 2021 - Les Mills launches new omnichannel fitness platform
30th September 2021 - Les Mills Asia Pacific partners with Move to deliver digital content strategy
28th September 2021 - Tasmanian club finds Les Mills Virtual supports instructor longevity
10th September 2021 - FITREC welcomes Les Mills Asia Pacific to its community
9th September 2021 - New Les Mills Global Fitness Report suggests members ready to ‘flock’ back to facilities
1st September 2021 - Les Mills provides Mastercard cardholders on-demand access to popular workouts
27th August 2021 - Les Mills International’s Keith Burnet shares experiences from 42 days in a rowboat
17th August 2021 - Les Mills launches new profit centre to help grow revenue and member retention
2nd August 2021 - Les Mills MBX mat named ‘best exercise mat’
19th July 2021 - Les Mills Asia Pacific partners with Telstra to launch lockdown activity campaigns
26th May 2021 - Les Mills International shares advice on ways clubs can convert digital fitness fans into members
21st May 2021 - Les Mills International founder Phillip Mills receives APAC Awards of Excellence lifetime achievement award
10th April 2021 - Les Mills Asia Pacific announces Business Partnership Manager appointment
9th April 2021 - Les Mills introduces projected image technology to deliver Masterclass videos
19th February 2021 - Les Mills Asia Pacific and Myzone partner to offer integrated solution to boost exerciser engagement
12th February 2021 - Les Mills to offer New Zealanders free access to online workouts
6th January 2021 - Les Mills Asia Pacific appoints Nick Aspinall to new partnerships role
20th November 2020 - New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Corporation invests in Les Mills International
17th November 2020 - AIF renews and strengthens partnership with Les Mills Asia Pacific
5th November 2020 - Les Mills International partners with Qrious to provide data solution for optimising customer experience
23rd October 2020 - Les Mills Asia Pacific reveals new training format for instructors
28th August 2020 - Inaugural live-streamed eworkshops to be delivered by Les Mills Asia Pacific
13th August 2020 - Les Mills plans to activate fitness industry’s COVID-19 recovery with global campaign
8th August 2020 - Les Mills Asia Pacific invites Victorian instructors and fitness enthusiasts to invest in themselves
26th June 2020 - Les Mills Asia Pacific offers resources to clubs and instructors as reopenings commence
22nd June 2020 - Les Mills sees 700% rise in users in the Middle East during Coronavirus crisis
3rd April 2020 - Les Mills and the Y partner to deliver free content for members and employees