The 5 Fitness Trends That Will Revolutionize the Way You Work Out in 2023
Fitness is over. Long live wellness.
If we had to choose just one trend to talk about this year, it would be wellness, which is now a $1.5 billion market worldwide, according to a McKinsey study, growing at 5-10% per year.
By identifying the “multiple dimensions of well-being” – health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep and mindfulness – McKinsey says well-being is now a top daily priority for 50% of consumers, while 81% agree it is important.
We are delighted that this thinking has become mainstream, because holistic well-being (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) is our essence at Aspria. From spa to fitness, sports, nutrition, social life and family time, we always care about your well-being, without focusing only on your physical form.
As wellness becomes mainstream, the way people think about exercise is going to change for good. A few years ago, the focus was all about HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts, while in 2023, it will be more about balanced workout routines. This is all a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which we tried to move a little as a way to take care of ourselves. In these difficult times, we have turned to gentler forms of exercise such as stretching, breathing, mindfulness, meditation and mind-body workouts like yoga, pilates and tai chi.
And now, we’ve stuck with those habits. That’s not to say that a boxing or HIIT workout isn’t on the agenda, because we all need cardio, and sometimes there’s nothing like it to relieve stress. But in 2023, the gym is no longer a place where you always have to go all out and give your all.
As this understanding continues to take root in our minds, we will see an even more fundamental shift towards holistic wellness and wellness coaching.
Importance of mental health
The reasons we exercise are also changing, and once again, our new habits owe their origins to the pandemic, particularly the 25% increase in anxiety and depression it has triggered worldwide.
At the same time, there is a lot of good evidence showing how physical activity can help mental health. Check out this fantastic research from the John W Brick Foundation.
It’s hardly surprising, then, that governments around the world have encouraged us to stay active throughout the consecutive lockdowns: even for those of us who weren’t clinically depressed, it was the boost of physical activity that kept us mentally on track.
And it’s changed our long-term understanding of the utility of exercise. Once focused on weight loss and fitness, for many people exercise is now focused on mental health and happiness. Consider the continued growth of apps like Calm and Headspace, the popularity of meditation classes in health club programs – including Aspria’s – and the continued strong demand for the playful social interaction of group fitness classes in general.
It is a trend that will shape the 2023 agenda in spectacular ways.
It’s time for customization
In every facet of our lives, we expect a personalized approach: think Netflix, Amazon, and all the other companies that remember you and your preferences every time you visit.
Fitness is no exception! And the good news is that thanks to fitness apps, smartphones, smartwatches, and other wearable technology that we carry around 24/7, there’s a lot of data to put to use. Whether we’re in the gym, doing an at-home workout, or taking part in outdoor activities, the devices we wear are now capable of setting a dizzying array of benchmarks and measurements.
At Aspria, we take this a step further with our AspriaPro Health Check : a 360° wellness assessment that forms the basis for personalised and optimised recommendations for our members’ health. Assessments are conducted and monitored by our in-house experts, meaning our members receive guidance and information throughout, while our programmes are able to offer an unrivalled range of wellness services in our clubs.
As we approach 2023, opportunities for personalization will continue to proliferate. Indeed, expecting our individual well-being to be analyzed around the clock, with personalized daily routines prescribed accordingly, is no longer a futuristic concept.
Fitness is functional
The only one of our five fitness trends that hasn’t really changed in recent years is the continued dominance of functional training. Simply put, these are highly effective workouts that use small machines, dumbbells, and bodyweight training to move and strengthen our bodies for everyday life.
All Aspria clubs have a functional training area. These workouts are fun and varied, making them more popular than ever for personal training, independent exercise and strength and conditioning classes.
But of course, the smaller fitness equipment we all now have in our living rooms and home gyms since the pandemic is enough for a good functional workout, making this trend even more popular.
In short, wherever you are in 2023, functional training is a great form of physical exercise.
A flexible future
This “wherever you are” element brings us to our final fitness trend for 2023, a trend supported by Accenture research that showed brands are now expected to operate “in the digital world, the physical world, and through a blend of both.”
In other words, this trend is about flexibility and convenience, a hybrid approach to fitness that allows you to get a great workout both at home and in the gym.
It’s not about replacing fitness facilities with home workouts. It’s about empowering the trainer, with options that allow you to fit in a workout no matter what’s happening in your daily life or workday. That’s why Aspria not only offers world-class wellness facilities, but also on-demand video content and workout inspiration to support our members, even outside of our facilities.
Our hope and belief for 2023? That all of these combinations will enable even more training to be carried out, leading to improved health and well-being for everyone.
