The future of fitness is all about functional movement.
As in-studio fitness class bookings reach pre-pandemic levels, according to data from wellness booking platform Mindbody, a new crop of trends is arising. Following the pandemic, fitness became less about weight loss and aesthetics, and more about supporting mental well-being. Now, the category has taken on a new role, as the focus on longevity continues to increase.
“Consumers are more interested in moving better for longer,” said Lauren McAlister, a Mindbody and ClassPass Wellness Council member. “We’ve been seeing a noticeable rise in low-impact workouts, like Pilates, yoga. More holistically, we’re seeing an increased interest in fitness and working out for longevity.”
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With this, functional fitness — or workouts that support everyday movement — have risen in popularity, including strength training and Pilates.
“Longevity is really the key and so as a result, people are looking to those low-intensity and low-impact training and a little bit less of that high-intensity training,” McAlister said.
Although some high-intensity cardio workouts, like cycling, are still popular, the company has seen consumers opt for additional recovery classes. “They’re looking for a more balanced program, so incorporating both types of modalities…They’re looking to complement those high-intensity workouts with those low-intensity [workouts] and then making sure that they’re recovering well,” McAlister said.
Here, the top 10 fitness modalities booked on Mindbody between July 2022 and July 2023.
- Personal Training
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Bootcamp
- Recreational Sports/Training
- Dance
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Barre
- CrossFit
- Cycling