9 Top Fitness Industry Trends (2024 & 2025)
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The fitness space is constantly changing.
You've got new exercise equipment. Cutting-edge fitness apps. Shifting nutritional habits. And more.
This is why we put together this list of the 9 biggest fitness industry trends happening right now.
1. The Wearable Tech Market Explodes
The wearable devices market is already worth over $178.72 billion worldwide in 2024.
Search volume for "Smart ring" has grown 132% over the past 5 years.
That’s projected to rise to over $572 billion by 2033.
This represents a major part of the longstanding self-tracking or “quantified self” movement.
People use wearables to measure their physical activity, sleep patterns, heart rate variability, and overall wellness.
The Apple Watch even has an electrocardiogram feature.
The Apple Watch's ECG app.
As the market for fitness wearables expands, they are becoming:
More powerful: collecting more types of biometric data with more detail.
Cheaper: the Tykoit smartwatch costs just $22.99.
Smaller and more comfortable: the Oura Ring is small and light enough to wear on your finger every day.
The Oura Ring - a wearable fitness and sleep tracker in the form of a ring.
It will be exciting to see what new devices are introduced over the next few years.
2. Biohacking Goes Mainstream
Biohacking is the process of improving one's body or mental facilities using diet, exercise, mindfulness practices, technology or drugs.
Searches for "biohacking" have increased by 394% in 10 years.
In other words, biohacking refers to any science-based approach to performance enhancement.
It's a trend that has been on the rise for over a decade.
But biohacking specifically has been accelerating lately.
Why?
First, the technologies that support biohacking are quickly advancing.
From continuous glucose monitors to help people lose fat, to implantable sensors like NFC or RFID chips used for other purposes.
Implantable sensors aren't sci-fi. They're becoming "the next wearable" category.
In fact, some analysts believe the "human augmentation" market will grow to nearly $790 billion by 2030.
Second, the healthcare system is embracing some of the more natural approaches to biohacking.
Practices that were previously considered nothing more than relaxing hobbies are now being prescribed to help improve physical fitness and well-being.
For example, forest bathing: the practice of immersing oneself in a forest as a way to promote relaxation and mindfulness.
Searches for "forest bathing" are at an all-time high.
There is evidence that forest bathing may promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure and even improve cardiovascular and metabolic health.
As a result, some doctors are beginning to prescribe time outdoors.
Finally, many companies and startups have stepped in to provide advanced dietary supplements.
As well as nootropics.
Often called "smart drugs", nootropics have traditionally been used for cognitive enhancement.
But now they're being used more and more to improve physical fitness. For example, Panda Supps markets a nootropic pre-workout supplement.
Searches for "Panda Supps" are rising steeply.
The opposite is also happening:
Physical workouts themselves are being used as mental performance enhancers.
Studies show that exercise may help with concentration, memory and more.
So productivity-minded people who only care about their brainpower are increasingly using physical exercise as a way to improve it.
And worksite health promotion is considered by industry experts to be the second-biggest fitness trend of 2024, embraced in part as a way of improving productivity.
All of those factors combined make biohacking one of the biggest - and most overlooked - fitness trends happening right now.
3. Home Gyms Thrive
Home gyms were a slow-burning fitness industry trend.
But they spiked in 2020.
(The first wave of virus lockdowns caused the biggest peak.)
Searches for "garage gym" spiked during the pandemic, but they’ve returned to their pre-Covid gradual rise.
Although health clubs are now open around the world, it's likely that the home gym trend is here to stay.
All of that is good news for home workout equipment retailers.
Consumers are jumping on the garage gym trend.
And turning to brands like Rogue Fitness to do so.
Rogue Fitness provides heavy-duty equipment for home gyms.
Home gyms are also going high-tech.
Peloton is probably the most famous recent example of high-tech home fitness equipment. But while it continues to get New Year peaks, the initial buzz has settled down.
Search growth for "Peloton" is down 26% over 2 years.
Their exercise bike features a large touchscreen for streaming video spin classes (at the additional cost of $44/mo).
The Peloton exercise bike.
It’s still hugely popular, but the space is growing more and more competitive, thanks to the “Peloton-ification” of the industry.
Vitruvian claims to make things even more high-tech.
“Vitruvian” searches are up 21% in 5 years, with that familiar January spike also visible.
Its flagship “Trainer+” uses AI technology to determine suitable weight loads for the user.
The equipment can be purchased for $2990, with an annual subscription costing $374.
Vitruvian uses AI to enhance its home gym offering.
4. More Mobile Fitness Apps Emerge
Mobile apps are another way technology is influencing the personal fitness industry.
With over 800 million users worldwide, fitness apps are expected to rake in around $6.8 billion this year.
More people search for "fitness app" each year. January is usually the peak.
There are a few main categories of fitness apps to keep an eye on.
First are activity trackers.
Android and iOS phones all come with free built-in fitness trackers.
How can app publishers compete with that?
Well, one approach is to make exercise social.
That's what Strava does.
Searches for "Strava" have increased by 36% over the last 10 years, settling down into steady growth after a pandemic spike.
Using this app, runners, cyclists and swimmers can join multi-person challenges, connect with friends, and engage with a community of athletes.
And of course, share all their cardio workouts on social media.
This approach seems to be working. People search for "strava" 1.83 million times per month.
And that number is only climbing.
Strava offers advanced features for paid subscribers.
Another type of growing fitness app is the guided workout app.
These apps offer streaming or on-demand workouts, often guided by fitness professionals, coaches, or personal trainers.
Peloton and Zwift are two advanced examples of this category of app, as is Vitruvian.
But they all rely on special equipment.
The Nike Training Club app is another popular app that includes guided workouts along with personal training.
It runs the gamut of exercise types, including strength training, cardio, bodyweight exercises, yoga, Pilates, and more.
The Nike Training Club mobile app.
And a final fast-growing fitness app category is diet apps.
Including meal planners, nutrition trackers, and calorie counters.
MyFitnessPal is among the largest in this category.
This app is supported by ads and also offers a premium version.
5. Functional Fitness Takes Over From HIIT
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is another longstanding fitness trend, although it might have had its day.
“HIIT” searches were on the rise until 2020, and spiked in the pandemic, but have suffered since.
A recent survey of industry professionals by the ACSM found that HIIT remains within the top 20 fitness trends, although it fell from 7th in 2023 to 20th in 2024.
“Functional fitness” placed higher.
It encompasses exercises designed to prepare and strengthen the body for everyday movements.
It’s even being combined with HIIT training, creating a spin-off that’s growing in popularity.
Searches for “Functional HIIT” are up 20% in the last 5 years.
Weight lifting has gotten more popular too, with increasing interest in resistance training exercises (like the overhead press.)
These trends have brought on a slew of related products and workout approaches.
Squat-proof leggings are one example. Squat-proof leggings won't become see-through when stretched during squats or lunges.
And searches for “weighted callisthenics” have seen serious growth.
“Weighted callisthenics” searches are up 104% in 5 years.
6. Consumers Focus On Hyper-Targeted Fitness
Many people's fitness goals still revolve around losing weight and building muscle.
But workouts targeting more specific and unusual areas of the body are growing in popularity.
Mewing exploded earlier this year, after a period of steady growth. It’s a kind of tongue and jaw exercise that’s meant to improve definition.
Millions of people now search for "mewing" each month.
Similarly, “face yoga” is where fitness trends meet beauty. It’s a growing form of facial massage and exercise, designed to alleviate tension, stress and worry - and potentially reduce their visible signs.
Searches for "face yoga" are up 43% over 5 years, with the term now being searched 110k times per month.
Away from the facial area, ankle and wrist weights are also growing in popularity.
7. New Diets Emerge
New fad diets come and go every year.
But very few of those will stand the test of time.
That said, there are a few relatively modern-day diet trends that don't appear to be going anywhere.
Removing meat from your diet has been a very long-term trend.
Search volume for the word "vegan" has increased 59% over the past 10 years.
More and more people are turning to plant-based alternatives.
Whether for health reasons, ethical reasons, or environmental concerns.
And companies like Beyond Meat, Impossible Food, and Laird Superfood are making it easier than ever to go meatless.
The vegan Impossible Burger.
The plant-based meat industry is growing rapidly and is expected to be worth $27.6 billion globally by 2030.
There's even a vegan version of the super low-carb ketogenic diet.
But for the most part, keto sits at the opposite end of the spectrum from veganism.
So is keto here to stay?
Maybe not.
At least, not if search trends are any indication:
Searches for "keto" have peaked and are declining.
The even more extreme carnivore diet looks like it may be fading fast, too.
Intermittent fasting looked to have more staying power.
Its search volume had been rising steadily for years. But it looks as though we may now be past the peak:
Searches for "intermittent fasting" over the last decade.
So what’s next? It’s notoriously hard to predict.
But searches for “bland diet” have seen some growth.
A bland diet involves choosing soft, low-fiber, low-spice foods. Generally a temporary measure, it can ease digestion and help combat heartburn, nausea and vomiting.
Meanwhile, the “Ornish diet” (named after Dr Dean Ornish) is also growing in popularity.
It’s essentially a form of vegetarianism, but it rejects the idea of “good” and “bad” foods, and also embraces healthy lifestyle factors beyond eating.
Searches for “Ornish” are up 83% in the last 2 years.
8. The Recovery Equipment Market Takes Off
Exercise recovery was traditionally summed up with one word: "Rest".
But thanks to emerging research into workout recovery, it's clear that rest is only part of the equation.
This is why there's a growing market for exercise recovery equipment.
One of the most interesting new products in this category are massage guns:
Searches for "massage gun" are up 443% in 5 years. While December and January spikes are getting slightly smaller over time, the term still attracts over 350k monthly searches.
Massage guns work by delivering strong pulses to a specific area of the body.
Proponents claim that the products shorten recovery times and loosen up tight knots.
Theragun initially put massage guns on the map.
But there are plenty of new players in this emerging space.
Red light therapy belts are among the more novel recovery products to hit the market.
Now a staple in skincare, red light treatment also has alleged benefits for muscle pain relief and even fat reduction.
The belts are wearable devices designed to provide targeted relief.
"Red light therapy belts" have 99X+ growth over the last 5 years.
9. Preventative Fitness Grows In Popularity
One of the most common triggers for embracing a more active lifestyle is some kind of persistent ache or pain.
Charlee Atkins, founder of at-home fitness brand Le Sweat, says she noticed her body “being a little creakier throughout the day”, which acted as a motivation for her exercise routines.
And people are searching for physiotherapist-approved exercises to help keep problems at bay.
Searches for “physio exercises” have grown 25% over the last five years.
It ties into the explosion of functional fitness. And one novel technique steadily growing in popularity is “reverse running”.
As the name suggests, it’s effectively just running backward. But this engages new muscle groups, and one study found it has potential benefits for those prone to knee complaints.
And as it feels so counter-intuitive, it’s also good for engaging the brain.
Searches for "reverse running" have increased 106% in the last 15 years.
Brands are tapping into the growth of preventative fitness.
Nike has launched Project: Run Fearless, which seeks to develop sneakers that reduce the risk of injuries.
And Iron Neck is a home gym machine designed to relieve chronic pain in the neck and prevent damage around that area.
Searches peaked early in the pandemic, as workers struggled to adapt to sitting in front of their desks at home all day. But interest has remained steady.
Searches for “Iron Neck” are up 51% in five years.
Conclusion
That wraps up our list of the top fitness industry trends for the next 3-4 years.
The fitness world has always been fast-changing. And as technology influences this industry more and more, those changes will happen even faster.
From fitness clubs adapting to a post-pandemic world to fitness programs becoming high-tech, it's an incredibly exciting time to be involved in the space.
