Club-based mobile apps have experienced an 11 per cent growth between 2013 and 2015 / PHOTO: shutterstock.com
Over the past decade, several fitness industry-serving organisations have put out studies that proclaim to have identified the fitness trends to keep an eye on.
Unfortunately, predicting trends takes more than asking people’s opinion – it requires digging down and understanding the behaviours of an industry. The American Council on Exercise (ACE), the International Health, Racquet and Sportclub Association (IHRSA) and ClubIntel therefore decided a ‘true trend’ report was needed – one that measured behavioural practices, looking at what the industry was actually adopting and how adoption rates were changing over time.
Our collective goal was to identify what was ‘all the rage’ – in other words, what it is that currently occupies the pinnacle of popularity in our sector.
This article provides a brief glimpse into the work and the resulting outcomes which appear in both the executive summary and full report entitled 2015 International Fitness Industry Trend Report – What’s All the Rage.
FAB VERSUS TREND It’s important to understand the difference between fads and trends. Fads are short-term phenomena that arise quickly, take the world by storm and just as quickly fade into obscurity. They span every aspect of human culture. In business they have been known to create mercurial success and mercurial failure. In social spheres, fads have created short-term changes in social consciousness that were just as quickly forgotten.
Fads are a virus that can quickly take over business thinking, sometimes generating short-term profit but more often than not causing permanent harm.
Conway Twitty, a singer from the 50s and 60s, said about fads: “Fads are the kiss of death. When the fad goes away, so do you.” It’s vital to see fads for what they are and not incorporate them as a central point of your business strategy.
Meanwhile, trends are events that evolve into movements. They have the ability to gain momentum and create long-term societal and business impact. Trends have vitality, often ingraining themselves within the cultural roots of society, whether it’s a social or a business trend. The power of a trend can manifest itself in the attitudes, values and behaviours of its audience.
Bill Clinton, former US president, said: “Follow the trend lines, not the headlines.”
Consequently it’s trends, not fads, that industry leaders need to focus on as they map out strategies for their businesses.
The lifecycle of a trend (see Figure 1) is not dissimilar from the lifecycle of an industry, business or even living organism. It begins with a period of emergence, similar to birth and childhood. This is followed by a growth stage – a period of rapid evolution and adoption, not unlike puberty. Maturity then arrives – a time when a trend achieves a highly developed stage of life and growth takes a back seat. And finally there’s decline – a period in which a trend typically loses ground or possibly even becomes extinct.
Understanding what’s ‘all the rage’ required us to conduct a two-dimensional analysis looking at the interplay between a trends level of industry adoption and its absolute level of growth. We define this as the Adoption Matrix (see Figure 2). Where a trend falls in the matrix tells us if it’s emerging, growing, mature, in decline, or if it’s a niche trend rather than mainstream.
RISE AND FALL So what are the insights garnered from the study? For the purposes of this section, we’ve used the word ‘trend’ to define a specific practice of the industry; over time we will be able to establish whether they are actually trends or fads.
Among the top 10 trends by level of industry adoption, six are programme-driven, three are equipment-driven and one is technology-driven. In essence, what it speaks to is the industry’s heavy reliance on programming and its snail-like pace in adopting new technologies to enhance its value proposition.
Among the trends with the greatest absolute growth over the past two years, 60 per cent are programme-driven – for example, HIIT classes, HIIT small group training, barre classes and suspension training. Three (21 per cent) are technology-driven: the use of social media, offering transparent online pricing of memberships and services, and the development of fitness club-based apps.
Among the eight trends that have captured less than 10 per cent of the industry – making them niche trends – three are technology-driven (such as online training offerings and the use of internet middlemen) and four are equipment-orientated (cold plunge, yoga wall, high altitude training rooms and whole body cryotherapy). Interestingly, only one programme trend – hot yoga – would fall into this segment.
Over the past two years, more than 20 trends have seen a decline in market penetration. Of the trends whose decline was more than 4 per cent, 80 per cent are programme-driven.
When you factor in this statistic alongside the fact that 60 per cent of the fastest-growing trends are also programming trends, in our professional opinion this sector may actually be fad-driven more than it is trend-driven. We will be able to establish this once we have additional years’ data.
Notably, non-US markets have achieved considerably higher levels of adoption for technology-driven trends. This suggests the international market has been quicker to adopt technology as part of its value proposition and operating platform than the US.
Group cycling, traditional yoga and recumbent bikes were the only trends to be classified as mature. A significant majority of the 90-plus trends that were measured fell into either the emerging or niche categories, indicating that in the majority of cases, these trends may not evolve into mainstream trends.O
FIGURE 1 LIFECYCLE OF A TREND
Figure 1
FIGURE 2 ADOPTION MATRIX ILLUSTRATION
Figure2
TOP 10 INDUSTRY TRENDS BY PER CENT ADOPTION 2015
Top 10 Industry trends
TOP 10 INDUSTRY TRENDS BY ABSOLUTE PERCENTAGE GROWTH 2013–2015
Top 10 Industry trends
PRACTICES SERVING NICHES IN 2015 Percentage adoption by health and fitness industry
Practices derving Niches in 2015
PRACTICES IN NEUTRAL FROM 2013–2015 Trends with less than 1% absolute growth from 2013–2015
Practices in neutral from 2013–2015
WANT TO READ MORE?
During the second quarter of 2015, ACE, ClubIntel and IHRSA commissioned a fitness trend study among global health and fitness professionals. The study measured adoption rates and growth rates for over 90 fitness practices across multiple categories (programmes, services and training protocols, equipment and facilities, and technology) and industry segments (region, size of business, type of business model, and so on).
The results of the study were released last month, with special thanks to Melissa Rodriguez of IHRSA, Todd Galati of ACE and Jim Peterson of Healthy Learning.
For further detail, please download the executive summary from ACE (acefitness.org), IHRSA (IHRSA.org) or ClubIntel (club-intel.com).
The full report can be purchased from the ClubIntel store (club-intel.com) or Healthy Learning (healthylearning.com) for US$99.95.
Active Blackpool is deploying Cornerstone Connect, a new digital interface allowing
disparate information from multiple systems to be aggregated into one dataset, to support
its focus on reducing health inequalities and improving healthy life expectancy. [more...]
Panatta brought together four of the most influential figures in bodybuilding history on the
stage of RiminiWellness 2026: Phil Heath, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman and Hany Rambod. [more...]
Club-based mobile apps have experienced an 11 per cent growth between 2013 and 2015 / PHOTO: shutterstock.com
Over the past decade, several fitness industry-serving organisations have put out studies that proclaim to have identified the fitness trends to keep an eye on.
Unfortunately, predicting trends takes more than asking people’s opinion – it requires digging down and understanding the behaviours of an industry. The American Council on Exercise (ACE), the International Health, Racquet and Sportclub Association (IHRSA) and ClubIntel therefore decided a ‘true trend’ report was needed – one that measured behavioural practices, looking at what the industry was actually adopting and how adoption rates were changing over time.
Our collective goal was to identify what was ‘all the rage’ – in other words, what it is that currently occupies the pinnacle of popularity in our sector.
This article provides a brief glimpse into the work and the resulting outcomes which appear in both the executive summary and full report entitled 2015 International Fitness Industry Trend Report – What’s All the Rage.
FAB VERSUS TREND It’s important to understand the difference between fads and trends. Fads are short-term phenomena that arise quickly, take the world by storm and just as quickly fade into obscurity. They span every aspect of human culture. In business they have been known to create mercurial success and mercurial failure. In social spheres, fads have created short-term changes in social consciousness that were just as quickly forgotten.
Fads are a virus that can quickly take over business thinking, sometimes generating short-term profit but more often than not causing permanent harm.
Conway Twitty, a singer from the 50s and 60s, said about fads: “Fads are the kiss of death. When the fad goes away, so do you.” It’s vital to see fads for what they are and not incorporate them as a central point of your business strategy.
Meanwhile, trends are events that evolve into movements. They have the ability to gain momentum and create long-term societal and business impact. Trends have vitality, often ingraining themselves within the cultural roots of society, whether it’s a social or a business trend. The power of a trend can manifest itself in the attitudes, values and behaviours of its audience.
Bill Clinton, former US president, said: “Follow the trend lines, not the headlines.”
Consequently it’s trends, not fads, that industry leaders need to focus on as they map out strategies for their businesses.
The lifecycle of a trend (see Figure 1) is not dissimilar from the lifecycle of an industry, business or even living organism. It begins with a period of emergence, similar to birth and childhood. This is followed by a growth stage – a period of rapid evolution and adoption, not unlike puberty. Maturity then arrives – a time when a trend achieves a highly developed stage of life and growth takes a back seat. And finally there’s decline – a period in which a trend typically loses ground or possibly even becomes extinct.
Understanding what’s ‘all the rage’ required us to conduct a two-dimensional analysis looking at the interplay between a trends level of industry adoption and its absolute level of growth. We define this as the Adoption Matrix (see Figure 2). Where a trend falls in the matrix tells us if it’s emerging, growing, mature, in decline, or if it’s a niche trend rather than mainstream.
RISE AND FALL So what are the insights garnered from the study? For the purposes of this section, we’ve used the word ‘trend’ to define a specific practice of the industry; over time we will be able to establish whether they are actually trends or fads.
Among the top 10 trends by level of industry adoption, six are programme-driven, three are equipment-driven and one is technology-driven. In essence, what it speaks to is the industry’s heavy reliance on programming and its snail-like pace in adopting new technologies to enhance its value proposition.
Among the trends with the greatest absolute growth over the past two years, 60 per cent are programme-driven – for example, HIIT classes, HIIT small group training, barre classes and suspension training. Three (21 per cent) are technology-driven: the use of social media, offering transparent online pricing of memberships and services, and the development of fitness club-based apps.
Among the eight trends that have captured less than 10 per cent of the industry – making them niche trends – three are technology-driven (such as online training offerings and the use of internet middlemen) and four are equipment-orientated (cold plunge, yoga wall, high altitude training rooms and whole body cryotherapy). Interestingly, only one programme trend – hot yoga – would fall into this segment.
Over the past two years, more than 20 trends have seen a decline in market penetration. Of the trends whose decline was more than 4 per cent, 80 per cent are programme-driven.
When you factor in this statistic alongside the fact that 60 per cent of the fastest-growing trends are also programming trends, in our professional opinion this sector may actually be fad-driven more than it is trend-driven. We will be able to establish this once we have additional years’ data.
Notably, non-US markets have achieved considerably higher levels of adoption for technology-driven trends. This suggests the international market has been quicker to adopt technology as part of its value proposition and operating platform than the US.
Group cycling, traditional yoga and recumbent bikes were the only trends to be classified as mature. A significant majority of the 90-plus trends that were measured fell into either the emerging or niche categories, indicating that in the majority of cases, these trends may not evolve into mainstream trends.O
FIGURE 1 LIFECYCLE OF A TREND
Figure 1
FIGURE 2 ADOPTION MATRIX ILLUSTRATION
Figure2
TOP 10 INDUSTRY TRENDS BY PER CENT ADOPTION 2015
Top 10 Industry trends
TOP 10 INDUSTRY TRENDS BY ABSOLUTE PERCENTAGE GROWTH 2013–2015
Top 10 Industry trends
PRACTICES SERVING NICHES IN 2015 Percentage adoption by health and fitness industry
Practices derving Niches in 2015
PRACTICES IN NEUTRAL FROM 2013–2015 Trends with less than 1% absolute growth from 2013–2015
Practices in neutral from 2013–2015
WANT TO READ MORE?
During the second quarter of 2015, ACE, ClubIntel and IHRSA commissioned a fitness trend study among global health and fitness professionals. The study measured adoption rates and growth rates for over 90 fitness practices across multiple categories (programmes, services and training protocols, equipment and facilities, and technology) and industry segments (region, size of business, type of business model, and so on).
The results of the study were released last month, with special thanks to Melissa Rodriguez of IHRSA, Todd Galati of ACE and Jim Peterson of Healthy Learning.
For further detail, please download the executive summary from ACE (acefitness.org), IHRSA (IHRSA.org) or ClubIntel (club-intel.com).
The full report can be purchased from the ClubIntel store (club-intel.com) or Healthy Learning (healthylearning.com) for US$99.95.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Places Leisure has exchanged contracts to build and operate a flagship £60m water and leisure
destination on behalf of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
The Republic of Ireland will become the latest market in PureGym’s expanding international
portfolio, with the first launch planned for Dublin in 2027.
Anytime Fitness opened more than one club a day in 2025 and is on track to maintain this rate
of growth this year, as parent company Purpose Brands targets further international expansion.
The £33.9 million Leighton Leisure and Community Centre has opened in Leighton Buzzard, UK,
creating a next-generation public leisure, health and wellbeing hub for the local community.
Walnuts Leisure Centre in Orpington, in the London Borough of Bromley, has reopened following
a £17m transformation designed to secure the long-term future of the public leisure asset and
reposition it as a community wellbeing hub.
The Gym Group, has announced that it's sustained positive trading momentum has continued
through the first half of 2026 and the company remains confident about the outlook.
Luxury boutique Pilates and wellness studio, X-Club, officially launches a
4,000sq ft flagship at
Marylebone on 16 July Built around X-Club’s four pillars of wellness – mind,
movement,
nutrition and therapy – the facility features two group exercise studi
Active Blackpool is deploying Cornerstone Connect, a new digital interface allowing
disparate information from multiple systems to be aggregated into one dataset, to support
its focus on reducing health inequalities and improving healthy life expectancy. [more...]
Panatta brought together four of the most influential figures in bodybuilding history on the
stage of RiminiWellness 2026: Phil Heath, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman and Hany Rambod. [more...]
