Fitness Trends 2022: Gym workouts, Yoga most preferred training courses

After two years of Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns and hardships, the year 2022 saw the return of normalcy, at least in India.

We saw the country hosting several sporting events including the Indian Premier League(Cricket), Indian Super League(Football), and more.

Given how people were couped up at home due to the constant lockdowns for the past couple of years, they not only just watched sports, but also decided to get in shape themselves too.

Yoactiv, a popular fitness business intelligence solution provider has released an Insights 2022 report revealing data on what courses people preferred at gyms and sports centres.

It says individual customers preferred gym workouts and for group classes, Yoga was the most preferred option at fitness studios. Evening 6:00-7:00 pm was the most picked slot for the day. And, weekends were preferred for outdoor exercise routines.

However, due to uncertainty over the Covid-19 situation, people went for short-term (1-3 months) gym memberships.

Yoactiv app (screengrab)

Around 67 per cent of women preferred group classes over individual fitness training.

And, it also revealed people dropped plans to go to gyms by almost 75 per cent during the festive season.

On a positive note, the member retention rate after three months of joining stood at 28 per cent for traditional gyms, 55 per cent for specialty and smaller fitness studios, and 39 per cent for larger fitness clubs that offer multiple ranges of services.

Interestingly, virtual fitness classes also found traction, as they would help get some insights into the course and over time, shift to physical classes.

“A lot of people in India sit on the fence and do not join fitness studios due to various barriers. Virtual classes have helped introduce people to newer formats in fitness and break many such entry barriers,” said Jubie Joseph, CEO of Yoactiv.

Besides yoga and gym workouts, Bollywood dance-driven fitness activities and functional training were the third and fourth most preferred courses at gyms, the report noted.

“In the year 2023, we are expecting to see higher demand for sports and sports-integrated fitness activities, personal training, mini workouts, functional training, and care services related to mental health. On the business management front, businesses providing better customer experience through great fitness training, customer service, and conducting community-building events around their business are expected to do well," Joseph concluded.

As of now, Yoactiv’s client base is present in 102 cities across India.