ABC Fitness latest report reveals significant increase in gym utilisation post Covid

ABC Fitness - a FitTech partner with solutions for fitness business of any size - has released a new wellness report compiled from findings from 40 million members across 100 countries and over 30,000 studios and gyms.

The ABC Fitness report shows that gym visitation rates are up 60% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to 2023, and clients using personal trainers have increased 78% compared to last year.

ABC Fitness also highlights, the majority of Gen Z (68%) work out on their own, suggesting that gyms and coaches should specifically target this demographic.

Fitness Coach Kai Karttunen advised “Gen Z is more digitally connected than almost any other generation. App-based workouts, gamified challenges and personalised data are all going to help connect to this audience.”

Socialisation and meaningful connections, especially in the post-pandemic era, have become a priority for wellness seekers and according to ABC’s data, 58% of members and users say it’s important for their fitness club to embrace social causes.

While the US saw the highest increase in visitation rates (totalling 184 million visits), ABC Fitness Chief Executive Bill Davis noted that globally, people are recognising the importance of fitness for their physical and mental well-being, as well as their social benefits.

Davis shared “utilisation is up globally nearly 90% when compared to pre-pandemic levels. Now, we are seeing the focus shift to overall well-being. The studio, gym or personal trainer is the gateway to more holistic health opportunities for members. Fitness businesses should recognise the increased demand for their services and the heightened importance of healthy living in the average consumers’ life.

“The fitness industry is poised to help more people in more ways than ever before as fitness businesses emerge as a strong driver of community.”

A key finding from ABC Fitness Q1 Wellness Watch report shows a boom in in-person fitness with visitation having nearly doubled from pre-pandemic levels with paying membership accounts having increased 8% when compared to 2023.

More people are identifying as “Fitness Explorers” (4%) and ‘Wellness Lovers” (6% and comprised mostly of older Gen Z members and Millennials) when compared to last year.

Gyms are emerging as a popular “third place” - the community that active consumers crave outside of school/work and home.

ABC Fitness chief marketing officer Cristine Kao advised “Fitness enthusiasts and gym goers have a high ‘Wellness IQ’ and are prioritising physical health because they understand the mental and physical health benefits. Retention of current members is a key growth area for fitness businesses in 2024.”

According to ABC Fitness, Gen Z consumers are more invested in their physical and mental health than any other generation and spend between $21-$69 a month on average on monthly dues.

While 38% of this cohort tend to frequent traditional health clubs, they are also avid fans of community recreational centres, YMCAs and fitness training studios.

They also seek the guidance of personal trainers more than other generations, as well as recreational sports and small group training, and most monitor their workouts with wearable tech (56%).

ABC Fitness also shows that overall, consumer interest in personal training has grown in the first quarter of 2024.

Personal training investment is on the rise with Wellness Watch findings showing a total client breakdown of 3.6 million men and 3.5 million women, with women continuing to grow in personal trainer usage.

ABC Fitness continues to find an increase in the number of clients using personal trainers with 2024 Q1 results showing it to be 78% higher, with women comprising over 50% of new clients.

Access the ABC Fitness Wellness Watch Report Q1 

Image top: Fitness First Singapore Aerial Flow Yoga; Image above: Fitness Gen Z Credit: Pexels olly