Wearable Technology and Exercise Programs for Older Adults among ACSM top Fitness Trends for 2025

The 2025 American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Worldwide Fitness Trends report has been published in its November/December issue of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal.

Technology applications in the fitness industry continue to build momentum as Wearable Technology, Mobile Exercise Apps and Data-Driven Training Technology all appear in the top 10.

 Based on the annual survey of 2,000 clinicians, researchers and practitioners in the fitness industry, Wearable Technology was named the number one trend for 2025, followed by Mobile Exercise Apps (#2) and Exercise Programs for Older Adults (#3).

A’Naja Newsome, PhD, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist and co-author of ‘2025 ACSM Worldwide Fitness Trends: Future Directions of the Health and Fitness Industry’ noted “Digital technologies are becoming more critical to the way we design, deliver and evaluate health and fitness services.

 “Wearable devices, mobile apps and data-driven training methods will create avenues for reaching new clientele and elevating fitness experiences. The exercise professional will need to be innovative in their approach to using technology while increasing client adherence and autonomy.”

Mobile Exercise Apps were next as the number two trend, continuing the focus on technology. One of the fastest risers on the trends list, mobile apps landed as the second biggest trend just two years after coming in at #20. In 2023, there were 850 million fitness app downloads by nearly 370 million users. This popularity, along with complementing wearable technology, may have fuelled the quick rise up the list. 

Completing the Top 10 technology trifecta was Data-driven Training Technology, which made a significant jump from #18 in 2024 to #7 in 2025. Benefits of data-driven training technology include better understanding of the physiological responses to an exercise stimulus in real-time, individualised coaching and instruction, even in a group setting where there may be various fitness levels, and the use of biofeedback (i.e., sleep, and heart rate variability) as critical components of training and recovery. Importantly, exercise professionals can use real-time data to tailor daily exercise sessions to account for acute and chronic conditions, which increases the safety of exercise for special populations.

Newsome added “Clients desire instant feedback on their training so they can adjust or modify to maximize outcomes and reduce injury. We are seeing this in individualised programming and in group-based classes.”

In addition to digital technology, two other trend categories formed in the Top 10: Training modalities and Fitness Programming. Exercise Programs for Older Adults (#3), Exercise for Weight Loss (#4) and Exercise for Mental Health (#8) reflect strong trends toward programs designed for specific needs and populations.

Training modality trends were represented in the Top 10 by Traditional Strength Training (#5), High Intensity Interval Training (#6) and Functional Fitness Training (#9).

Of the top 10 trends, only Health and Wellness Coaching (#10) was not included in the three dominant categories of digital technology, training modalities and targeted programs.

New to the survey this year was Influencer/Ambassador-led Fitness Programs, which debuted at #12 and also has ties to digital technology. This trend involves the use of health and fitness entrepreneurs and enthusiasts to provide content via online social media platforms and promote exercise to their followers. This trend was ranked higher by newer professionals, suggesting that this may be a rising trend with the potential to grow.

Other new trends appearing in the 2025 survey included Hot and Cold Therapies (#20) and Exercise in Cancer Treatment (#29).

The top 10 trends for 2025:

1.Wearable technology
Wearable technology continues as the #1 trend in the 2025 survey, nearly consistent with previous survey results since 2016 (#3 for 2018 and #2 for 2021). The field of wearable technology is constantly advancing and allows real-time self-monitoring and feedback from devices such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, heart rate monitors, and GPS tracking devices. These devices can provide information such as physical activity, health markers, sedentary behaviours, sleep, and even stress. Wearable activity trackers can support healthy lifestyle behaviour change through goal setting, personalized coaching, or connecting with apps to provide actionable insights.

2.Mobile exercise applications
Mobile exercise apps continue to move up the list (#7 in 2024 and #20 in 2023) and seem to be a more important trend among exercise professionals with more experience. In 2023, there were 850 million fitness app downloads by nearly 370 million users. The upward trajectory of mobile exercise apps could be fuelled by their complimentary nature with wearable technology (the #1 trend).

3.Fitness Programs for Older Adults
The development of fitness programs for older adults holds its place as the #3 trend. Regular physical activity for this population remains a critical strategy for maintaining overall health, preventing chronic diseases, improving quality of life, and the promotion of independent living.

4.Exercise for weight loss
Exercise for weight loss remains consistent as the #4 trend. Global rates of obesity have doubled among adults, with approximately 1 in 8 adults categorised as having obesity. Further, obesity rates among children and adolescents have nearly quadrupled in the past 30 years. While the benefits of exercise are positive regardless of weight status, regular exercise should be included as a part of a multicomponent strategy for the long-term maintenance of weight loss.

5.Traditional Strength Training
 After falling to #17 in the 2024 survey, traditional strength training moves back up the trends list to #5. Traditional strength training, a key tenet of ACSM’s exercise guidelines, incorporates equipment such as barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells focusing on proper movement and lifting technique to improve or maintain muscular fitness. The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults complete at least two days per week of strength training, across all major muscle groups.

6.High Intensity Interval training
 Rising to #6 on the trends list, HIIT has been a consistent top 10 trend since 2018. Its stability is likely due to its effectiveness as a training modality across demographics and among varying health statuses (e.g., cardiometabolic disease and cancer). HIIT involves repeated short bouts of near maximal, high-intensity aerobic efforts followed by active or passive rest periods that allow sufficient recovery to repeat the same working effort.

7.Data driven training technology
Data driven training technology was added in 2024 and appears as the #7 trend for 2025. Data-driven training technology can help clients understand the physiological responses to an exercise stimulus in real-time. This type of training allows individualised coaching and instruction, even in a group setting where there may be various fitness levels. Exercise professionals also may leverage biofeedback (i.e., sleep, and heart rate variability) as critical components of training and recovery.

8.Exercise for mental health
Exercise for mental health remains the #8 trend after being added in 2024. This trend focuses on exercise programming designed to improve aspects of mental health, like reducing feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression.

9.Functional Fitness Training
This training modality typically encompasses strength training to improve balance, coordination, functional movement, and endurance that reflect activities of daily living. This trend is particularly critical for exercise professionals working with older adult and clinical populations to establish exercise behaviours that support improved quality of life across the lifespan.

10.Health/Wellness Coaching
This trend has moved up to the #10 spot for 2025. Health and wellness coaches utilise principles of behavioural science to promote health and lifestyle medicine programs. ACSM’s partnership with WellCoaches® provides exercise professionals with access to evidence-based coaching tools to facilitate growth and promote change amongst exercising individuals.

Images. Credit: Technogym