Introduction

By 2021, our society adapting to the Covid-19, and people are gearing their priorities toward healthy living. This change is visible when seeing at how the fitness industry has emerged in the past years. Integration of Technologies and Increasing Internet usage have changed how fitness enthusiasts access fitness apps and how personal trainers and gyms deliver their services to customers.

Despite the rise of digital fitness apps, these apps have emerged as the dominant force in the fitness industry today. In the first three quarters of 2020 alone, health and fitness apps saw a 57% increase in downloads over the world. In India, the number of app downloads rose the most, by remarkable numbers.

Reports from App and other mobile data providers suggest that 71,000 fitness apps were launched in 2020, up 13% from 2019.

We’ll take a look at some of the top tech-driven trends reshaping the health and fitness industry.

1. Virtual live Sessions: Fitness enthusiasts in developed markets are increasingly embracing connected fitness enabled by smart technologies. The advent of new-age fitness players allows people to follow their preferred fitness regimes from home while being guided by a virtual trainer who helps fitness enthusiasts to improve their form and posture in real-time. In the post-pandemic era, interactive technologies will become even more popular, especially considering fitness training is no longer limited to brick-and-mortar gyms due to the lockdowns and social distancing norms.

2. Personalized training plans: Wearable devices have become commonplace in the wellness industry. A fitness tracker or app lets fitness enthusiasts monitor their workouts, as well as their progress. User information is captured by such devices in huge quantities. With the help of advanced machine learning algorithms, fitness companies are now able to devise diet and workout plans tailored to an individual’s health profile and goals.

As a result, tech-driven platforms produce better results and are more appealing to users. A number of solutions are also in development that can track metabolic activity and vitals throughout the day to give users a better understanding of how their diet and workout plan affects them. With advances in technology, personalized health regimens are going to become more precise and accurate, resulting in better outcomes.

3. Towards better wellbeing: The outbreak highlighted the significance of mental, emotional, and psychological health. As a result, before the pandemic, fitness enthusiasts realized that virtual fitness services needed to offer more than just physical exercise. Fitting in a healthy diet, sleeping well, keeping a healthy work-life balance, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance have all become part of the definition of fitness and wellness.

The demand for meditation and mindfulness apps has surged as more people are beginning to embrace holistic approaches to health and wellness. Moreover, as demand for digital-driven fitness solutions has grown, more classes are being offered for workouts such as spinning, Zumba, and yoga. Subscription services allow people to exercise at home instead of going to the gym or meeting a personal trainer.

Future of the Industry: Fitness is a hybrid industry, integrating physical and digital touchpoints. Currently, the fear of accidental transmission is the only deterrent keeping fitness enthusiasts away from gyms following the pandemic. As a result, brick-and-mortar fitness centers ensure strict compliance with safety and hygiene protocols to combat this issue. As an example, a leading gym and club management service provider offers a vaccination status tracking feature to ensure user and staff safety. Modern fitness enthusiasts can benefit from such upgrades.

In the hybrid, post-epidemic future, digital platforms and fitness tech will play a crucial role in helping people stay fit and healthy, not just from home, but also from anywhere. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that existing and emerging trends will continue into the foreseeable future with the advantages offered by the paradigm shift.