Is Lockdown Revolutionising People’s Exercise Habits?

There is every potential that lockdown may well have changed the fitness and wellness industry forever but what can we expect of post-pandemic workouts?

When lockdown restrictions are lifted, some gym operators expect only 25% to 30% of people to go back to in-person gym classes, with the rest working out via online fitness and wellness programmes.  We will certainly not see January 2020 attendance back again between July through to September because there are going to be social distancing rules which only allow around 30% of members to work out in a gym at any given point of time.

Gym members themselves will be very preventive and may not wish step out and be in a gym. A recent YouGov poll stated “that six in ten (62%) of the general public were not comfortable returning to gyms once the current lockdown restrictions are loosened and gyms begin to reopen compared to 30% who were willing to return to workout there.  The numbers are reversed for younger British gym users. Among 18 to 24 year olds – the group most likely to be exercising more at home too – 56% would be comfortable returning to the gym, with 36% being uncomfortable”

Will a shift to virtual workouts continue once restrictions begin to ease?

Whilst gyms will continue their physical premises, they will nonetheless need to constantly evaluate whether they are doing enough in the digital fitness and wellness market. One can foresee an increase in people using online workouts post-pandemic. Is this going to change the fitness industry, will people start to do more online businesses and start to increase digital fitness and wellness offerings? One can see a situation where gym instructor’s will teach a handful of people in person, while simultaneously broadcasting that workout to people logged in online.

Large companies might get a post-pandemic fitness boost by offering staff working from home subsidised fitness and wellness programmes, whilst the government might well provide tax breaks to companies that give staff fitness subscriptions. If gyms can get it right, offering live online classes, recorded video sessions and one-on-one virtual coaching in digital space has the potential of reaching millions of people. How big a change will actually happen remains to be seen. The biggest part of exercise activity is entertainment, engagement and social interaction and is always going to be the pinnacle. So has the lockdown seen a transformation in the way people exercise or has it just  accelerated a transformation that was already happening. Whichever way you look at it, opening up digital access to members of gyms will all be part of the new normal going forward.