Fitness Frenzy from Your Living Room?
How the fitness industry has changed over the pandemic
—By Julia Klein
The pandemic hit. You treated yourself to extra desserts and movies with your newfound alone time. No way it could last a year. Well, it did, and now you have been looking for ways to stay active and fit while staying home.
At-home workouts have become increasingly popular this past year. Zoom classes, following along to YouTube videos, and in-home workout machines are the new normal for fitness routines. Fitness companies have had to pivot their business models, allowing only the flexible firms to prosper. The year 2020 transformed much of the fitness industry, but whether the change is here to stay is too early to tell.
A Walk Down Fitness Lane
Fitness started gaining popularity in the mid twentieth century. The 1980’s were defined by Jane Fonda aerobics and jazzercise. In the 90’s, people began buying at-home machines such as the Bowflex, a sit/stand machine that allows you to simultaneously work upper and lower body with one machine. By the early 2000’s health clubs were booming. The focus on general wellness has driven the fitness industry to reach into every route to market: at-home equipment, in-studio classes, boutique gyms.
High-tech workout machines have revolutionized the at-home workout experience. Peloton created a cycling bike with a large monitor linked to the bike that allows riders to watch recorded or live workouts with instructors attuned to specific music genres. Similarly, treadmills, rowing machines, and even mirrors have infiltrated the fitness industry. In addition, wearable technology such as FitBit and Apple watches promote counting calories and steps – driving and enticing consumers to want to be more active.
As social media became more popular in the twenty-first century, so did social media influencers. Many of these influencers focused on health and wellness, posting about their lifestyles, eating habits, and workout routines. Kayla Itsines helped revolutionize what it meant to be a fitness influencer. As a personal trainer, Itsines began posting her clients’ success stories and gained a large following on Instagram. She then released an ebook in 2014, “BBG,” and has seen huge success since then (grossing millions of dollars). Many influencers have followed in Itsines’s footsteps today.
The largest and most shocking change has been the in-person fitness class. These classes range from HIIT, to yoga, to strength training, to cycling and much more. Usually, studios are branded boutique fitness centers with a steep price tag ranging from $28-36 per class. Within each class you can expect dim lights, loud music, and an eccentric positive fitness coach guiding you through a 45-60 minute workout. Group atmosphere for a fee plays into consumer’s psychology—research proves people desire being part of a group.
Grace Moore, an avid workout class attendee, is a senior at the University of Michigan. Before the pandemic, she attended fitness classes 5-6 times a week at Orangetheory or similar gyms. “I am fortunate to have parents who help me financially, so I can afford a gym membership [at a boutique fitness center]. This allows me to have minimal obstacles to attend classes.” Moore believes she does not achieve the same level of intensity during her workouts at home. The price tag deters many young working adults from attending boutique centers more than once a week.
Early Pandemic Pivot
In March 2020, COVID caused workout classes and gyms to close down completely. During this time we saw the growth of social media accounts dedicated to fitness and brick and mortar fitness companies converting to online classes.
“One of my favorite SoulCycle instructors began teaching weekly classes via Zoom for free. Another Orangetheory coach began a monthly subscription for $90 and emailed daily workout videos.” Moore explained that relatively quickly, within 2 weeks, the instructors she had met from these boutique gyms had already pivoted to virtual classes. For some coaches, this was an easy transition as they operated on an individual level, without any affiliation to their previous gyms.
In Ann Arbor, local gyms suffered due to the pandemic. MVMNT Fit, a downtown cycle and HIIT studio, was one of those gyms. A beloved studio known for its student instructor-led classes, MVMNT Fit has permanently closed. The 25% occupancy capacity mandated by the State of Michigan did not let the studio hold an adequate amount of students, leading to an inevitable closure. Some Ann Arbor studios were able to brave the long difficult year like Red Yoga. Pavel Bednarsksi is the new owner of Red Yoga and credited their success to the studio’s ability to adapt. In our interview, Bednarski stated the studio pivoted to Zoom classes and while facing difficulties with technology and logistics, were able to find enough success to keep afloat.
Sandra Nissim is a fitness instructor at Title Boxing who has seen the impacts of the pandemic firsthand. Title Boxing went through many stages similar to Red Yoga, including shutting down, outdoor classes, and finally mask mandated indoor classes. “For as long as weather permitted I refused to teach indoor classes. I found teaching outdoor classes fun and effective, but did not want to put myself at an increased risk.” Nissim felt fortunate that being a fitness coach is a part-time job as she finishes her Masters degree in Computer Science. For other instructors, they needed to teach as many classes as possible.
An alternative way to locate workouts was to find fitness influencers on social media. Through YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, fitness professionals have begun to post routines for others to follow. Cristina Ribera, a senior living at home in California, explained how the pandemic and social media has transformed her fitness routine.
Before COVID, Ribera had a standard gym membership and did not attend classes very frequently. Since the pandemic she has taken advantage of social media accounts that post different types of workout routines. In addition, her parents purchased gym equipment for their makeshift garage gym: dumbbells, mats, and were able to splurge on a Peloton bike. Peloton has an iOS application that, in addition to their bike rides, offers workouts for strength training, yoga, barre, and outdoor runs. Ribera has purchased ebooks from fitness instructors she has found on Instagram. She bought a 6-week program that was only $10, much cheaper than any indoor class. “The Peloton bike, application, and social media routines have opened-up an entire new realm of workouts for me.”
Workout Class Resurgence
Since the beginning of the pandemic gyms and boutique studios have begun to slowly reopen.
The risk of returning to in person gyms and classes is still a debate among officials and doctors today. An article published in the New York Times discusses safety in gyms. If social distancing is maintained, if masks are worn, and if equipment is cleaned thoroughly then risk is minimized; yet it is difficult to guarantee complete elimination of risk. For that reason, comfort levels regarding in-class workouts still vary greatly today. Additionally, each state has different gym capacity laws—for Ann Arbor the capacity still remains at 25% and a mask is required.
“When gyms reopened and I was living with my parents over the summer, I didn’t feel comfortable going in person. But when I came back to school I began going to classes that required safety precautions,” reports Moore. Like many other young people, Moore felt most concerned about transmitting illnesses to her parents. However, given the opportunity to return to fitness classes away from home, Moore immediately restarted her routine of 5-6 sessions per week.
An interesting article from Bloomberg cites research that finds that workout classes and gyms will most likely suffer financially post-pandemic. They have cited some evidence that while 75% of people state they will return to their pre-pandemic routines, they will now also diversify into some form of virtual workouts. A thought-provoking point discussed in the Bloomberg article was that due to virtual work many people’s commutes have changed, therefore changing their routine (and gym patterns).
Nissim, a fitness instructor herself, has not attended a class or used a gym since the beginning of the pandemic. She has done numerous at home workouts – using streaming platforms from companies such as Barre and CorePower Yoga. “Even though Title [boxing] has done an excellent job following CDC protocol for social distancing and sanitizing, I do not believe it is safe to attend workout classes. As an instructor I can control my environment—all masks worn properly, physically distancing myself further when I feel it’s necessary. But as a student you lose all this power.” Ribera, like Nissim, has not attended any classes and only has been to a gym a few times.
Future of At-Home Workouts
What is to come of the fitness industry? A Washington Post article speculates that, due to the giant increase in home workout gear purchased, increase in fitness applications, and businesses pivoting to virtual classes, this trend of at-home workouts is here to stay.
From speaking with Ribera, Nissim, and Moore it is clear that there will be a shift away from brick and mortar locations, but maybe not as large as many believe. For Moore, she has already and will continue to return to workout classes: “Workout classes motivate me for two reasons: [one] there is a coach that is instructing me the entire time and [two] there is a competitive nature of group settings that motivates me to get a better workout.” Moore did indicate that after college her routine may shift as she will no longer be financially supported by her parents.
Ribera, on the other hand, believes that she will continue to workout primarily at home. “At-home workouts allow me to be more efficient—squeezing an effective routine in 30 minutes is just not possible when going to a class or the gym.”
Nissim believes that her at-home workouts will continue with the gym/classes mixed back in. Post-pandemic fitness most likely will appear much like Nissim’s plan. Consumers will return to gyms and classes, but not at the same rate as before. It will become more of a balance, since people have the newfound knowledge and confidence that they can get a great workout at home.
Bednarsksi on the other hand believes that indoor practice will return and prevail. He believes that once people feel comfortable attendance will return. Red Yoga, however, will continue to listen to their clients. As long as there is a demand for Zoom classes, Bednarsksi will offer them.
“We must wait and see what our clients decide as we continue to transform Red Yoga to find the most success.”
Featured image: Workout class. Photo Credit: Unsplash @inspiredhorizonsdigitalmarketing