WORK / Expertise Hello living room, goodbye gym

The New World of Home Fitness Report

Our ‘New World of Home Fitness’ report, in conjunction with The Shopper Agency, addresses some big questions – What and where is the new gym? How will it feel, what needs will it satisfy, and how can brands win in this changed environment? We surveyed over 1,000 people between 18 and 74 about their relationship with home fitness, the gym, and the technology they use (or wish to use). The result is a new insight into how brands will need to adapt because one thing is certain, traditional gyms are history.

Pro-Gear in the home

Large numbers of people will not be returning to gyms, yet over two-thirds of people surveyed still want to replicate gym–like experiences at home (echoed by a recent U.S. study). With 87% saying they do not exercise happily at home because of barriers like not having enough space, or not having the right equipment, there is a clear need for brands to find innovative product solutions for the home that meet these pro-grade gear expectations. 

Unsurprisingly, affordability is an important consideration for people but even in these uncertain times, our research shows that consumers are willing to pay a premium for pro-grade equipment when the value is clear and other factors are met. This is evident in high-end equipment brands like Mirror reporting a five-fold increase in exercise frequency, Tonal and Hydrow’s sales tripling, and Fightcamp sales at an all-time high.

Despite the images of luxurious, spacious homes in adverts for brands like Peloton and Zwift, the reality is that lack of available space is a big issue for most people. For 90% of respondents, ‘compactness’ is their number one requirement for home fitness gear! Equipment that can be quickly set up and then hidden away is a winner. Other factors include ease of cleaning, smooth running not noisy, something that looks good in the home without dominating – see the formula below. 

While people are seeking a ‘fun’ home fitness experience, 71% want a brand that is ‘serious’ about what they do and 85.5% want to know that it is created by ‘experts’. If fitness brands are to effectively tap into this growing market and meet consumer needs head-on, they need to find the balance of serious-fun and match people’s new hierarchy of needs.