As we wrap up 2023, it’s time to take a deeper look at another year of fitness and wellness trends. The annual ClassPass Look Back Report analyzed tens of thousands of reservations from January 2023 to November 2023 to deliver a roundup of fitness and wellness habits from this past year and predict what’s to come in 2024.
As 78% of consumers say wellness is more important than ever — making it no surprise that fitness reservations have shown a 64% increase, and wellness reservations have shown a 31% increase from 2022, continuing the steady growth year over year.
So, what was trending in 2023? Let’s get into it!
Low impact workouts are in high demand
For the first time ever, Pilates was the most popular workout of the year with reservations for Pilates bookings up 92%.
Another first, Low-impact Training slides into the Top 10, up 176% from 2022. In fact, Mindbody found the average American fitness routine breaks down to be 40% low intensity training, 25% moderate intensity training, 17% high intensity training and 19% recovery.
While strength training may have dipped a few spots in 2023, it remains the most popular fitness class to bring a friend to and the #3 most popular first fitness booking.
Fit for Fall is here to stay
January and February are typically the most popular months to work out, likely due to new year’s resolutions, but in recent years we’ve seen a rise in fall workouts. This year proved its staying power.
In 2023, September and October were the most popular months to work out, with October seeing the most attended reservations in ClassPass history. The number of reservations attended surpassed ClassPass previous highs from January and February 2020.
Grab your gear, sports are here
Sports as preferred forms of exercise have been on the rise in the past few years (we can’t go anywhere without hearing about pickleball!) — and 2023 is no exception. Overall sports and recreation bookings were up 92% from 2022. The fastest-growing workout booked on ClassPass in 2023 was golf, and the next fastest-growing fitness reservations were football, soccer and tennis.
Given the community aspect of sports, we’re not totally surprised. The past few years have underscored the importance of connection in our day-to-day lives. Plus, nearly half (43%) of all consumers say that community is a vital aspect of wellness experiences.
But wait, there’s more. Here’s a breakdown of the Top 10 Fitness & Wellness Findings of 2023:
Top 10 Workouts of 2023
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Strength Training
- Cycling
- Barre
- Boxing
- Running
- Gym Time
- Dance
- Low-impact Training
Top 10 Wellness Reservations:
- Massage
- Nails
- Facial
- Sauna
- Meditation
- Hair styling
- Hair removal
- Sports recovery
- Lashes
- Brows
We didn’t forget about wellness!
For the second year in a row, Massage was the #1 wellness genre. It even was the most popular wellness genre for first-time ClassPass users.
In 2022, Eyelash services were the fastest-growing wellness reservation. Up 56% from 2022, they cracked the Top 10 list coming in at #9 in 2023.
Also on the rise — Body scan. Body scan appointments were the fastest-growing wellness reservation of 2023.
What’s to come in 2024?
As for what fitness and wellness trends you can expect in 2024? Keep an eye out for our annual Mindbody & ClassPass Wellness Trends to Watch coming soon!
