The fitness industry is big. It has gyms, clubs, privately owned boutiques, services, foods, supplements, and more. And you know what? It’s only getting bigger. In 2018 the gym industry alone was estimated to be serving 71.5 million people with over six billion visits to health clubs.
From a recent study, the average American adult is spending upwards of $155.93 a month on health and fitness when you include supplements, clothing, accessories, meal plans, health consulting, trainers, and amenities. Only considering supplements, Americans are interested in protein shakes, protein-enriched food and snacks, vitamins, organic products, weight loss supplements, vegan specific products, and more. Just among these items, it’s estimated that individuals are spending an average of $54.28 a month.
And these trends are only going up. Over the past 20 years, from 2001 to 2020, US gym membership has grown by an average of 3.25% a year while the population has only grown by an average of 0.8% a year. There’s more driving the social trend of health conscientiousness than just population. Individuals are more concerned with their health, health education is up, availability to fitness opportunities is up, and the social benefits of a healthy approach have never been higher.
About Fit Boxx
A quick ‘about us’ here at The Fit Boxx. The Fit Boxx is a monthly fitness subscription box filled with the hottest fitness apparel, gear, accessories, nutrition, and snacks! We’re athletes here, and we get it. We love high quality, useful products, and we also like trying new things! The Fit Boxx Team is constantly working to stay on top of the latest and greatest products so we can share them with you. We also appreciate a good deal, so we strive to provide the best value and experience to our subscribers.
An Industry Snapshot
A lot of the products associated with health and fitness are frequently connected to health club memberships and usage. As more individuals use fitness amenities, more are likely to buy products like protein bars, protein powder, and supplements, to name a few.
In 2013 the United States saw an increase in gym enrollment of 5.38%. In the following year the nutritional bars, protein snacks (jerky, etc.), and greek yogurt industry have seen a 7.8%, 11.2%, and 16.6% increase in purchases respectively.
Snacks and supplements aren’t the only things that are on the rise, though. New brands for fitness apparel, athletic shoes, workout gear, gym accessories, and more launch every day.
Business Insider reported in late 2019 that the fitness industry had grown to nearly 100 billion dollar industry globally with no signs of slowing down. Today there are more opportunities for fitness than there’s ever been.
With more options than ever to get fit, creating a community of health-conscious individuals has never been more important for the fitness brand. Ryan Junk, the President of Cycle Bar had this to say about the rapidly growing, and deeply involved, fitness community:
"At the end of the day, the consumer is not just buying the product. They want to make sure that a company's values align with their own values"
What’s bringing more people to fitness?
Today, fitness is so much more than just an item on the to-do list. Fitness is just as much about social and community engagement as it is taking care of your body. The benefits of regular, consistent exercise have never been better understood and the activity has taken on a unique place in the lives of many.
There are a lot of factors working together to bring more and more individuals into the fitness space. The Statista Research Department surveyed 603 gym-going individuals in late 2016 on their biggest reasons for hitting up the gym.
A whole 25% of respondents stated that one of their primary drivers for staying active was socializing and meeting new people. With 3 out of 5 Americans reporting feelings of loneliness and the studied negative health consequences of feeling isolated, the social and health benefits of regular exercise can be a truly life-changing experience.
Exercise is also one of the best antidotes to the feelings of anxiety and stress. With 3 out of 4 Americans reporting persistent stress symptoms, it makes sense that gym-going is on the rise. 39% Of respondents to the Statista Research study stated that gym attendance provided a “welcome counterbalance to stress in [their] everyday life.”
The number of individuals attending local classes, hitting up their nearby gym, or filling the up hiking trails, is only going up. They’re creating communities, forging relationships, and investing in their health. Just like Ryan Junk said, as fitness becomes an ever-increasingly important part of their lives, they’ll, “want to make sure that a company's values align with their own.”
COVID-19 and Unique Times
As you know, COVID-19 has turned a lot of these norms and trends upside down. With closures across the world, it’s likely that in the short run a lot of these trends will be temporarily stunted. As states begin to reopen, we’re excited to see the fitness community come together to accommodate whatever unique circumstances we may find.
While there are many questions that remain unanswered in light of the current circumstances, we’re always impressed by the fitness community and their response. At-home workout groups held via video conferencing and a renewed outpouring of outdoor activity are just some of the activities that have inspired us.
We anticipate looking back on this time in the fitness industry and seeing a slowdown in nearly all metrics. But we also anticipate seeing an upswell in community engagement as reopening occurs.
The Fitness Industry - A Summary
The fitness industry is big. It’s growing. And it’s a community.
Whether you’re connected to a large chain of gyms or a local fitness boutique, into protein powder and power bars or health and lifestyle coaching, there’s a place for you in the fitness ecosystem.
We anticipate that fitness is going to become an increasingly important part of our lives for a variety of reasons. Whether you’re staying active to stay fit, combat stress, or make a connection, the reason is yours and there’s a community for you.
Here at The Fit Boxx, we hope we can help individuals sample a variety of what the fitness industry has to offer. To help our fellow fitness-buffs try a fresh variety of products from their community.
We’re proud to be a part of your fitness community too! If you’d like to hear more about The Fit Boxx, you can read up on us here.