“Green exercise” and connected workout devices are making at-home fitness the preferred workout method. YPulse’s fitness research shows nearly half of young consumers prefer working out at home, and “green exercise” (a.k.a. outdoor activities like hiking, tennis, golfing, etc.) is also on the rise as consumers trade in their gym workouts for more time outdoors. “Green exercise” certainly became the norm at the start of the pandemic when gyms were closed, and according to findings from the premium workout app, Future, people are still interested in getting their steps in outdoors. The app found that users are searching for outdoor activities over some of their pre-pandemic favorites (think HIIT workouts, spin classes, etc.), with tennis tripling in popularity, and golfing, skiing, outdoor climbing, and outdoor cycling also trending up. Future notes that consumers are looking for mixed-modality exercise—a mix between traditional workouts and outdoor activities—to keep their routines refreshing and sustainable. Meanwhile, the Global Wellness Institute’s 2021 state of the industry report identifies outdoor movement as an important trend the pandemic has helped boost. (Fortune)
