Wearables reign supreme as top fitness trend for 2025
Wearable technology has, once again, claimed the top spot in the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) annual fitness trends survey. The comprehensive study, which gathered insights from 2,000 fitness professionals worldwide, reveals a strong technological aspect in how people will approach exercise and wellness in the coming year.
The growing dominance of wearables
The wearable tech popularity reflects the growing sophistication of fitness tracking devices and their ever expanding capabilities. These devices now offer increasingly detailed insights into users’ physical activity, sleep patterns, and recovery metrics, allowing for more precise and personalized fitness programming. In the coming years, this will only continue to improve. So no surprise, they are top of the pops.
Mobile exercise applications secured the second position in the rankings, marking a remarkable rise from their 20th place ranking just two years ago. This surge reflects the growing integration of digital tools in personal fitness routines, with recent data showing that fitness apps reached nearly 370 million users.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
The survey highlights a noteworthy convergence of digital innovation and traditional fitness approaches. While technology leads the way, Exercise Programs for Older Adults maintained its strong position at third place, underscoring the industry’s commitment to serving diverse demographic needs. With the ageing global population, this is probably another trend that will stay.
Data-driven training technology emerged as another significant trend, jumping from 18th to seventh place. This rise reflects growing interest in real-time feedback and personalized coaching, even within group settings. According to Dr. A’Naja Newsome, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist and study co-author, this technology enables fitness professionals to fine-tune daily exercise sessions for various conditions and populations, enhancing both safety and effectiveness.
Traditional strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) maintained their influence, ranking fifth and sixth respectively. These enduring exercise modalities demonstrate that while technology shapes how people track and manage their fitness, fundamental training approaches remain essential to the industry.
The survey also captured an emerging trend in social media-driven fitness, with influencer and ambassador-led programs debuting at 12th place. This development particularly resonates with newer fitness professionals, suggesting potential future growth in social media-integrated exercise programs.
A notable shift occurred in workplace wellness programs, which dropped out of the top 20 after ranking second in 2024. This change likely reflects the ongoing evolution of remote and hybrid work arrangements, pushing employers to explore new approaches to employee wellness support.
The full list
Here are the top 10 listed:
- Wearable technology
- Mobile exercise applications
- Fitness programms for older adults
- Exercise for weight loss
- Traditional strength training
- High-intensity-interval-training
- Data driven training technology
- Exercise for mental health
- Functional fitness training
- Health/wellness training
Our takeaway
As the fitness industry continues to evolve, the integration of technology with traditional exercise methods will only intensify. At the moment such devices are mostly on our wrists. But in the coming years they will become increasingly integrated with every-day garments, before eventually moving into our bodies. The challenge for fitness professionals will be leveraging these digital tools while maintaining the human element that has long been central to effective exercise programming.
Check out the survey results in full on this link.
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