Lockdown’s biggest fitness trends revealed
With people having spent the majority of the last 12 months stuck at home, it’s been more important than ever to make time for being active - not just for our physical health, but our mental health as well.
But with gyms and leisure centres closed as a result of coronavirus restrictions, how have people been staying in shape during lockdown?
Making a splash
According to research from MoneySupermarket, wild swimming (also known as open water swimming) was the pandemics biggest fitness trend. The study found that without access to public swimming pools the number of wild swimming-related Google searches increased by more than 240% in 2020.
While taking a dip in a cold pond, lake, reservoir, or even the sea might not be everyone’s cup of tea, those missing their regular swim have braved the cold in the name of physical fitness. Swimming in cold water could also have additional benefits such as managing conditions like migraines and arthritis and could have some mental health benefits too.
If you’re considering braving the freeze the Outdoor Swimming Society has a guide on how to acclimatise to the cold so you can do so safely.
Adapt and overcome
Somewhat unsurprisingly home workouts were the second biggest trend with interest increasing by 234% over the last 12 months.
The demand for workout equipment such as resistance bands and dumbbells surged in the early stages of lockdown as spare rooms around the country were transformed into makeshift home gyms.
Probably the most versatile equipment in any gym, dumbbells and bands are particularly suited for working out at home as they can be easily adapted for a variety of exercises and strengths. You can find more on our home workout essentials here
The Peloton effect
Despite cycling being allowed throughout the duration of lockdown, indoor cycling saw a surge in popularity in 2020 with companies like Peloton and Wattbike reporting an increase in demand.
Digital bikes often come with virtual experiences that allow riders to try their hand at some of the worlds best cycling routes, giving users a sense of escape after spending all day stuck indoors or offering a change of scenery to cyclists who live in built-up areas.
Taking time out
Hiking and yoga also featured in the top 5 fitness trends as the stresses of life during a pandemic gave people a greater appreciation of mindfulness and the great outdoors.
Physical and mental health are equally as important, and while they might not seem like the most strenuous activities on paper, stepping away from work emails and doom scrolling for a lunchtime stroll around your local park or squeezing in a quick yoga session can help reduce stress while burning more calories than you’d think.
Top 10 lockdown fitness trends
(% increase compared to the previous year)
- Wild Swimming - 243.8%
- Home Workout - 234.6%
- Spin - 230.3%
- Hiking - 207.7%
- Yoga - 176.7%
- Kettlebells - 140.9%
- HIIT - 95.5%
- Running - 87.8%
- Virtual Classes - 70.6%
- Cycling - 59.8%
The study also looked at the combined number of fitness-related searches compared to population to find the most fitness conscious cities.
With 339 searches for every 1,000 people, Bristol is home to the countries biggest fitness fanatics and also had the highest concentration of home workout searches than anywhere else in the UK.
Top 10 fittest areas
(average monthly fitness searches per 1,000 people)
- Bristol - 339.0
- Liverpool - 278.5
- Bath - 278.4
- Birkenhead - 277.2
- Cambridge - 269.3
- Reading - 263.8
- Watford - 247.9
- Warrington - 246.1
- Bournemouth - 242.9
- Glasgow - 242.29
Although the government recently outlined their plans for easing lockdown restrictions, including the reopening of gyms and fitness centres from April 12th, there’ll still be people who are hesitant to return initially meaning that lockdown workouts could be here to stay - at least for a little while.
