COVID-19 Pandemic Triggers the Trend for Home Workouts

The year 2020 has taught us many things, especially to take our health as a priority. Along with many societal changes that took root last year, the way we exercise has also changed. As more people began staying at home, the trend for home workouts bolstered, thus transforming the fitness landscape dramatically.

Home Workout Apps Download Soared

The year 2020 was a harsh year for fitness gyms, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. With the rise of lockdown restrictions, the at-home workout trend began accelerating at a rapid rate during the pandemic period. This severely impacted the revenues of gyms and fitness centers across the world.

From the time when the pandemic began, the count of gym memberships has dropped, pushing some of the most economically vulnerable fitness companies into liquidation. Several gyms as well as fitness and sport club owners were filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020. Fitness industry leaders and observers also highlighted that the menace of the COVID-19 has triggered awareness among people about overall health and well-being.

As per to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults belonging to any age group with certain disorders, such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity, are at higher risk of getting impacted by the coronavirus as compared to healthy and disease-free people. With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, an exponential rise in the download of health and fitness apps has been observed as compared to the past years. Today, people are switching to ‘Home Workout — No Equipment’ apps to maintain their fitness without the fear of getting infected by stepping out from their homes.

Even though the at-home workout trend is not a new one, it is gaining augmented popularity among the public. Many people have started believing that it is easier as well as convenient to stay fit at with home workouts as compared to expensive gyms. Thus, people have started getting more interested in at-home exercise than ever before during the pandemic period.

Is the Trend for Home Workouts Going to Continue?

As the uncertainty of the pandemic remains even in 2021, it is expected that most people will stick to at-home workouts, using their living spaces as their personalized home gyms. Fitness experts say that an individual can perform a good workout without requiring to buy costly fitness equipment. The fitness industry has released a variety of home workout apps that can be accessed easily and free of cost using a smartphone. Some of these apps include:

• Asana Rebel - This app offers nutrition, fitness, and wellness instructions and tips free of cost. It also offers a paid pro-version that gives expert advice and fitness training.
   
• Nike Training Club – This app offers nearly 200 workouts and is an ideal option for those in search of a good workout with minimal to no equipment needed.
   
• Nike Run Club - This app is intended for those willing to boost their running game. It provides daily motivation, distance challenges, GPS tracking, and personalized coaching plans. It is an ideal choice for a beginner to an intermediate runner.
   
• Daily Yoga - This app offers more than 100 yoga poses and classes for all fitness levels. It also offers a paid pro-version.

Physical or social distancing is expected to continue all the way through 2021 in several regions, hence athletes have started hunting for new means, such as digital at-home cycling programs and online workout communities to train and stay competitive. Moreover, virtual fitness is a leading notion that is highly in demand nowadays. The global market for virtual fitness solutions is projected to reach $59,650.3 million by 2027, states a market research company, Research Dive.

There are various virtual fitness platforms in the market that offer a broad variety of set-ups ranging from high-intensity sessions such as spin, body pump, and aerobics, to moderate core strengthening workouts like yoga and Pilates. In virtual training platforms users simply need to log in to live or prerecorded workouts taught by real fitness trainers. Some of the best virtual training apps trending in the market include:

• Equinox Variis - This is an all-in-one app that offers access to top fitness platforms including Pure Yoga, SoulCycle, Equinox, and Precision Run.
• Tone & Sculpt - This app offers customizable weekly exercise plans and nutrition advice to help you attain your fitness goals.
• Zwift - This app is an at-home cycling platform that offers access to the cycling community. Users can ride through simulated courses, play games, and compete with other users.
• VirZoom - This app engages you in cycling courses, such as the Bealach na Bà in Scotland, Dolomite Mountains in Italy, and Shimanami Kaido in Japan, that takes you all over the world.

The home workout apps offer exercises that don’t necessarily need lots of equipment other than your own bodyweight. That is indeed good news for a lot of exercisers who might not have kettlebells, dumbbells, resistance bands, or other equipment at home.

Key Takeaway Message!

The year 2020 has brought a huge shift in the fitness industry. Thanks to technology, which is helping the fitness industry to keep up during the crisis period by offering a more personalized and easy approach to health and fitness. In a nutshell, with home workout apps and virtual training platforms, the upcoming years promise to make fitness more enjoyable and accessible for all.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.