© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
The last two years have seen seismic shifts in how we live and work. It’s only now as we appear to be emerging from the worst of the pandemic that some sort of normal life is returning.
But what will the ‘normal’ post-pandemic world look like for the gym, fitness and leisure industry? What are going to be the hottest gym trends for 2022? What should you look out for on your fitness trends radar this year?
We asked our industry leading leisure consultants for their top gym and fitness trends for the year ahead.
1. Big, bold and versatile leisure spaces
Working from home is here to stay, and hybrid working will likely continue in the long term. This will have an impact on how and where people choose to exercise around their working day.
For some people, they will make much greater use of residential leisure spaces, and this may push developers to reconsider how they design future gym or leisure facilities.
“Community spaces in residential developments are going to get bigger and bolder in 2022,” says Rob Clarke, Director at motive8. “Working from home means greater demand for versatile leisure spaces which can be used for multiple purposes.”
“If space is tight and a studio is a bit of a struggle it might be that developers opt for a space which can be interchanged easily from a studio one minute into a meeting room the next. As you can imagine, storage and careful planning will be key.”
2. Wellbeing will influence gym design
As well as extra space given over to leisure facilities, renewed focus on health and wellbeing during the pandemic will continue to influence gym design.
Big gym design trends will include more lounge and chill type areas, more holistic and meditation zones, and increased usage of outside space.
“Emotional wellbeing will play a far larger part in the design process,” says Nick Sadler, Managing Director at motive8.
“Natural light, plants and space are really important. Heat experiences such as saunas and steam rooms are also becoming popular in residential developments. We are seeing developers make use of advances in technology and science with infra-red saunas and halotherapy cabins too.”
3. Holistic and educational exercise
Kim Mead, Gym & Spa Design Consultant at motive8, also sees the wellbeing influence behind a growth in holistic exercise trends.
“Barre, yoga and a focus on mindfulness and mental wellbeing will continue to be important in 2022,” says Kim. “Fitness trends have shifted a lot in the last couple of years because of Covid. Things like online training will be here to stay.”
“People are generally more aware than ever that leading a healthy lifestyle improves mental health, emotional wellbeing and will contribute to a stronger immune system.”
Sally Ottewell, Gym and Spa Consultant at motive8, thinks people will want to understand more about how exercise impacts their health.
“2022 will see the return of functional activities, circuits and spin classes. But I think people will also seek out classes that offer learning elements, where they can improve their education about the results of exercise.”
4. Immersive rowing and new style wearables
When it comes to gym equipment and technology, Kim Mead says we will see some exciting new twists on existing gear.
“Look out for Hydrow, a new immersive rowing experience. Rowing machines have been growing in popularity in recent years and the new generation of smart machines are very different from the classic consoles we’ve seen to date. I expect Peloton will be bringing out new product launches in 2022 too.
“The wearable technology market will also evolve in 2022 beyond the smart watch. Check out WHOOP and Oura. The trend will be towards different wearable choices, from rings to wristbands, and more advanced features that monitor stats and give you actionable insights to improve your performance.
5. Kindness and consideration for the planet
Like the rest of the world, issues like sustainability will be important to the gym industry.
“I think there will be a push for quality products that last,” says Nick Sadler. “People will want gym equipment that can be reused or recycled rather than a cheap product that goes to the tip.”
“Gym equipment trends will see better, more sustainable, finishes like bamboo and more use of environmentally friendly materials.”
If you’d like to talk to industry experts about the latest gym trends or your plans for 2022, why not get in touch and find out how we can help you. Please contact our friendly team on 020 8481 9700 or info@m8group.co.uk.