2018 has truly been a wild ride, to say the least. And if you've kept up with some form of fitness routine over the past year, then you might be wondering how your current workout habits will carry over into 2019, or if other ways to sweat it out will emerge with the arrival of the new year. Well, ClassPass has revealed some of 2018's most popular fitness trends via a report shared with Elite Daily, so now you can get a sense of what was up in 2018, and what might stick around come 2019.
On Dec. 4, ClassPass, the leading membership service to the world’s largest fitness network, released data highlighting regional fitness trends across the United States for 2018. The data came from over 60 million reservations booked by ClassPass members, and the findings are pretty fascinating, especially if you consider yourself to be a true ~fitness fanatic~.
For instance, ClassPass' report broke some of its data down by city to show that some workout trends really are unique to certain parts of the country. Portland, Oregon, for example, was given the "lunchtime warriors" superlative in the report, because ClassPass found that people in this city were most likely to book a workout class between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pittsburgh peeps, on the other hand, were total "night owls" in 2018, according to the report, as they frequently booked classes after 7:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Columbus, Ohio residents received the "early birds" superlative when it came to workouts, which is honestly inspiring AF — keep killin' the game, you guys. I'll be over here snoozing my alarm 14 times in a row, don't mind me.
In addition to the fun facts and superlatives, ClassPass dished out all the deets on which forms of fitness were trending all year in 2018 and, in turn, will likely creep their way into 2019. Here are six trends that you might've participated in this past year, and, if not, could be compelled to try out come the new year.
According to ClassPass' report, the most popular physical activity overall during 2018 was strength training. To that, I say: Yas, my queens. Make those GAINS.
And the cool thing is, if you want to try strength training in 2019, you don't have to pick up a single weight (if you don't want to, that is). "Building muscle doesn’t require complicated and expensive equipment," Dr. Shaun Kennedy, a general medicine and nutrition doctor at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Medical Center, told Elite Daily back in October. "Significant muscle gains can be achieved at home using no more than your own bodyweight."
Believe it or not, the fastest-growing trend in fitness was treadmill workouts, according to the ClassPass report. "Treadmill classes were the fastest growing across the U.S.," the report explained. "We saw an 82% increase in classes that incorporated in treadmills in 2018 vs. 2017."
Want to hop on the treadmill come the new year, but high-key hate running? Don't worry, fam. I've got you covered with six running-free treadmill workouts that will challenge you in the most entertaining way possible.
According to the report, ClassPass users were 33 percent more likely to book a workout class under 45 minutes in 2018 than they were in 2017. "We predict this trend of shorter class times will continue to rise in 2019," the press release stated.
And David Wiener, a training and nutrition specialist for the fitness app Freeletics, agrees. "The world is speeding up: We’re fast, impatient, and we have neither the time nor the resources to commit to fitness plans that eat up large chunks of our day," he tells Elite Daily in an email. #Relatable.
Enter HIIT, aka high-intensity interval training. According to Wiener, these short bursts of intense exercise combine strength, stamina, and speed, and can definitely help you meet your desire for effective, time-efficient training. "HIIT has been slowly growing in popularity for years and will explode next year," Wiener predicts. "People in 2019 will know what they want and won’t waste time getting there."
ClassPass' report revealed that fitness fanatics based in Atlanta, Georgia tend to book workout classes with a friend more often than not, or, at least, it was definitely a thing in 2018.
Why not bring your most fitness-forward pal with you into the new year? There's nothing like the reliability, accountability, and constant motivation that you find in your favorite workout buddy. Plus, squeezing in a sweat sesh with a friend is just so much more entertaining, amirite?
Yoga was almost as popular as strength training in 2018, as per the ClassPass report, and TBH, it makes total sense. The mind-body exercise is incomparable when it comes to stress relief and inner contentment — and that final savasana? Sign me up for that adult power nap, baby.
Overall, it seems like a general trend in 2018 was a good challenge when it came to working out. And, I mean, what's better than feeling like you totally crushed it after a workout, right?
"Challenges are always a great way to achieve significant changes in the short-term because they involve specific goals that are easily measurable and time-limited," Wiener explains. "We all get a fantastic feeling of achievement by completing a challenge successfully, and it's even better if you are part of a team or community, supporting each other and celebrating successes together."
The benefits aren't just short-term, though, according to Wiener. "Taking on a challenge will often involve trying something new and out of your comfort zone," he tells Elite Daily, "and it can kickstart changes that turn into new, life-changing habits."
