When you think of “connected fitness,” you might envision smartwatches and Pelotons, optimization, and leaderboards. That aspect of fitness is does not go anywhere. But the role connectivity will play in the world of fitness in the near future will be a bit different. That is, we are connecting more deeply with ourselves, the needs and fluctuations of our bodies, and our communities.
That is what will be discussed in this week’s installment of the Good+Good Podcastwhere our fitness reporters and editors (including yours) break the scoop on what 2023 will bring for movement and exercise.
Fitness underwent massive changes during the pandemic, including a shift to home workouts, gym and studio closures, and a shift to more sedentary lifestyles. After dozens of conversations with trainers, business owners, fitness enthusiasts, fitness technology industry leaders and analysts, and more, we believe 2023 will be a turning point. We are reaching back to the years before the pandemic in search of the things we missed and moving into the future in search of more types of movement and tools that better serve our bodies.
The main ways this manifests itself is in our exercise habits and technology. Industry data shows that people are returning to in-person fitness and that seeking community is a great motivator for choosing to work out in the gym or studio. As executive director of barry’sJoey Gonzalez, told me when we spoke on the phone recently: “We’re back, baby!”
So the state of the fitness industry in person is where our discussion begins. Next, we talk about What we are exercising and the “buzzword”, and a very important concept, that no one will be able to ignore in 2023: mobility. Working from home has left many of us craving a little lubrication for our creaky joints and out-of-control spine, and that’s led to an explosion in mobility-focused workouts. Finally, the way we are monitoring of our physical condition and health it’s evolving from simply counting our steps and tracking our heart rates on our smartwatches to learning more about other factors like sleep and metabolism collected on trackers worn on other parts of the body.
The idea that drives it all: connectivity. Whether it’s the people we do yoga with in the studio or the needs and fluctuations of our own physique, we’ll be strengthening the bonds that build strong bodies and communities in 2023.
To hear more about what the future of fitness will look like, you can listen to the full podcast below.
