‘Omnichannel fitness’ set to be a big post-Covid workout trend - is it for you?

 Workouts have evolved in various ways since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and a major new workout trend to emerge since gyms reopened in 2021 is ‘omnichannel fitness’.

The term refers to a mixture of both working out in the gym and home workouts and is predicted to take off as a popular approach to post-pandemic exercise.

A new ‘Global Fitness Report’ from exercise brand, Les Mills suggests most people (59%) now favor a 60:40 split between working out in-person at the gym and working out at home, most likely using one of the best fitness apps. 

Just as many workplaces have introduced a ‘hybrid’ work set up where employees can work in the office some days and from home other days, it appears people are adopting this approach when it comes to working out too. 

The approach could suit those who are either still easing themselves back to gym life or for those who have found they like a bit of both gym and home working out.

The report found that gym classes have seen a 120% increase in occupancy compared to pre-pandemic levels, with 85% of gym goers interested in trying live classes at their gym facility.

Christopher Barker is a personal trainer who offers one-to-one training and group training. The fitness coach agrees that people are excited to be back exercising around others. 

He says this could be for multiple reasons such as, “The equipment they missed having access to, the companionship of gym friends, or their favourite class instructors or maybe it's just a chance to get out of the house.”

According to the report, HIIT workouts are the world’s most popular fitness class, favored by 31% of participants. Hopping onto one of the best exercise bikes proved to be popular too, with 30% favouring indoor cycling (e.g. spin class), whilst 28% said they favored dance classes.

The company’s founder and executive director, Philip Mills, referred to this shift as a ‘live revival’.  He added that people have missed out on the buzz of live classes, which are made even more motivating with the presence of what he calls ‘rockstar instructors’. 

However, this increased hunger for group workouts doesn’t mean online fitness classes are out the window. In fact, 80% of gym members plan to still use digital workouts post-pandemic.

Mills noted: “The digital fitness boom and the growth of home working means consumers are taking an omnichannel approach to their training to stay more active, mixing thrilling live workouts at the gym with the convenience of digital workouts at home.”

Lockdown also appears to have encouraged a new fondness for fitness, with 27% of respondents calling themselves ‘complete beginners’.

If you fancy being a jack-of-all trades kind of exerciser and can’t pick just one then investing in a pair of best cross training shoes could help you remain flexible across the different classes.