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ClassPass has the most robust database in the world of fitness and wellness search behavior, with insights compiled from 40,000 studio, gym and spa partners across 30 countries.
New York, NY, June 30, 2021 - ClassPass, the world’s leading fitness and wellness membership and a global provider of corporate wellness benefits, has released a special Comeback Report that examines whether people are going back in-person wellness experiences. The report looks at how our at-home workouts have shifted, the experiences people are returning to in-person, and the trends to expect as COVID-19 vaccinations continue around the world. At the time of this special Comeback Report, 93% of surveyed US ClassPass members report that they are fully or partially vaccinated.
Since restrictions have lifted and businesses have reopened, these are the top ten classes and appointments people are getting back to:
- Strength Training
- Yoga
- Indoor Cycling
- Pilates
- Barre
- Boxing
- Gym Time
- Massage
- Livestream Yoga
- Running
Out of the top ten experiences we are currently booking, only one is digital. Otherwise, people are opting to book in-person classes and experiences. Further review of ClassPass data shows that among users who have returned to class, average usage is 10% higher than it was before the pandemic. People are also again getting social -- there has been a 64% increase in people inviting their friends to class since the start of the year (January 2021), and May saw the highest volume of people inviting friends to class since pre-shutdown.
ClassPass surveyed a random sample of members to better understand their motivations for returning to class. 60% of people say in-person classes and appointments are better for their mental health than an at-home digital routine and 4 in 5 people say they push themselves harder in class than they do on their own. An additional 67% of respondents said in-studio classes make it easier to keep up a routine.
Here’s the trends ClassPass has spotted for the remainder of 2021:
IRL Experiences Are Back And Here To Stay:
- 9 of the current top 10 experiences getting booked on ClassPass are for in-person classes and appointments.
- Once we go back to in-person experiences, we keep going back. Among users who have returned to class, average usage is 10% higher than it was before the pandemic.
Vaccination-Required Classes Are In:
- Studios such as Rumble and [solidcore] are starting to offer vaccination-required classes. These classes typically require proof of vaccination at the door, but no mask during class.
- A ClassPass survey shows 69% of members would prefer returning to classes that require a vaccine, and 18% plan to only return to studios with vaccination requirements.
- 59% of respondents would prefer to remove their mask in class once vaccinated.
The Afterwork Workout Is Back On Our Calendars:
- 5:30pm has just made a comeback as the time we are most likely to break a sweat; earlier during the pandemic, we saw lunchtime workouts score the #1 spot.
- Lunchtime workouts are still popular (12pm is the second most popular class time), but we are finally venturing out and using an end of day workout as the perfect way to create separation from our email, take a deep breath and kickbox our way through some workday frustrations.
Yoga Is Growing A Loyal Following:
- Livestream yoga is the only digital class type in the top 10 most booked classes and appointments.
- In-studio yoga has climbed to the second most popular class type since studios have reopened. It’s likely that the at-home yoga spike produced some new students, and that both new and seasoned yogis are excited to practice with a community again.
- People new to ClassPass are most likely to book a yoga class first.
Outdoor Classes Continue to Boom in Popularity:
- The outdoor trend first started as a way for studios to offer classes while their indoor spaces were closed. Since May 2020, there has been a 917% increase in the number of studios offering outdoor classes.
- Outdoor classes continue to grow in popularity -- May 2021 saw the most outdoor reservations in a single month ever on ClassPass.
Self-Care Tops Our List Of Needs:
- For the first time ever, massage is one of the top 10 reservation types on ClassPass.
- In many cities such as NYC, one-third of ClassPass credits are now being spent on wellness and beauty services including massages, facials, manicures, haircuts and more.
Weekend Glow-Ups Have Returned:
- Friday is now the most popular day to make a beauty or wellness appointment. We are back to booking blowouts and manicures before the weekend, wanting to feel our best for seeing friends and family for the first time in over a year!
- Vaxed and waxed is not just an Instagram hashtag -- searches for wax services are up 700%+ compared to June 2020.
For the full report, visit https://classpass.com/blog/2021-comeback-fitness-trends/
About ClassPass
ClassPass provides access to the world’s largest network of fitness and wellness providers, all with one membership. The ClassPass network includes 40,000 pre-vetted exercise studios, health clubs and wellness businesses that offer a broad range of digital and in-person classes including yoga, Pilates, strength training and boxing, and wellness experiences such as massages, acupuncture, and spa treatments. ClassPass helps first-time studio owners, emerging fitness chains and known boutique brands to merchandise their excess inventory, find new customers and generate new streams of revenue. Since 2018, ClassPass has also partnered with over 2,000 companies to offer fitness and wellness benefits through the ClassPass Corporate Wellness Program. For more information, visit http://classpass.com.