A new data study by Garage Gym Reviews sought to figure out what exactly was motivating people’s fitness habits in 2024. Head below to learn about what exactly the study found.
After surveying 2,000 United States residents all over the age of 18 and spanning the socioeconomic spectrum, Garage Gym Reviews had some interesting findings when trying to figure out what people’s fitness habits and motivations are in 2024. The people they surveyed work out either at home, at an apartment fitness center, or at a commercial gym.
The most notable finding from the study was that younger people aged 18 to 24 are more likely to exercise for their mental health and wellbeing than other generations – 43% of Gen Zers (people born between 1997-2012) listed mental health benefits as a primary motivating factor for working out.
We know that the COVID-19 pandemic changed our relationship with fitness – when the gyms closed down, memberships plummeted, and fitness studios had to get creative in delivering their content. According to this study, 61% of people are still exercising exclusively from home, although 51% of them said they were considering joining a gym sometime this year.
When it comes to the types of exercise surveyed, the study found that cardio is the most popular form for seniors. 34% of baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) said cardio is their exercise of choice, while 57% of millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) said strength training was their favorite type of workout. No matter the generation, working out on a treadmill is the most popular piece of cardio equipment, while dumbbells are the most popular choice of strength training equipment.
The study also found that what motivated 78% of respondents to work out was primarily their overall health, followed by 38% of respondents who said that mental health and fitness progress (a tie for second) were their most motivating factors.
Interestingly, the study took into account people’s salaries, which found that half of the people making $100,000 or more had mental health as a top motivating factor for working out. For people in the survey who make up to $150,000, dumbbells were the most popular equipment choice, while those who made more than $150,000 had an exercise bike as their top equipment pick.
Connect the Watts’ Take
As mentioned earlier, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we exercise and our relationships with our gyms. Per the study, 61% of people have a designated home gym or workout space, 31% of people have a gym or class membership, and 34% of respondents utilize a communal gym or workout space. How many more people would join (or go back to) a gym were it not for the pandemic and its residual effects on society?
It’s no surprise that the younger generations place a higher value on mental health as a primary motivating factor for wanting to work out, as mental health and the need for self-care boomed during the pandemic as well. And with people learning toward strength training versus cardio per the study, I can’t help but wonder how much of a future classic gyms can continue to hold onto.
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