New Fitness Trends Residents Want

Today's generations have embraced a new era of holistic health and balance in training. Trends such as personalized training, hybrid programs, and mental health integration require a new approach to program design. By incorporating these new fitness trends, multifamily properties can separate themselves from the competition and attract discerning residents.

Why Staying Ahead of Fitness Trends Matters for Multifamily Properties

Demand for fitness space has exploded in the past few years, with 70% of renters saying they prefer or need a property with a fitness center. On-site fitness centers now rank among the most in-demand amenities, both for their convenience and their function as social spaces.

In this competitive market, however, adding a fitness room isn't enough. Today's residents work in organizations that have embraced employee wellness trends and offer a variety of resources, including personalized virtual fitness and mindfulness apps. Even remote workers can take advantage of virtual options, which raise the bar for multifamily fitness centers and amenities.

Communities that raise the bar have a significant advantage in the rental market. Research shows that properties with robust fitness amenities can command rents 10% to 15% higher and increase retention by up to 20%.

We explore these statistics in our Multifamily Housing Wellness Guide, examining trends that set multifamily properties apart. These trends include functional health goals, hybrid programming, and a focus on recovery, all of which multifamily communities must embrace to stand out.

Mobility and Functional Training: The Foundation of Modern Fitness

To attract fitness-conscious residents, multifamily properties need to understand their goals. Those goals have undergone a significant shift in recent years, partly due to a trending movement called functional training.

Unlike workouts that isolate muscle groups and focus on extreme results, functional training targets the demands of everyday life. It's not a "lighter" workout, but one that targets a different fitness goal: Live stronger and healthier for longer.

These are the goals today's residents prioritize. According to one survey of 2,000 adults, overall strength and mobility have risen to the top three fitness goals. Functional training supports these and related goals, including flexibility, longevity, and injury prevention.

Functional fitness training incorporates strength training and many other exercises that fitness enthusiasts will recognize, such as squats and lunges. By targeting multiple muscle groups, these exercises train the body for routine yet demanding tasks, such as climbing stairs and lifting heavy objects.

Fitness On Demand provides a convenient platform for residents to access functional training classes and mobility-based workouts. Residents enjoy a broad selection of classes from innovative providers, including:

• PowerMusic Sport: Functional core exercises and strength training for all levels
• Blitz: High-intensity functional training with no equipment required
• L1ft: Strength and conditioning classes focused on overall wellness

With a variety of strength training and cardio workouts also available, residents can pursue their fitness goals from anywhere — their apartment, your fitness center, and anywhere else they travel.

Hybrid Workouts: Blending Virtual and In-Person Experiences

When COVID-19 lockdowns hit, and on-site fitness centers became ghost towns, residents discovered the convenience of online training. That convenience has kept virtual fitness in the mainstream and given rise to one of the most popular new fitness trends: the hybrid fitness program.

Hybrid programs combine in-person workout options, group fitness classes, and online offerings. Residents can work out at home when they want, without losing access to on-site fitness centers and the social engagement they provide.

On-demand platforms and flex spaces empower multifamily communities to provide richer hybrid programming. Flex spaces are multipurpose rooms that members and instructors can rearrange to accommodate different needs. In a multifamily community, they may do double- or triple-duty as social spaces or event rooms.

Flex spaces allow residents to engage more fully with on-demand fitness offerings, which are perfect for today's busy residents. Picture someone who works from home, has 30 minutes for lunch, and wants to do an on-demand virtual workout. With a well-equipped fitness center and adjacent flex space, they can choose almost any offering and have a convenient place to stretch afterward.

Flex spaces also provide the perfect setting for group classes, mindfulness sessions, and nutrition seminars, perhaps even on the same day. View our webinar to learn how today's flex spaces are helping communities integrate hybrid offerings while making space for residents' changing needs.

Recovery and Mindfulness Sessions: The New Must-Have Amenities

Athletic training has come a long way from the philosophy of pushing yourself to the limit. Residents now prefer a more balanced approach to fitness, incorporating physical and mental recovery as essential parts of the workout.

The recovery trend extends from the philosophy of whole-body wellness and self-care. Where residents used to embrace next-day soreness as the mark for a good workout, today's communities want to feel like they're taking care of themselves.

This mindset shift has led to the explosion of post-workout recovery classes and mindfulness programs. Mobility work and guided stretching are essential components of a fitness program. Fitness enthusiasts are also seeking out on-site recovery tools and equipment, from massage chairs to hydrotherapy.

The recovery trend doesn't stop with physical rest. Today's fitness enthusiasts, especially millennials and Gen Z, are paying extra attention to mindfulness and mental health. Improved mindfulness is a top-four health goal for both generations, with both rating it higher than the national average.

As Fashion magazine asserted in June 2025: "Recovery is no longer an afterthought, it's the future of fitness." Club Solutions magazine agrees, noting that providers at the cutting edge of the trend are prioritizing accessibility.

Health-conscious people want recovery options that fit intuitively into workout sessions and daily life. That might mean recovery equipment in the fitness center or on-demand programs. To meet this growing need, Fitness On Demand partners with leading recovery providers such as:

• Nadia Murdock: Mindset and movement coaching
• Mind123: Educational programming for integrated recovery and healing
• GymRa: Yoga as an integrated component of comprehensive fitness

This dynamic programming assures residents that their community fitness program is comprehensive, forward-thinking, and in tune with their needs.

How Property Owners Can Integrate New Fitness Trends Effortlessly

Standing out in the multifamily space doesn't have to require a total redesign of your fitness center. With on-demand programming, residents can access the hottest new trends in physical fitness without placing excessive strain on management or budget.

• Choose the right content: Use participation data and resident surveys to learn about your community's fitness and wellness priorities, then choose programming that meets those needs.
• Select a platform: Partner with a fitness provider that offers on-site and on-demand engagement options.
• Create buzz: Start introducing residents to your new fitness programming options a few weeks before the official launch.
• Host a grand opening: Encourage residents to participate with special incentives for the launch period only.
• Provide ongoing encouragement and support: Run contests and giveaways tied to program engagement. Incorporate resident testimonials and provide ways for residents to share their feedback.
• Continue to market your program: Feature on-trend programming in resident announcements and on platforms that potential residents might use to find your community.

When community fitness solutions meet real-life resident needs, success ensues. Explore our Multifamily Housing Solutions Guide to discover low-lift ways to build a unique fitness program, integrate digital offerings, and increase the return on investment (ROI) for your fitness center.

Leveraging Technology to Deliver Trend-Driven Fitness Experiences

Today's exercise and wellness trends revolve around connected fitness. On-demand apps and interactive equipment enable residents to design customized exercise programs and wellness strategies, while wearable technologies allow them to track their success.

The good news for multifamily communities is that it's easier than ever to meet residents' changing demands. While new fitness trends used to require roomfuls of expensive new equipment or on-site instructors, today's communities can integrate programming from Fitness On Demand.

Fitness On Demand makes it easy and cost-efficient for communities to embrace today's hottest fitness trends. From on-site improvements like digital signage and fitness touchscreens to on-demand classes, Fitness On Demand empowers communities to win the amenities race and attract satisfied, long-term residents.

Learn more about our interactive content today, and discover how easy it is to meet your residents' demands for engaging, on-trend fitness.

New Fitness Trends FAQs

What Is the Next Big Thing in the Fitness Industry?

Personalized and hybrid training are the most important innovations disrupting the fitness industry. Fitness enthusiasts don't want to choose between the convenience of online workouts and the social engagement of the gym. They want it all, while having enough options to design their own programs.

Gone are the days when people's lives revolved around the gym. Today's residents want the gym to revolve around them.

What Is the Fitness Trend for 2025?

The American College of Sports Medicine named wearable technologies, such as fitness trackers and connected apps, as the number-one fitness trend of the year. Mobile exercise apps took the number-two spot, suggesting that today's residents want fitness programming they can take with them anywhere.