10 Fitness Trends to Look Forward to in 2025
This blog delves into the fitness trends expected in 2025, as identified by the ACE President and CEO, along with members of the ACE Scientific Advisory Panel. These experts provide insights on how health coaches and exercise professionals can prepare for and leverage these trends to enhance their services and broaden their client base. The trends include:
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Looking ahead to 2024, it’s evident that the health and fitness industry has experienced a remarkable shift, primarily fueled by a heightened emphasis on inclusivity and tailored fitness and wellness options. The increasing use of digital tools has enabled a broader audience to engage with fitness in ways that cater to their individual preferences, transforming the industry’s landscape.
In this blog, Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM, ACE President and CEO, along with various members of the ACE Scientific Advisory Panel, share their insights on what to expect in 2025, highlighting trends they believe will emerge or continue to shape discussions in the upcoming year. “As leaders,” Dr. Bryant states, “we must embrace these trends while advocating for evidence-based practices to guarantee safe, effective, and equitable access to health and wellness for everyone.”
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
“AI is becoming a key player in the fitness industry,” says Dr. Bryant. “From personal training apps powered by AI to virtual group exercise platforms, it allows for highly personalized fitness plans, helps trainers grow their businesses, and offers real-time feedback through wearables and smart devices. However, this shift poses a challenge for fitness professionals to keep that essential human touch in motivation and relationship building—traits that AI simply cannot replicate.
Ted Vickey, PhD, concurs: “AI and machine learning are set to transform personal training by developing highly tailored workout and nutrition plans. These systems will sift through extensive individual data, such as health metrics, workout history, and personal goals, to create customized fitness plans that adjust in real time based on a client’s progress and needs.” To remain competitive, professionals should integrate AI tools, apps, and virtual platforms into their business strategies to improve client management, program customization, and data analysis.
2. Wearable Technology Integration
Dr. Vickey believes this is another area poised for significant growth. “Wearable devices are set to play an even more crucial role in personal training and health coaching. Trainers and coaches will utilize real-time data from sophisticated wearables to track clients’ heart rates, sleep patterns, and activity levels, enabling them to provide tailored and effective guidance.”
3. Virtual and Hybrid Training
Dr. Bryant explains, “Post-pandemic, the demand for virtual and hybrid fitness programs remains strong, providing convenience for clients. Trainers must be skilled with digital tools, create programs suitable for online formats, and effectively manage remote relationships. By offering both in-person and online services, professionals can expand their reach.”
Dr. Vickey anticipates further developments in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) workouts, which will create immersive and engaging environments for exercise. “VR and AR technologies will revolutionize the personal-training experience,” he states, “making remote training more appealing and effective.”
4. Inclusivity
Inclusivity has become a significant focus at the American Council on Exercise and within the broader fitness industry in recent years. Dr. Bryant states, “There is an increasing emphasis on developing inclusive environments for diverse populations,” which includes older adults, individuals with disabilities, and those with chronic conditions. Exercise professionals need to adjust their training styles and expand their knowledge to create welcoming spaces for everyone and effectively serve these groups, as accessibility and inclusivity are crucial for attracting and retaining clients.
5. Power Training
Avery Faigenbaum, EdD, believes that power training is set to gain more traction among clients in the future. “While many athletes already include power training in their routines, this form of exercise is also crucial for adults—especially older adults—because of its numerous benefits,” he notes. “Power training improves the ability to carry out daily activities like climbing stairs and enhances balance, coordination, and reaction time. Importantly, it focuses on fast-twitch muscle fibers, which tend to decline more quickly than slow-twitch fibers as we age. By training muscles for quick reactions, power training can help adults maintain stability and lower the risk of accidents, such as slips and falls.”
Fitness professionals can integrate power training into a workout regimen as long as the exercises are customized to fit each person’s needs, goals, and physical capabilities. “The key,” Dr. Faigenbaum emphasizes, “is to concentrate on quick, controlled movements with moderate resistance to safely build power.”
6. Recovery
Dr. Faigenbaum notes that recovery strategies are increasingly recognized for their impact on overall health and performance: “Techniques such as foam rolling, massage guns, compression gear, cold therapy, and saunas are believed to alleviate muscle soreness, accelerate recovery times, and enhance performance. While these methods are often associated with professional athletes, they are becoming a common aspect of fitness routines.” Research on the effectiveness of these modalities is just starting to surface, so there are currently no standardized guidelines for practitioners.
Exercise professionals can discuss various recovery strategies with their clients, highlighting the significance of rest and recovery for both physical and mental well-being. As individuals engage in more intense workouts, these recovery methods can help mitigate the risks of overtraining, burnout, and injury.
7. Weight-inclusive Approaches
“Weight-inclusive approaches,” says Dominique Adair, MS, RD, “focus on health and well-being for people of all sizes, prioritizing sustainable behaviours instead of weight as the only measure of health. These approaches encourage body neutrality and self-acceptance while tackling health issues without stigma.
“By steering clear of restrictive diets, emphasizing mental health, supporting personalized goals that align with a patient’s values, and reducing weight bias in healthcare, the aim is to empower individuals to adopt healthy practices without feeling shame or pressure to achieve specific weight goals.”
Adair further explains that health coaches and exercise professionals can enhance weight-inclusive approaches by creating body-positive environments that highlight strength, mobility, and overall well-being rather than just weight loss. They can customize programs to meet individual goals, encourage sustainable habits, and help clients build confidence without concentrating on appearance or weight measurements.
8. Anti-obesity Medications
According to Adair, there is a growing trend driven by advancements in therapies such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which enhance metabolic health in addition to promoting weight loss. “Their rise is viewed positively,” she states, “as they provide evidence-based options for managing obesity-related conditions, reducing the reliance on stigmatizing methods, and improving long-term health outcomes.”
Adair further explains: “Health coaches and exercise professionals can support the use of anti-obesity medications by creating exercise programs that focus on resistance training. This helps preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss, countering the metabolic changes that often lead to weight regain, whether or not medications are used. They also offer accountability and guidance on physical activity, assisting clients in maintaining functional strength and metabolic health alongside their medication plans.”
9. Food as Medicine
The “food as medicine” movement encourages the use of nutritious foods to prevent, manage, or treat chronic conditions, particularly in vulnerable populations, according to Adair. “Programs that follow this approach—such as medically tailored meals or produce prescriptions (which are now covered by medical benefits, including Medicaid)—aim to tackle both food insecurity and nutrition insecurity by providing access to nutrient-dense foods that can lower healthcare costs and enhance health outcomes. These initiatives understand that food insecurity not only restricts access to calories but also deprives individuals of the essential nutrition required for optimal health, worsening chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension.”
For health coaches and exercise professionals, the “food as medicine” movement may create new opportunities to collaborate with healthcare providers or community programs that offer medically tailored meals or produce prescriptions, ensuring clients have access to healthy foods that support their fitness routines. Furthermore, trainers can promote practical, affordable nutrition strategies that align with their clients’ health objectives, highlighting the importance of balanced diets in preventing chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes
10. A More Holistic Approach
Fitness is increasingly recognized as part of a larger lifestyle approach. “Professionals who incorporate mental health awareness, recovery strategies, stress management, and sleep hygiene into their programs are seeing more lasting client engagement,” states Dr. Bryant.
Clients are looking for more than just physical outcomes; they want connection and accountability, which makes community-building a vital aspect. Whether through in-person classes, online platforms, or social media, professionals who create a supportive atmosphere are more likely to keep their clients.
By broadening their focus to include health and wellness coaching, mental health support, and nutrition, professionals can assist clients in achieving long-term well-being while also generating additional revenue streams.
Fitness for social connection
The rise of group fitness classes this year has underscored the increasing significance of exercise as a social activity. Many participants report that these classes not only enhance their fitness levels but also help them forge friendships, continuing a trend observed in previous years.
Strava’s Year in Sport 2024 report, which gathered insights from over 5,000 active individuals both on and off the platform, backs this trend. The report reveals that 58 percent of respondents made new friends through fitness groups, and nearly one in five Gen Z participants even went on a date with someone they met while exercising.
“Fitness is no longer a solo journey – technology is fostering connections and enhancing the sense of community, whether in-person or online,” explains Muller. “Community-driven fitness is already gaining traction, with wearable devices connecting like-minded individuals, friends, and family who encourage and support each other in reaching their fitness goals.”
From fitness trackers to group classes, the social advantages of exercise continue to grow.
Embracing the Future: A Final Words
The trends shaping 2025 indicate a persistent move towards inclusivity, personalization, and holistic health. By embracing these changes, exercise professionals and health coaches can stay ahead in the industry, providing safe, effective, and innovative solutions that empower individuals to lead healthier lives.
