2020 VISION
A ClassPass membership gives you access to the world’s largest fitness and wellness network, with more than 25,000 partners across almost 30 countries. So who better than Will Brereton, ClassPass’s UK general manager, to forecast the top fitness and wellness trends for 2020?
FIND YOUR BEAT
Beyoncé is so 2018… In 2020, you’ll be dancing like Normani and Lizzo at the VMAs with At Your Beat.
Loved by the likes of Vogue, the
Evening Standard and Refinery29, At Your Beat was founded by Joelle D’Fontaine to make dance accessible and fun, in both London and New York. It’s an all- inclusive community of movement that proves anyone can dance if they’ve got the motivation. “We promote being extra,” says Joelle. “It’s not ‘ showing off’, it’s absorbing the energy in the room, and everyone wants to see that.”
YOU BETTA WORK
Us gays have known this for years
( hi, Gymbox!), but increasingly people are using their gyms and studios as a hub for socialising, chilling out and even working. Studios such as The Fore in London and BLOK in Manchester now offer co- working spaces that anyone can use, so you can essentially have your whole life’s needs in one place: take a class in the morning, shower, grab your almond milk latte or protein smoothie and crack on with today’s tasks with no time lost! More and more studios, including Frame and Another Space, are implementing ways they can cater for all needs with a range of post- workout spaces including cafes and chill- out zones.
SOMETHING FOR YOUR MIND, YOUR BODY AND YOUR SOUL
We predict a rise in workouts which put mindfulness and mental health at the forefront. These days, more studios are prioritising spiritual well- being and ways we can tone the soul, and next year will see this trend continue, with studios expanding their offering beyond traditional exercise to cryotherapy, meditative gong baths, breathing workshops and floatation tanks. If Edina Monsoon tried it in Ab Fab, then trust that it’ll be going mainstream in 2020. It’s very Gwyneth, without having to do anything unseemly with a healing crystal. Namaste.
SWEAT TOGETHER
Increasing social isolation and a move away from bars and boozing will see the way we socialise change, with workouts replacing happy hour and long team lunches becoming team fitness classes. But this isn’t your classic spandex and leg warmers fare — we’re talking about City Strongman at The Foundry, where you’ll be put to work as a team, lifting tyres, squatting with milk churns, climbing ropes and pushing sleds to burn collective calories. Group exercise is a great way to develop friendships and helps to reduce the anxiety some people feel when facing a solo workout in a roomful of strangers.
CHEEKY KIPS
Something that we’re expecting to see more recognition of in 2020 is our collective lack of shut- eye. We all know that sleep deprivation can have an impact on your physical appearance and mental health
( ah, that’s why we feel so rubbish when the weekend’s after party had an after party), and we’re seeing a focus on studios looking at ways to address this as part of a holistic wellness solution. There’s a rise in technical equipment that can help combat this, as well as offerings such as Pop & Rest’s sleep pods, where you can catch 40 winks on your Monday lunch break.
DIVERSITY MATTERS
Just as companies are waking up to the importance of diversity in the workplace, individuals are seeking more diversity in how they spend their workout time. As boutique studios boom across the UK and are no longer just an exclusive London offering, we will see more and more consumers seeking variety to keep them motivated in their fitness and wellness regimes. Fitness memberships such as ClassPass are helping to connect consumers with ever- expanding options for how to use their precious “me time” to nurture their bodies and souls.