Fitness is different for every generation. How we market fitness and nutrition, how we innovate new products and solutions, all the way to the social perception of exercise and the technologies that reshape the industry, fitness is always evolving according to generational shifts. When it comes to the Gen Z-ers, fitness is a lot different from how the millennials or the boomers perceive it.
In the end, though, it’s all about adopting healthy habits and building a healthier lifestyle, but in a different way. Needless to say, the Gen Z-ers are changing the fitness industry in a very big way, which is an opportunity for business leaders to capitalize on the Gen Z trends, needs, and aspirations.
Today, we’ll be taking a look at the five key ways that this powerful new generation is reshaping the fitness industry.
Fitness as a Lifestyle
Gen Z-ers are young and vibrant, ready to take on the world, so they want their choices to matter. Not only are they passionate about the things they do, they want to empower others with their actions and choices, and they want their voice to be heard. To that end, the Gen Z generation is very careful about the hobbies and activities they adopt, and the kind of goals they pursue.
For the Gen Z-er, every choice is a lifestyle choice, something they strive to internalize and make an inextricable part of their lives. So, if it’s fitness, then it has to be a part of their daily routine. If business leaders in the fitness sector are to appeal to the Gen Z demographic, then they shouldn’t sell a product or a service—they should provide a lifestyle, create a narrative, and focus on immersion.
After all, your product or service might not be anything new or exciting, but your story might be, and it will inspire the Gen Z-ers to fall in love with your brand.
Focusing on Mental Health
For the younger generations, mental health takes precedence over everything else. This should come as no surprise, because the Gen Z generation has inherited a world that’s battling a myriad of political, sociological, environmental, and economic problems all over the world. The Gen Z-er knows that things aren’t perfect, but that doesn’t mean they don’t suffer from increased stress and anxiety.
This is why they are constantly looking for ways to minimize anxiety in their daily lives through healthy habits and rituals. Being a young generation of up-and-coming entrepreneurs, the Gen Z-ers prioritize mental health while running their business, often choosing fitness as a way to build mental fortitude, resilience, and a healthier mindset. That’s why fitness programs that focus on the mental health benefits will always dominate in the Gen Z market.
Clean Eating on Demand
We mentioned that the Gen Z-ers are always on the move, and that’s to be expected of a young, tech-oriented generation living in a hectic modern world. Young professionals and entrepreneurs often find themselves juggling numerous responsibilities in their professional and personal lives, which is why clean eating and regular exercise are difficult to maintain over the long term.
This fast-paced lifestyle has given rise to the local meal delivery service that almost every city and state has nowadays, as well as on-demand fitness trainers that are able to organize their schedules around the needs of the Gen Z-er. Whether they’re getting their meals delivered to the office or their home, or if the trainer is squeezing them in on their break at work or coming directly to their house—the Gen Z-ers are happy to pay for on-demand services that make their lives just a little easier on a daily basis.
Using Fitness to Overcome Challenges
There are many challenges that the Gen Z-ers are facing nowadays in the professional and personal realms, many of which don’t have an immediate solution. There’s nothing worse than waiting for things to unfold or wait around to witness the fruits of your labor, which can create a lot of tension and stress.
Add to that the external stress triggers like the global pandemic, the economic downturns, or the never-ending social injustices happening all around us. This is why they choose fitness, why they run when things are bad or why they lift weights when it seems like they’re carrying the world on their shoulders.
Fitness Is About Tech and Connectivity
Lastly, it’s important to remember that the Gen Z generation is a tech-driven one. Everything nowadays has an app, a smart solution, or a piece of hardware that quantifies something and is connected to the rest of the world. And fitness tech is no different.
The Gen Z-ers want to be able to measure their steps and heartbeat, they want smart tech to stay on top of their health for them, and they want to quantify their fitness habits so that they can make better decisions. Now and in the years to come, fitness tech will continue to dominate the Gen Z demographic.
Wrapping Up
The fitness industry is always evolving, and Gen Z-ers are driving transformation forward in 2021. This generation will always have a unique way of perceiving fitness and nutrition, and business leaders should adapt to meet their needs and make their wishes come true.
What are some other ways Gen Z is shaping the fitness industry? Let us know down in the comments.
This article originally published on GREY Journal.
