Americans increased their use of health clubs by 45 percent from 2010 to 2019, according to the “2020 IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report“ released by IHRSA in December.
Americans posted 4.6 billion visits to health clubs in 2010; in 2019, that number grew to 6.7 billion.
The report is based on a nationwide sample of more than 18,000 interviews.
Going into 2020, health club use was strong with about one out of four Americans having used a health club or studio in 2019, which equated to more than 73.6 million Americans over the age of six having used a health club in 2019. That number is an increase of 27 percent from 2010.
Between 2010 and 2019, the average annual growth rate for health club members (2.5 percent) and total users (2.7 percent) indicated sustainable growth over the long-term, IHRSA said. The trade association for commercial club operators cautioned that the fitness industry is not recession-proof, but it has been resilient during past recessions.
In 2019, almost one out of four members had memberships at more than one fitness facility, according to the report. Millennials are more likely to belong to more than one gym than other generations, but they also are more likely to jump from gym to gym. However, Millennials, along with dedicated fitness consumers, are willing to pay more for a good fitness experience.
The increased focus on fitness prior to COVID-19 carried through during the shutdowns with sales of fitness equipment increasing 130 percent during gym shutdowns, according to The NPD Group.
For more details from the report, you can download it here at a cost of $59.95 for IHRSA members and $139.95 for non-members.