Belonging is beating out biceps. According to ABC Fitness, social interaction and connection are driving consumers to join gyms, studios and other fitness communities
It’s a word you can’t escape in the fitness industry: community. Much like the rise of health-conscious behavior that followed the pandemic, the desire to connect and feel a sense of belonging may be another lasting shift born out of those years. It may also be a reaction to a society that feels increasingly isolated and tethered to screens.
Now there’s data to back up the craving to connect.
ABC Fitness, the fitness software giant powering gyms and studios worldwide, just released its “Fall 2025 Wellness Watch: The Power of Belonging,” and the findings show that connection isn’t just a buzzword, but a measurable driver of growth and retention.
For the quarterly report, which captures trends from July through September, ABC Fitness pulled member trends from over 40 million people globally who are part of 30,000 gyms, clubs and studios and combined it with consumer research conducted by ClubIntel.
While getting lean and building muscle remains a top priority for many, ABC Fitness reports that more than half of active consumers (57%) say social interaction and connection are the main reasons they join a fitness community. That sense of belonging is also fueling engagement, as 43% of active consumers say they’ve become more involved in their fitness communities this year, led by millennials at 41%.
Beyond making new friends, ABC’s report shows that supportive communities enhance health commitments, with 73% of consumers agreeing that being part of a fitness community helps them remain motivated.
Gen Z & Millennials Lead the Social Fitness Boom
Meanwhile, a generational breakdown tells a clear story: nearly one in three Gen Z and Millennial members engage with fitness communities daily, while Gen X and Boomers tend to favor smaller, instructor-led groups.
Such preferences appear to carry over when asked about the future, as different generations had varying views on where fitness is heading, ABC Fitness found. Younger consumers pointed to diversity, inclusion and technology as the forces that will shape what comes next, while older generations expect smaller, instructor-led group classes to gain traction. Yet, regardless of age, most agree that fitness is evolving to become a broader pursuit of holistic wellness.
Overall activity is climbing, too. Gym and studio check-ins rose 5% year over year in Q3, with studios up 6% and gyms up 4%, according to ABC Fitness.
New membership trends were mixed: studio joins softened by 4%, while big-box gyms saw a 10% increase over the summer, which ABC Fitness notes is particularly impressive during what is normally a seasonal slump.
The numbers reflect a larger shift the industry has been watching, where younger members are driving growth, making up 60% of new gym joins and 31% of new studio members in the 18–35 range. It’s certainly one that Planet Fitness continues to experience, where Gen Z is credited as its fastest-growing membership segment.
Winning in the Run Club Era
For gym owners still chasing leads instead of creating a sense of community, ABC Fitness CEO Bill Davis has a reminder.
“Members who feel connected stay longer, spend more and bring others with them,” he said. “As the industry faces disruption, the future belongs to fitness businesses that invest in authentic, tech-enabled communities.”
So what does this all mean for operators? ABC Fitness offers some suggestions. The first begins internally, training teams to act as community builders. It’s the small stuff that adds up: remembering names, checking in or nudging a member to join the next challenge.
Programming matters, too, and ABC Fitness says operators that lean into connection through buddy systems, in-house challenges and casual meetups (such as a run club or post-class coffee) tend to see stronger engagement. In-app referrals, group chats and leaderboards can also help keep people connected daily.
The full ABC Fitness Fall 2025 Wellness Watch report can be found here.
