New SFIA Single Sport Reports uncover important shifts in fitness participation trends, from the evolution of strength training to the continued rise of mind-body fitness and an unexpected resurgence in cardio equipment use.
Every year, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), in partnership with the Physical Activity Council (PAC), conducts one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of sports and fitness participation in the United States. Through 18,000 annual interviews with a nationally representative sample of Americans ages six and older, SFIA’s research provides a detailed view of how consumer fitness behaviors are changing.
The findings from the newly released 2026 SFIA Single Sport Reports, based on 2025 participation data, reveal several important trends shaping the future of the fitness industry:
- Strength training continues to grow, but not uniformly.
- Yoga and Pilates are experiencing some of their strongest momentum in years.
- Cardio equipment participation is making an unexpected comeback.
For fitness brands, retailers, facility operators, investors, and manufacturers, these trends offer valuable insight into where consumer demand is headed and where new opportunities may emerge.
Strength Training Isn’t One Trend — It’s Multiple Markets Moving in Different Directions
Throughout the industry, “strength training” is often treated as a single category. SFIA’s latest participation data tells a more nuanced story.
The strength category consists of multiple distinct activities, each with its own consumer profile, growth trajectory, and participation patterns. While some categories continue to demonstrate strong momentum, others have plateaued or declined, creating a much more complex market landscape than broad industry narratives often suggest.
One of the most notable developments is the continued evolution of female participation across strength categories. Certain modalities are seeing particularly strong engagement among women, while others remain relatively stable or are experiencing shifts in participant composition.
Among the key findings:
- Free weight categories continue to demonstrate healthy participation growth.
- Kettlebell training remains one of the fastest-growing segments within strength fitness.
- Dumbbells continue to represent one of the largest participation categories in fitness overall.
- Traditional resistance machine participation remains stable but is evolving demographically.
- Bodyweight and calisthenics participation has softened compared to recent years.
What This Means for the Industry
The takeaway is clear: there is not a single “strength consumer.”
Brands developing products, retailers allocating shelf space, operators designing programming, and marketers building campaigns must increasingly view strength training as multiple adjacent markets rather than a single category. Understanding who participates, how frequently they engage, and what complementary activities they pursue has become essential to identifying growth opportunities.
The full SFIA Single Sport Reports provide detailed demographic profiles, participation frequency data, regional trends, and cross-participation analysis for each strength category.
Explore SFIA’s Strength Training Single Sport Reports to uncover the complete market picture.
Yoga and Pilates Continue Their Strong Growth Trajectory
If strength training tells a story of market fragmentation, yoga and Pilates tell a story of sustained momentum.
Both activities recorded some of their strongest growth patterns in recent years, reflecting broader consumer trends toward wellness, mobility, recovery, mindfulness, and holistic health.
Yoga continues to demonstrate broad appeal across age groups and participation levels, while Pilates has emerged as one of the fastest-growing fitness activities tracked by SFIA. The growth of both categories aligns with increased consumer interest in movement modalities that deliver physical, mental, and lifestyle benefits simultaneously.
Several factors appear to be contributing to this continued expansion:
- Increased consumer focus on recovery and longevity
- Growing demand for low-impact exercise options
- Continued investment in boutique and specialty fitness experiences
- Greater integration of mind-body practices into mainstream fitness programming
What This Means for the Industry
The sustained growth of yoga and Pilates suggests that consumers increasingly view fitness through a broader wellness lens.
For operators, brands, and manufacturers, understanding participant demographics, engagement frequency, and cross-participation behaviors within these categories may help identify emerging opportunities in programming, equipment development, retail assortment, and consumer marketing.
The SFIA Single Sport Reports provide detailed insights into participant profiles, behavioral patterns, and long-term participation trends across both categories.
Access SFIA’s Yoga and Pilates Single Sport Reports to explore the complete data set.
The Cardio Comeback: Why Treadmills and Stair Climbers Are Growing Again
Perhaps the most surprising finding in SFIA’s latest fitness participation research is the renewed growth of traditional cardio equipment.
After years of industry attention focused primarily on strength and functional fitness, participation in treadmill and stair-climbing machine activities increased significantly in 2025, making cardio one of the year’s most notable stories.
The data suggests that much of this growth is being driven by newer and returning participants rather than solely by highly committed fitness enthusiasts. This distinction is important because it may indicate broader market expansion and renewed consumer interest rather than simply increased engagement among existing participants.
Several factors may be contributing to this resurgence:
- Growing consumer interest in Zone 2 and cardiovascular health training
- Increased awareness of longevity and heart health benefits
- Greater integration of cardio into strength-focused fitness routines
- Expanded accessibility across commercial, boutique, and home fitness environments
What This Means for the Industry
For manufacturers, retailers, and facility operators, the return of cardio participation presents both opportunities and strategic questions.
Understanding which consumer segments are driving growth, how frequently they participate, and which other activities they engage in may help organizations better position products, programming, and marketing investments.
SFIA’s Single Sport Reports provide detailed demographic, behavioral, and cross-participation analysis to help organizations identify where opportunities exist.
Access SFIA’s Cardio Equipment Single Sport Reports for the full analysis.
Why Participation Data Matters More Than Ever
Headline trends can help identify emerging opportunities. But strategic decisions require a deeper understanding of who consumers are, how they behave, and where markets are moving.
Whether your organization is evaluating product development opportunities, retail strategies, facility investments, marketing campaigns, or long-term market positioning, understanding participation patterns remains one of the most powerful competitive advantages available.
SFIA’s 2026 Single Sport Reports provide:
- Detailed participant demographics
- CORE participant analysis
- Long-term participation trends
- Regional market insights
- Cross-participation behavior analysis
- Consumer engagement patterns
- Strategic market intelligence
Each report delivers a comprehensive view of a single activity category, helping organizations move beyond headlines to make better-informed business decisions.
Explore the 2026 SFIA Single Sport Reports
The complete SFIA fitness research library includes reports covering:
- Strength training categories
- Yoga and Pilates
- Cardio equipment
- Running and walking
- Aquatics
- Group fitness
- Functional training
- Mind-body activities
- More than 25 fitness activities in total
Browse the complete library of SFIA Single Sport Reports and discover the insights shaping the future of the fitness industry.
Methodology: Findings are based on SFIA’s 2026 Single Sport Reports utilizing 2025 participation data collected through the annual Physical Activity Council participation study. The study includes 18,000 surveys with a nationally representative sample of Americans ages six and older.