Australia’s Most Popular Fitness Trends 2021
Which popular fitness trends have really captured our attention and which have we left behind this year?
We all have our own fitness goals, whether you’re looking to bulk up, slim down or just keep in shape. But whatever your overall aim is, avoiding boredom is key. As soon as you start to find your workout boring, you start putting in less effort, and you’ll be less likely to see results. Luckily, the world of fitness is constantly changing, meaning there’s always a new fitness trend you can try if you’re looking for a change.
We used Google Trends to analyse search data over the last 12 months, tracking which workouts have seen the biggest increase or decrease in popularity. We also teamed up with Myprotein PT Tom Bailey to make some predictions about how we’ll be working out in 2022.
Most popular fitness trends
Minimal equipment, maximum output
With gyms being one of the last places to reopen following various regional lockdowns, it’s no surprise to see a rise in people searching for alternative ways to workout, often with minimal equipment and limited space.
Search interest for bodyweight exercises rose by 75%, while press-ups (+43%), planking (+28%), pull-ups (+11%), sit-ups (+1%) and squats (+1%) also saw their popularity increase.
As people started to spend more time outdoors, interest in ultimate frisbee (+17%) and parkour (+16%) increased, with the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia showing the highest levels of popularity.
However, it wasn’t just bodyweight exercises and alternative sports keeping Australians active. Kettlebells were the most popular fitness trend of 2021, with a 110% increase in searches over the last 12 months, and New South Wales showing the highest level of interest. Strength training saw a 48% increase in popularity, with battle ropes (+5%) and weightlifting (+3%) also enjoying boosts.
Least popular fitness trends
Saying goodbye to group workouts
In a year largely defined by social distancing, we saw interest fall in several previously popular group workouts.
Circuit training saw the biggest fall, with search interest decreasing by 72% over the last 12 months. But it wasn’t just circuit training we left behind. Spinning (-48%), tabata (-43%), CrossFit (-22%) and bootcamp (-20%) all also fell out of favour with Australians.
As well as group workouts, a number of sports also saw their popularity fall in 2021, including kickboxing (-48%), karate (-29%), surfing (-25%), athletics (-25%), rowing (-8%), tennis (-8%) and cycling (-6%).
How will we be working out in 2022?
Now we know how Australians have been keeping fit over the last year, it’s time to look to the future. What do the next 12 months have in store? We teamed up with Myprotein PT Tom Bailey to predict some fitness trends we might see in 2022. Here’s what Tom had to say:
People will out-grow their home gyms
We’ll seek out a balance of physically and mentally stimulating exercise
Online coaching will continue to increase
Take Home Message
Nobody wants to find their workout boring — we all want to enjoy exercise. Luckily, there’s an endless array of fitness trends to try, meaning you can always find something to keep you interested and to make sure you keep giving 110%. And if you’re looking to add some variety to your nutrition this year, check out our range of healthy foods and snacks, or why not try our plant-based protein?
Methodology
We built a list of over 50 different workouts and forms of exercise, then used Google Trends to track the search interest around each over the last 12 months. We then looked at how much interest had risen or fallen over that period to uncover Australia’s most and least popular workout trends.
