The closure of gyms due to COVID-19 served as a wake-up call for Britons – and not just fitness fanatics. Stuck at home and hyper-aware of the need to maintain their health, people turned to app-based challenges and virtual workouts, potentially transforming exercise habits for good.

With people prioritising fitness for its wellbeing benefits, women are expecting more from the places they go to work up a sweat. As women increasingly sign up to women-only gyms, brands would do well to think about safe spaces and building community when addressing women’s needs.

Fitness and lifestyle brand Peloton is looking to add video games to its in-app exercise modes. By introducing gamification, the at-home exercise bike hopes to solve motivational issues, as well as keep the platform attractive as options for exercise begin to open up post-pandemic.

Social media and pandemic lockdowns have transformed the role that personal trainers play in fitness habits, with virtual classes becoming central to many people’s routines. Why are online workouts so appealing to some, and how is this digitisation reshaping notions of fitness?