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Demand for fitness classes in the UK rebounds – but is an online or offline approach right for you?

One thing that workout enthusiasts across the UK – and at all levels – will be thankful for lately, is the resumption of in-person classes at their favourite gyms, after tough lockdown conditions were gradually lifted. And now, we know something about how eager Britons have been to don their performance apparel and head out to brick-and-mortar fitness venues. 

As reported by The Guardian, ClassPass – a company that enables people to access fitness classes around the country – said it had seen a 600% increase in its new member numbers in the space of a week. 

The firm stated that two of its leading London fitness studios had reported a tenfold rise in reservations since the return of in-person classes. This compares with the digital-only reservations that represented the only option for exercise enthusiasts the previous week. 

Intriguingly, however, the company said it was also continuing to see a high level of reservations for live-streamed classes. This raises the tantalising prospect of online and offline classes co-existing peacefully for a while to come. 

Sure enough, ClassPass’s vice-president of international, Chloe Ross, suggested a strong likelihood of many of its members favouring “a hybrid routine, doing some workouts at home and returning to studios part of the time”. 

Live-streamed vs in-person classes: deciding between the two 

If the above suggested trend bears out, you might not feel that for you, it’s only a question of exclusively attending online or offline classes. And of course, your own particular circumstances and requirements are likely to largely dictate which of the two you favour. 

Beyond that, there are certain consistent factors that everyone contemplating fitness classes should probably consider. After the past year or so during which you might have largely only taken in online classes, for instance, you may have realised that you require the physical presence of a group to feel genuinely motivated to exercise. Nor does a live-streamed class give you the opportunity of in-person direction and guidance from a professional. 

This is not to suggest, however, that online classes have exactly become irrelevant since ‘real world’ classes came back on stream. In fact, a lot of people who have typically felt intimidated by the mere thought of fitness classes found online sessions to be a good way of easing themselves into healthy exercise habits. 

It also helps that there’s such a staggering variety of online fitness classes, and that they’re so often so competitively priced, largely thanks to their big audiences and lack of overhead expenses compared to their in-person equivalents. Having said this, such a wide range of options for live-streamed classes can also be a little overwhelming for some people, as opposed to when they’re just picking from whatever classes their local gym may be offering. 

Get ready for a new fitness era with Hybryd! 

Naturally, our team here at Hybryd doesn’t know any more than anyone else about the likely future direction of the coronavirus situation. There’s no guarantee that there won’t be further restrictions in response to new outbreaks, which might make us all more dependent on online-based fitness tuition once more. 

One thing that absolutely will be crucial in the months and years to come, however, will be establishing a strong fitness culture that will also be instrumental in guarding against the risks COVID-19 can pose to health. Shop for your favourite performance apparel from the extensive range in the Hybryd online store, and you’ll be well-placed to play your own part and achieve peak fitness.

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