Forget Cardio and High Calorie Burns. A Surprising Group Fitness Trend Reflects a Major Shift in How We Think About Health
Group fitness is changing. What was once largely focused on weight loss and high-cardio exercise for an aggressive calorie burn has evolved to reflect the present-day gym mentality, with a greater emphasis on functional fitness and strength for longevity. That trend can specifically be seen in Crunch Fitness' end-of-year report, which found strength training to have the highest attendance of any group fitness category in 2025, rising 36 percent year over year.
"We started noticing the shift before COVID, but it accelerated significantly over the last few years and became especially clear throughout 2025 as strength training consistently outperformed other group fitness categories," says Jim Rowley, CEO of Crunch Fitness. "We realized it wasn't a short-term trend, but a real behavioral shift in how people are approaching fitness."
Interest has expanded across the board, between younger members focused on performance and older members prioritizing mobility. In many Crunch locations specifically, space has even been reallocated to reduce cardio equipment and make more room for additional strength training machines and free weights to keep up with growing demand.
It's tough to pinpoint the exact reason for the overall shift, but part of the appeal may stem from the increasingly sedentary nature of modern life. For instance, many adults living in the U.S. spend the majority of their workday seated at a desk and commuting by car, reducing overall daily movement. At the same time, awareness has grown around the importance of preserving muscle mass as we age.
"People are approaching fitness differently than they did in the past. There's a growing recognition that strength is one of the most important foundations for overall health. We often say 'strong is the new skinny' because people are shifting away from chasing a number on a scale and focusing more on being capable and resilient. They want to feel strong enough to enjoy leisure activities, participate in sports, travel, or simply be high functioning in everyday life," Rowley explains.
Group fitness has always been an accessible gateway for anyone struggling to build a fitness routine, as it offers accountability, community, and the guidance of an instructor to remove the guesswork for beginners. Across the decades, group fitness has evolved in line with current fitness trends, from the days of Jane Fonda's aerobics era to the rise of spin classes and heart rate-based interval training. And now, we see it happening again as gyms and boutique studios alike adapt to meet consumer demands.
Last year, Crunch launched its Crunch 3.0 design, featuring more free weights, resistance training equipment, machines, and Olympic lifting platforms. Orangetheory Fitness has begun rolling out Orangetheory Strong, upgrading from the standard setup of dumbbells and TRX staps to include cable machines, cushioned benches, and a larger selection of weights at every station. I've even witnessed it in my own local gym, which recently took out a cardio room to add more squat racks and lower-body machines.
"Personally, I've even seen the shift in myself and how I train," Rowley adds. "It becomes less about lifting for ego and more about feeling strong, moving well, and staying healthy long term."
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 2:19 PM.