Woman does exercises at home with the help of an online course.
Thomas Trutschel / Photothek via Getty Images
The fitness industry turned upside down in 2020.
When the Covid pandemic entered the United States in March, Americans quickly realized that their gymnastics routines would no longer be sustainable. Fitness studios, from New York Sports Clubs to SoulCycle, held their last group classes, as they were forced to close down to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. And its users were forced to look for alternative ways to sweat their shirt in their cellars or rooms, to try to alleviate anxieties related to Covid.
Sales of health and fitness equipment more than doubled to $ 2.3 billion during the period from March to October, according to data from The NPD Group. Treadmill sales soared by 135%, the group said, while sales of stationary bikes almost tripled. Retailers, from Target to Dick’s Sporting Goods, would hardly be able to keep items like 5-pound weights and jump ropes on their shelves.
Now companies like Peloton, Lululemon and Apple are betting that the Covid pandemic has permanently changed the way people exercise at home. And so far, the numbers seem to confirm your bets.