We all know someone who got slightly obsessed with working out last year during our dark lockdown days and contributing to improving the overall workout statistics.
If you can’t think of someone like that, you just might be that someone!
Working out is not just important for physical health; it also influences our mental wellbeing. With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of the most recent data to help you expand or improve your own approach to exercising.
Top 10 Workout Statistics
- There has been a 61% rise in the number of fitness app installs in 2021.
- Over 61 million Americans chose running in 2019.
- Virtual fitness became a go-to way of working out for 80% of consumers.
- Exercise addiction is real for approximately 3% of Americans.
- Over 30% of men in the US are very active.
- Workout stats show that around 50 million Americans go hiking.
- 50% of gym-goers also work out at home.
- Exercising just 10 minutes a week can help emotional well-being.
- 33% of people exercised more during the lockdowns than they usually do.
- 35% of millennials were using online fitness services in 2019.
Exercise Facts and Stats for the US
Are you ready to find out just how active Americans have been in 2021? Not only that, but we’ll also tell you about how active men are and which month had the most fitness app installs ever! Workout stats, here we come!
1. In 2021, there was a 61% jump in fitness app installs.
(Statista)
Facts about exercise reveal that January 2021 was the month when most fitness app installs were made since the January of last year.
App download statistics show that in January 2021, 61.2% more installations were made than in December 2020, while the first month of 2020 saw a 36.99% drop in fitness app installs compared to the month before.
2. The US ranked 20th in terms of recreational activity in 2018.
(Global Wellness Institute)
Exercise statistics for Canada show that Americans are more active than Canadians.
The same report by the Global Wellness Institute that ranked the US 20th in the global rankings for recreational activity showed that Canada was 11 places behind in the 31st spot.
3. Over 30% of men in the US are very active.
(Statista)
As of April 2021, 31% of men said they exercise five or more times a week. American exercise statistics show that 31% of men exercise 3–4 times each week.
However, the numbers seem to drop from there: 24% are somewhat active, 9% are rarely active, and 4% are not active at all.
4. 33% of people started working out more during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Mindbody Business)
Statistics on exercising show that 33% of people living in places with continued lockdowns and restrictions worked out more than they typically do.
They say that this is because of more free time and access to more online content.
5. Australia is ahead of the US and the rest of the world in terms of exercise participation.
(Global Wellness Institute)
Exercise statistics for Australia indicate that it’s the first country in the world regarding participation rates. Australia has a recreational physical activity participation rate of 84.1%, while this number is 58.8% for the US.
6. Over 3.5 million sports injuries in kids happen yearly in the US.
(Johns Hopkins Medicine)
Sports participation during the school year is widespread, and so are injuries, especially sprains and strains. However, exercise injury statistics show these injuries are most commonly associated with contact sports such as basketball.
7. At least 15% of adults are physically inactive in the US.
(CDC)
According to CDC’s data, all states and territories in the US have 15% of inactive adults.
These numbers were highest in the South, where 28% of adults are physically inactive. In addition, exercise statistics in America indicate that some adults have no physical activity at all.
8. The UK is 2% behind the US in physical activity.
(Global Wellness Institute)
According to exercise statistics for the UK, Americans participate in physical activity 2% more than Brits do.
While the US is 20th in the global rankings, the UK is three places down in the 23rd spot. The data shows their participation rate is 56.8%.
COVID-19 and Training Statistics
Are you ready to find out more consumer spending statistics related to online fitness services or purchasing equipment for at-home workouts? If so, strap in, because it’s a wild ride from here on out!
9. Workout statistics show that 35% of millennials like working out at home the most.
(Statista)
Out of all generations, millennials seem to be the ones that enjoy working out at home the most.
A 2019 survey found out that 35% of millennials paid for online fitness services. However, when it comes to Gen Z, that number was 25%, for Gen X — 27%, and for boomers — only 4%.
10. Virtual workouts appeal to 80% of consumers.
(Mindbody Business)
Before COVID hit, around 7% of people attended live-streamed workouts.
However, once the virus hit and today in 2021, workout numbers point to the fact that over 80% of people use live-streamed workouts as a way of keeping fit and healthy.
11. 50% of gym-goers do at-home workouts even when going to the gym.
(Morning Chalk Up)
A recent poll of CrossFit athletes found that nearly 50% said that they still do some workouts at home, even if they go to the gym. These workout facts indicate that working out at home won’t just disappear after the virus is gone.
12. Buying equipment for at-home workouts has been on the rise.
(Morning Chalk Up)
People have been extra dedicated to their at-home workouts! A survey has shown that around 58% of people have purchased some sort of equipment to facilitate at-home training in the three months prior to the survey.
Interesting Facts About Exercise Preference
Hiking, jogging, running? Whatever your cup of tea is, we’ve got the stats. Did you know that over 100 million Americans love walking for fitness or that they visit the beach about 100 times per year to go surfing? Let’s read on!
13. Over 61 million Americans chose running in 2019.
(Statista)
Workout trends show that 61.01 million Americans favored running, jogging, or trail running as an outdoor physical activity in 2019.
In addition, around 50 million Americans chose freshwater, saltwater, and fly fishing, showing a little over a 2 million rise in numbers from 2009.
14. Over 100 million US residents like walking.
(Statista)
Americans love to use walking as a form of fitness activity. Exercise trends show that over 111 million Americans chose walking in 2018.
The numbers were highest in 2013 when over 117 million people listed walking as their primary exercise.
15. Men peak in marathons at age 34.
(LiveStrong)
On the other hand, this happens earlier for women, at around the age of 32.
However, women tend to stop running sooner in life (median age being 36), while men tend to quit later, with exercise stats recording the median age of 40.
16. More than 50 million Americans used to go hiking in 2019.
(Statista)
Considering that American exercise statistics from 2020 show that 32.6 million people enjoyed hiking in 2009, we can say that there has been a significant rise in 10 years.
Moreover, the numbers have been consistently rising, and in 2019, they hit 50.05 million.
17. Around 18% of hikers were aged between 30–49 in 2018.
(Statista)
Young people may not love hiking as much as we’d expect.
It turns out that 17% of people who went hiking in the US in 2018 were between the ages of 18–29. The workout percentage is even lower for people between the ages of 50–64 (16%).
18. Mountain biking is popular with over 50 million people.
(Statista)
Similarly to hiking, around 50 million Americans choose road biking, mountain biking, or BMX as outdoor activities. As a reference, things weren’t so great for this sport back in 2015 when the number of participants was 43 million.
Motivation and Exercise Addiction Statistics
Some people love to work out, while others choose not to. We’ll give you the common reasons behind why people don’t work out and many more fun facts about exercise!
19. Lack of energy was a primary reason for not working out in 2020.
(Statista)
There’s no doubt that 2020 was a challenging year for the world. Exercise statistics by age group show that some people de-stressed through exercise, but that this wasn’t universal.
For instance, around 39% of Americans aged 40 or older didn’t work out because they felt tired or lacked energy.
20. The weather ranked third as the reason for not working out.
(Statista)
Exercise statistics for 2020 show that health problems and bad weather played a role in not working out for people aged 40 and older.
Health problems were the reason for 27% of people, while bad weather was the reason for 25% of Americans.
21. 3% of Americans suffer from exercise addiction.
(The Recovery Village)
Exercise addiction statistics indicate triathletes are at the highest risk with 52%, followed by marathon runners (50%), and runners in general (25%).
Even though there are numerous positive effects of exercising, for some people, this can cross the line into real addiction, similar to drug abuse or alcoholism.
22. Eating disorders and exercise addiction are connected in around 40% of cases.
(The Recovery Village)
Between 39%–48% of people suffering from anorexia and/or bulimia engage in compulsive exercise.
Statistics about exercising further indicate that compulsive exercise can occur for people with muscle dysmorphia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Exercise Myths and Facts
It’s happened to all of us! You believe something or hear something to find out years later that it was scientifically wrong and false. Here, we’re going to bust those exercise myths and tell you the truth!
23. It’s not true that exercising in the morning is best!
(Mercy Health System)
Interesting facts about working out show this is a complete misconception! You should work out whenever you feel it’s best for you and your body.
However, you should remember that working out before you go to bed could make it harder for you to fall asleep.
24. Eating at night doesn’t make you gain fat!
(Evo Fitness)
Your body doesn’t care if you eat your last meal at 6 PM or 11 PM; it cares about the total calorie intake.
So you won’t gain fat if you eat at night; you’ll gain fat if you’re not in a calorie deficit, despite different workout myths and “facts” claiming otherwise.
25. It’s a myth that you have to sweat to burn calories!
(Seconds Count)
This is just plain false! Exercise facts have proved that some people sweat less than others, and that’s a fact.
But, the reality is that burning fat is about increasing your heart rate through exercise. So, if you’re more physically active than before, you’ll burn calories!
Exercise and Happiness Statistics
After 2020 hit all of us out of the blue, people have started thinking about mental health more. So let’s take a look at the stats dealing with the correlations between happiness and exercising!
26. Statistics of exercise benefits say exercising 10 minutes a week can make you happier.
(CNBC)
You’ve probably heard that exercising makes you feel better, but the numbers are even more encouraging than you might think!
As a matter of fact, exercising for just ten minutes a week can improve your mood. People who exercised for at least 30 minutes a few days in the week were 30% more likely to report they’re feeling happy.
27. Exercising daily can lower the risk of depression by more than 20%.
(Better Health Channel, Mental Health Foundation)
Exercise facts and statistics show that you’ll feel happier, less stressed, and your overall emotional well-being will be better if you work out.
Exercising on a daily basis can lower the risk of depression or dementia by 20%–30%. It’s not just about being ripped!
28. 30 minutes of exercise can improve your heart health and energy.
(Better Health Channel, Everyday Health)
Interesting facts about exercising show that working out for at least 150 minutes per week can help you sleep better. The same goes for your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels, which are bound to improve!
29. Yoga is one of the most popular trends for relaxing!
(Elle)
Exercise statistics for 2021 show that low-intensity steady-state (LISS) workouts like yoga and Pilates have gained popularity.
It makes sense that, as a result of the pandemic, tons of people had to exchange their crowded spin classes for activities they can engage in at home.
FAQ
What percent of the world’s population works out?
It’s difficult to determine the exact numbers since some people don’t consider daily walks a workout while others do.
However, a recent study by WHO pointed out that a quarter of the world’s population doesn’t get enough exercise. So that means that around three-quarters of people across the world do work out, at least to some extent.
What age group goes to the gym the most?
Over 60% of gym members belong to two age groups: 18–34 (30.90%) and 35–54 (30.70%). There are 22.3% of those who are 55 and older, while people younger than 18 account for around 16% of gym memberships.
What gender goes to the gym more?
The short answer is women! Statistics from 2019 show that 50.50% of gym-goers are female, and this number has grown around 30% between 2010 and 2019.
What age group is least likely to exercise?
The data show that the group least likely to exercise includes people who are 65 or older. They account for 16% of exercisers.
How much does the average person exercise?
According to a recent study, the average amount spent exercising in the US is around two hours per week. While that’s not too bad, it’s still below the CDC-recommended mark of at least 150 minutes per week.
Conclusion
Now that you know all the most recent workout statistics, go ahead and find a gym, an app, or any form of activity you enjoy.
It’s time to get those endorphins, get fit, feel better and enjoy yourself more than you ever have. And you can start small — that’s the beauty of it!
Sources
- Better Health Channel
- CDC
- CNBC
- Elle
- Everyday Health
- Evo Fitness
- Global Sport Matters
- Global Wellness Institute
- Johns Hopkins Medicine
- LiveStrong
- Mental Health Foundation
- Mercy Health System
- Mindbody Business
- Morning Chalk Up
- Run Repeat
- Seconds Count
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- The Recovery Village
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Ema Bliznovska
Ema is an ESL teacher (who is highly curious about technology in education) and a content writer. She enjoys writing on all sorts of subjects and she loves a good challenge. When she’s not working, you can find her reading a mystery thriller or watching “Shutter Island” for the umpteenth time.
