August 28, 2026 - Trends

Pilates, Trail Running, Padel Participation Rises

New routines.

Group of women during a reformer Pilates class

The fitness landscape is shifting.

Getting physical. According to the SFIA, 70% of Americans engaged in a fitness activity in the first half of 2026, with exercisers doubling down on routines while gravitating to new pursuits.

Strong signal. Everyone wants to feel strong, gain muscle, and live long, with dumbbell and barbell use up 5% and ~4%, respectively. Despite counting more practitioners, yoga is losing ground to Pilates, with Pilates participation up ~11% and yoga growth flat.

Quiet rise. While marathons and HYROX sign-ups explode, some exercisers’ mountaintop is off-grid. Championing solace and inner grit, trail running jumped 9.9% while other running formats held firm.

Game on. Seeking fun, fitness, and community together, individual sports slumped while team games like basketball and soccer flourished.

Suggesting a racket sports ceiling, pickleball participation only gained 1.3%, its slowest growth after five consecutive years as the fastest-growing sport. Padel—up 14.5%—took that honor as it scales American infrastructure.

Punchline: While fads and trends crown winning sports and modalities, overlapping quests for longevity, belonging, and identity keep people from staying in one lane.

Ryan Deer

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