Fast facts:
- 62% of people say their workout routine has worsened throughout the pandemic.
- 20% of people say their workout routine has improved throughout the pandemic.
- 71% of people say they have at least tried to start a new workout routine in the last year.
- 59% said the pandemic has caused a loss in motivation to focus on fitness.
“When this [pandemic] first started, I planned on using the time I normally spent commuting to exercise instead. That hasn’t really happened at all, I mostly use that time to work more.”
Even for a site run by fitness professionals, we will be the first to admit the last year has been rough on workout routines for the writing staff here.
Whether it be trying to build a workout area into a small apartment, avoiding constant interruptions from children who have been home from school more, or more broadly simply just a lack of total motivation due to the mental stress of a pandemic, the reasons for this are countless.
We took a survey of 1,013 people asking about their workout routines over the past year, and one common thread revealed itself: The majority of people say they never found a good exercise routine over the past year, while the pandemic has been in full swing.
Of the people that responded to our survey:
Question one:
| Over the last year, my workout routine… | |
| Got worse | 62.2% |
| Got better | 20.2% |
| Stayed about the same | 13.5% |
| Not sure | 4.1% |
Question two:
| Have you tried to start a new workout routine in the last year? | |
| Yes | 71% |
| No | 29% |
Question three:
| Has the pandemic decreased your motivation to work out? | |
| Yes | 58.9% |
| No | 34.4% |
| Not sure | 6.7% |
The prevailing sentiment among those surveyed is fairly clear: the pandemic has taken a toll on both routine and motivation when it comes to exercise. One person we spoke with regarding their workout routine amidst a global pandemic was that they initially thought they would have more free time throughout the day.
“When this first started, I planned on using the time I normally spent commuting to exercise instead. That hasn’t really happened at all, I mostly use that time to work more.”
Other people commented about how they used their gym membership as a motivation to work out more, or the various studio classes where they were members. The most common thing people said about this was that they loved the group settings to help push them further.
As gyms and other exercise classes continue to open slowly in the coming months, we will track along to determine if things improve for the fitness community. We fully expect that people are, after the nerves settle about safety, excited to get back to their old exercise routines.
How about you? What has been your experience over the past year? Let us know in the comments below.
Survey Methodology:
- 1,013 US residents surveyed online
- Survey conducted April 2nd – April 9th, 2021
0 Comments