If you’ve had a Brat summer, have uttered the words “delulu is the solulu,” listen to Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, spend more time on TikTok than any other social media platform, and can quote Shrek off hand… you either are Gen Z, have a Gen Z child, or are very tuned into Gen Z culture.
Why does this matter?
They’re a rapidly increasing demographic, accounting for 30% of gym-goers last year. For reference, Gen Zers are approximately 13 to 28 years old. They are an incredibly committed demographic, with about half of them exercising several times a week. Alongside millennials, they spend more on fitness than previous generations — spending habits that are projected to survive the forecasted recession.
In short, this age bracket (people born between 1997 and 2012) should probably be a focus for your business. So let’s get to know them a little better and understand what they want and need from their clubs, trainers, and wellness routine.
Fitness as Self Expression
This is a particularly playful, lighthearted generation; similar to millennials, they value variety, play, and creativity. This is especially important to keep in mind when it comes to programming: the types of classes offered, and their cadence through the week.
Gen Z club members and clients aren’t just breaking a sweat as part of a regimented routine; these individuals want to feel something and experience something unique. Fitness is an outlet, the same way other types of hobbies can be an outlet — but this one comes with science-backed health benefits. They might gravitate toward a themed dance class one day and a meditative mobility flow the next.
Consider: Diverse, flexible class formats, building space for expression (like beginner-friendly dance and Zumba options, movement labs, or even something like journaling post-sweat); encouraging coaches to emphasize personality, not just their performance capabilities.
Neurodivergence & Mental Health
While Millennials broke the taboo around mental health, Gen Z normalized the concept of neurodivergence — the natural variations in how people's brains work (like ADHD, autism, or sensory sensitivities), which can affect how they think, feel, and process the world. For context, an estimated 10% to 20% of people worldwide are considered neurodivergent.
This shows up in how they search for and choose where (and how) they work out. Think: quiet versus loud spaces, clearly structured classes and programming versus fluid formats, grounding approaches versus energizing movement. It genuinely varies from person to person, but in general, the neurodivergent Gen Z population could be searching for environments in which they can self-regulate and not feel overstimulated.
Consider: Educating yourself and your staff on all aspects of neurodivergence, and what the neurodivergent experience can feel like (though statistically, it’s likely some of your staff already knows what this is like on a personal level!).
Additionally, you could create “sensory-friendly” spaces with calm lighting, clear signage, and quiet zones. Mental-health-conscious scheduling could include things like wind-down classes (either a complete standalone class, or something like a 10-minute cool-down session), the aforementioned post-workout journaling sessions, meditation classes, and movement formats designed to regulate the nervous system, like slow flow yoga or breath-led mobility.
The more this generation feels supported and safe, the more likely they are to return and commit to a long-term wellness journey in your club.
Body-Positive Messaging
The “bikini ready” and “beach body” narratives of the past are no longer useful or effective. Gen Z (and millennials, for that matter) not only disdain this type of communication, but it’s also not what they’re looking for when it comes to fitness. They want to feel stronger, more capable, and emotionally rooted… not smaller or thinner. Thanksgiving day “turkey burn” messaging, “summer body,” and anything else that infers the shape of the body needs to be changed, not only doesn’t land here, but it genuinely alienates this population.
Instead, the focus should be on building strength, boosting energy, and improving and regulating mood for the long term, using inclusive language and representation.
Consider: shifting marketing copy, signage, and coach cues to highlight internal metrics: better sleep, improved mood, emotional release. When it comes to visual marketing, try showcasing all body types — not just lean, muscular ones. Remember: all bodies belong in the gym.
Gen Z Doesn’t Want to Be Sold To
This generation grew up in a heavily saturated stream of marketing, surrounded by influencers, and they’re digitally fluent enough to know when something is a sales pitch; as such, they appreciate authenticity above all else, and respect value-led marketing over pushy sales funnels.
What does this mean? Gen Z craves brands that feel human, aligned, and real. They’re more likely to trust a friend’s testimonial or a coach’s personal story than a polished promo ad. This should be excellent news for your club. Showing what you authentically bring to the table is what’s most appealing to this demographic.
If your coaches are relatable as much as they are aspirational, and your community feels safe and inclusive… you’re in. They’ll care less that a famous actor or actress is your client, and be more impressed by a story of a “normal” client’s mental health improving after joining.
Consider: leading with values — both in actions and messaging. Empower your coaches to share their real journeys. Focus on building community-first spaces, with offerings like post-class meetups, mental health awareness days, or zero-pressure intro sessions/classes.
New Generation, New Approach
In sum, the things that worked for Baby Boomers and Gen X, even older Millennials, won’t have the same impact on the new generation.
They’re not here to grind, get in and get out, get ripped, and shed pounds. They don’t see exercise as remedial or prescriptive, but rather something that adds value to their life. They’re coming through your doors hoping to regulate their nervous systems and mental health, create connections and community, and find ways to express themselves and move joyfully.
If you can find a way to incorporate inclusive messaging, understand how their minds work, provide supportive resources and dynamic programming, and have authentic, relatable coaches, you’re going to win. You’ll gain members, build loyalty, and set a precedent.
How are you catering to your younger clients? We’d love to hear from you.
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Industry Happenings:
Upcoming Events:
- canfitpro, August 13-16, 2025, Toronto, Canada
- Perform Better 3-Day Functional Training Summit, August 14-16, 2025, Providence, Rhode Island
- Annual Wellness Summit, August 18-21, 2025, Austin, Texas
- AMTA 2025 National Convention, August 21-23, 2025, Dallas, Texas
- SCW Dallas MANIA®, August 22-24, 2025, Dallas, Texas
- European Congress Powered by Health & Fitness, October 2-4, 2025, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Midwest Mania®, October 3-5, 2025, Chicago, Illinois
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Upcoming Workshops in August & September:
- 20+ workshops from Peak Pilates
- 20+ workshops from TRX®
- 13 workshops from Spinning®
- 9 workshops from Exos
- 9 workshops from Oxygen Advantage
- 6 workshops from CFSC
- 4 workshops from Gray Institute
- 2 workshops from Athleticum
- 1 workshop from Power Plate
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Industry News:
- The US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) controversial “click-to-cancel” rule.
- Les Mills report finds that certain members (MVPs) are worth more to gyms.
- Amanda Cass is named president & COO of American Council on Exercise.
- Life Time is piloting an athletic-style reformer Pilates modality called CTR (“Core Tone Reform”), featuring music-driven, higher-intensity exercises.
- Walk faster, live longer: How just 15 minutes a day can boost lifespan.
- A new report shows that these U.S. states rank the highest for life expectancy.
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Thanks for Reading!
This newsletter was brought to you by Kathie Davis, Peter Davis, Ravi Sharma, Dominique Astorino, and the Inspire360 team.
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A Note from Peter & Kathie
The industry is changing rapidly and we are here to help you sift through all the noise and get to the good stuff. Every month, we'll bring you trending topics and the inside scoop that we believe is paramount for fitness professionals to know.
Keep Inspiring,
Peter & Kathie Davis
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