New fitness trends data for 2025 is showing Australians are out of love with cardio and focusing on longevity and sustainability
Australia’s fitness scene is mirroring a global shift, but unique trends and data show just how strongly Aussies are leading the way toward sustainable, strength-focused exercise. With Pilates, barre, and yoga exploding in demand—especially among women—it’s clear that Australians are embracing workouts that offer longevity, balance, and community while turning away from punishing, high-intensity routines. Here’s how the landscape is evolving across all major states and who’s driving the change for wellness and vitality in Australia.
Australia’s Move Towards Sustainable Fitness
The Aussie gym floor and studio look drastically different today. Gone is the singular focus on relentless bootcamps, exhausting HIIT circuits, and never-ending spin classes. According to the latest AUSactive and industry data,
Pilates is now the fastest climber, with reformers, mats, and trapeze classes topping this year’s most in-demand workouts. Group cycling, once dominant, is increasingly taking a back seat as Australians tune in to personal progress, recovery, and a desire to avoid repetitive strain.
This isn’t just a trend—it’s a genuine cultural shift. Aussies are prioritising workouts that “go the distance,” blending physical wellness with mental health benefits, social connection, and a holistic approach to keeping active for life.
Pilates: Australia’s Modern Movement
Australia has fallen head over heels for Pilates. While the overall Pilates and yoga industry experienced a minor decline during pandemic years, 2024-25 saw a sharp rebound.
Sydney leads the way with the largest concentration of Pilates studios, followed by a boom in Victoria and growing demand throughout Queensland and South Australia. Reformer Pilates, in particular, is driving the surge, offering everything from boutique classes in luxury spaces to hybrid sessions incorporating HIIT, barre, and even mindfulness.
Boutique and hybrid wellness studios are popping up everywhere, making it easier than ever for Aussies to access group and private instruction. From Pilates retreats in Byron Bay to luxe full-service wellness playgrounds in Sydney, Pilates is now mainstream and recognised as an investment in lifelong health.
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Barre and Yoga: Rising Stars in a Balanced Routine
Barre classes have also soared in popularity, establishing a billion-dollar industry in Australia. Combining ballet-inspired moves with Pilates-based strength and flexibility work, barre appeals to a wide demographic, especially women seeking toning, improved posture, and a low-impact experience.
Innovations like cardio barre and prenatal or adaptive barre are making classes even more inclusive and accessible, while virtual platforms and boutique brands deliver immersive experiences nationwide.
Yoga’s continued ascent, particularly for its stress-reducing and mindfulness benefits, is reflected in its position as the largest segment of the Pilates and yoga studio sector. This focus on mind-body connection and “active longevity” has made yoga a wellness mainstay across all age groups—from busy professionals to older adults reclaiming flexibility and balance.
Women Lead Australia’s Strength Revolution
Across all states—especially in Victoria and New South Wales—women have become the face of Australia’s strength and mobility renaissance.
In Victoria alone, women make up more than 90% of Pilates participation, with the trend skewing younger each year. Strength routines using kettlebells, resistance bands, and free weights are booming in popularity, reflecting Australia’s global leadership in making muscle and mobility—not just cardio—a marker of long-term health.
With Pilates, barre, and yoga instructors rolling out new classes for every level—from first-timers to seasoned pros—Australia is reshaping what it means to be strong, agile, and mentally resilient.
Cardio Decline; Longevity in Focus
While gyms still offer intense group cycling, treadmill, and bootcamp classes, the high-intensity model is clearly in retreat. Data from studios nationwide shows a collective pivot away from burnout and repetitive motion injuries toward “mindful movement” and integrated, sustainable approaches.
The trend is simple: Australians want to feel and function better, not just burn calories or chase numbers on a screen.
Digital, Boutique & Holistic Expansion
Australian consumers’ embrace of personalisation and on-demand fitness is powering the growth of boutique studios, hybrid programs, and a wave of wellness tech integration.
From remote live-streamed classes to fitness trackers in barre and Pilates sessions, the industry is combining real-life community with virtual convenience. Wellness retreats, integrated spa concepts, and “all-in-one” memberships are on the rise as Aussies seek fitness solutions tailored to their unique lifestyles.
The Future: Balance, Strength, and Sustainability
The new face of fitness across Australia is clear: balanced, strength-based routines that prioritise well-being, community, and longevity over quick fixes or fads.
Whether in a high-end Sydney studio, a Gold Coast wellness retreat, or a virtual class from home, Australians are turning to Pilates, barre, and yoga in unprecedented numbers—and writing a new chapter for global fitness culture.
For Bondi Beauty readers, that means it’s never been a better moment to try a reformer class, roll out the yoga mat, or step into a barre studio—in pursuit of balance, strength, and lifelong vitality, the Australian way.
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