A new report indicates a shift towards low-impact, sustainable fitness practices in 2026, with Japanese walking at the forefront, emphasizing accessibility and long-term health benefits over high-intensity workouts.
With the New Year approaching, PureGym’s annual Fitness Report signals a notable pivot in global exercise habits: a return to lower-impact, accessible movement and a renewed focus on mobility and functional strength. According to the report, search interest for a wide range of fitness topics was measured using a three-month rolling average of global Google searches and compared year-on-year to identify the fastest-growing and waning trends for 2026.
Japanese walking leads surge in accessible fitness
Topping the list as the fastest-growing trend is “Japanese walking”, with interest up 2,968 percent compared with the same period a year earlier, followed by walking yoga (+2,414 percent) and plank hover (+967 percent). The report ranks 20 trends with the largest growth and highlights walking-led activities, Pilates variants and mobility-focused practices as dominant themes. PureGym’s methodology compared July–Sept. 2024 with July–Sept. 2025 search volumes to produce the rankings.
Social media drives viral adoption of interval walking method
Japanese walking, a 30-minute interval method that alternates roughly three minutes of brisk walking with three minutes of slower walking, has been widely credited in media coverage and expert commentary for its accessibility and measurable benefits. The technique, rooted in research by Japanese academics and popularised on social platforms this year, was described in feature coverage as simple to adopt for all fitness levels and easy to fold into daily routines. Reports note the method’s viral spread on TikTok and other social channels as a key factor in its rapid rise.
Research supports cardiovascular and strength benefits
Research supports the exercise’s claimed physiological benefits. The alternation between faster and slower walking can improve aerobic capacity, strengthen thigh muscles and lower blood pressure, offering an efficient alternative to arbitrary step-count targets such as 10,000 steps a day. Industry commentary suggests the approach can boost stamina and cardiovascular health without high-impact strain.
Core stability and structured challenges gain momentum
Beyond walking, the PureGym list shows renewed attention to core stability and movement quality: Nord Pilates, dead hangs, mobility flow and hot reformer Pilates all appear among the top-growing items, whilst events and challenge formats – from Hyrox to ultra marathon and 5k training plans – point to many people choosing structured goals in 2026. The top-20 table published with the report includes both emerging microtrends and established disciplines, reflecting a mix of social-media-driven fads and enduring practices.
High-intensity formats fall out of favour
The report also documents trends falling out of favour. Wall Pilates, remote personal training and a range of higher-intensity or boutique formats saw substantial declines, with remote personal training down 81 percent, suggesting some consumers are returning to in-person coaching or favouring lower-pressure, more sustainable activities. PureGym frames this as a broader move away from “super high-intensity” workouts toward “softer” fitness that better fits busy schedules and changing bodies.
Industry experts emphasise consistency over intensity
“Step counts can be a helpful way of tracking your fitness goals, but you should try not to hold yourself to them. Unless you are on a very regimented training plan for an event or competition, you should always avoid chasing numbers,” said Phil Carpenter, Personal Trainer and Assistant General Manager at PureGym Portsmouth, speaking to SME Tech Guru.
“Progress comes from finding movement in your day to day, whether it’s 7,000 steps, 10,000 steps – or just finding ways to be active in a way that suits your routine and lifestyle, and trying new workout trends such as Japanese walking could be the push you need to get going. It really is back to basics, finding simple ways like walking more in order to become fitter and healthier.”
Outlook points to accessibility-first fitness culture
Taken together, the findings sketch a fitness landscape for 2026 where accessibility and longevity matter more than intensity and instant results. The year ahead looks likely to reward modest, repeatable forms of movement that reduce injury risk whilst improving day-to-day function and cardiovascular health.
About PureGym
PureGym is one of the UK’s largest gym operators, with over 500 locations across the country offering affordable, flexible memberships without contracts. Founded in 2009, the business pioneered the low-cost, 24-hour gym model in Britain and has since expanded internationally. The company’s annual Fitness Report has become a widely cited indicator of emerging trends in the global fitness industry, drawing on search data and consumer behaviour to map shifting attitudes toward health and movement.
What is Japanese walking?
Japanese walking is a structured interval-based walking method designed to maximise cardiovascular and muscular benefits within a short timeframe. The technique involves alternating between periods of brisk, fast-paced walking and slower, recovery-paced walking over a 30-minute session. Typically, practitioners walk briskly for approximately three minutes, then reduce their pace to a gentle walk for another three minutes, repeating this cycle throughout the exercise period.
The method requires no special equipment, can be performed anywhere and adapts easily to different fitness levels, making it particularly accessible for people seeking to improve their health without gym memberships or high-impact exercise. Originally developed and studied by Japanese researchers investigating efficient cardiovascular training methods, the technique has gained widespread attention in 2025 through social media platforms, where users have shared personal results and advocated for its simplicity and effectiveness.
