New Survey Reveals 56% of Americans Still Uncomfortable Going to an Indoor Gym; Large Gender-Based Differences
Results Contradict Previous Reports that U.S. Adults Are Eager to Resume Pre-Pandemic Fitness Routines
NEW YORK, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The majority of U.S. adults are uncomfortable going to an indoor gym or fitness centre, according to a new nationally representative survey by Gymless.org, an online fitness magazine.
This, despite the fact that over two-thirds of the U.S. population are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and that gyms and fitness centres have reopened in every state. This survey contradicts previous polling that found that as many as 80% of American adults are eager to workout in gyms this year.
Survey Question & Findings
The survey asked 1,502 American adult aged 18 to 65+ the following question:
"Do you feel comfortable going to an indoor gym at this stage in the pandemic?"
The survey found that 56% of respondents reported being uncomfortable with going to an indoor gym, with men being 18.5% more likely to report feeling comfortable going to the gym than women.
Generation Z (aged 18 to 24) were the most comfortable with indoor gyms, with only 43.4% indicating they they are uncomfortable going to an indoor gym. By contrast, retirement-aged adults aged 65 and older were the least comfortable, with 68.8% reporting to be uncomfortable going to an indoor fitness centre.
Young people were vastly overrepresented in the "Yes, I am comfortable" response group. In fact, those aged 18 to 24 were overrepresented in this response category by 91%. Similarly, men were overrepresented in the same response category by 53% relative to women.
Geographically, those residing in the Midwest Census Region were the most comfortable with indoor fitness (47.4% comfortable), whereas those in the Northeast were the least (39.2%).
Methodology & Discussion
The survey was designed and published by Gymless.org, a free fitness education website. Responses were gathered from a weighted, representative sample consisting of all 50 U.S. states over a 72-hour period starting July 29, 2022. The results were published five days later, on August 3rd.
"Gyms are spaces where it's difficult to maintain social distancing," says Pat Chadwick, survey author and head calisthenics coach at Gymless. "By contrast, there are plenty of outdoor places you can get a workout, and it is probably the safest place you can train. Also, it doesn't hurt to get some 'vitamin sunshine' while you're at it."
Amine Rahal, the founder and CEO of Gymless.org, also commented on the significance of the findings. "I was beyond surprised by these results since gyms in my city seem to be packed at all times. We all assumed that gyms in all states were back to full capacity a while ago. It goes to show that some people may choose to avoid working out in a closed indoor environment for a long time."
"Calisthenic workouts are a great alternative for people that want to keep fit while avoiding the gyms," Amine continued. "Calisthenics are bodyweight workouts that use your own body as a resistance tool. Exercises like pushups can replace the bench press, pull ups can replace the lat pulldown, and air squats can replace regular weighted squats. No gym membership is required, and you get exactly the same benefits."
See the complete study results at:
Media Contact:
Amine Rahal
+1 (647) 348-4995
SOURCE Gymless
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