The fitness and wellness world is evolving faster than ever, shaped by shifting cultural attitudes, technological advancements, and a growing emphasis on holistic health. As we head into 2025, we’re seeing powerful trends that challenge long-standing norms—whether it’s the continued decline of alcohol consumption, the rise of new competitive fitness formats, or the increasing role of tech-driven health metrics.
In this blog post, our expert coaches break down the biggest trend they’re seeing in 2025—what’s driving them, how they’re reshaping our approach to training, and what they mean for the future of health. Take a look to stay ahead of the curve.
1. Rec Sports Grows Beyond the School Gym
“Rec sports have taken off in the last couple of years and will have a massive 2025. It’s easy to see why—people are looking for fun, social ways to stay active that don’t involve staring at a treadmill. Games like pickleball, kickball, and flag football are more popular than ever, allowing adults to compete, connect, and have a good time. Cities are stepping up to meet the demand, expanding league options. At the same time, businesses and local governments pour money into better facilities, user-friendly scheduling apps, and even post-game social events.
Another significant factor in this growth is the shift to remote and hybrid work. With more flexible schedules, people have more time to join weeknight or weekend leagues, making balancing fitness with social life easier. Whether you’re in it to win or just there for the post-game hangouts, rec sports have become the perfect mix of competition and community.
A great example is flag football, the hero of rec sports. Once seen as a casual alternative to tackle football, flag football - now an Olympic event beginning at the 2028 Olympics - is a mainstream competitive sport attracting elite athletes, additional significant sponsorships, and nationwide investment. We’re seeing Nike and Under Armour take advantage of this global sport by providing flag-specific gear, which has helped legitimize the sport at all levels. This will only continue to grow in 2025 and beyond.
Unfortunately, as the popularity of rec sports continues to grow, I believe we’ll see more injuries occurring during gameplay. Like the number and type of injuries linked to Pickleball, many people who join these leagues will fall victim to hamstring strains, rolled ankles, and low back pain - commonly all from weak and tight hips. Rec league athletes must remain active beyond the sport to give themselves the best chance of keeping themselves off the IR.”
- Coach Bri
2. Booze Will Continue to Lose
“Younger generations, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are redefining social norms around alcohol consumption, driven by a growing focus on fitness, health, and wellness. With alcohol’s adverse effects on physical and mental health, not to mention that health organizations find that no amount of alcohol is good for you, many are choosing to limit or forgo drinking entirely. I believe social media platforms will continue to play a significant role in normalizing sobriety; there’s been an uptick in influencers promoting alcohol-free lifestyles and the benefits of wellness-focused living. This cultural shift has also fueled the booming non-alcoholic beverage market, with innovative options like craft mocktails, botanical spirits, and non-alcoholic beers becoming mainstream.
Although this trend is still relatively small in the grand scheme of things, 2025 will be the year where this begins to ripple into traditional drinking occasions by creating more sober-friendly events such as fitness-focused gatherings, wellness retreats, and alcohol-free festivals, reducing the stigma around non-drinking. In addition, with everything becoming more expensive, more people will view alcohol as an unnecessary expense or an unsustainable indulgence.
Finally, more services, tech platforms, and apps will play a larger role in supporting sobriety or moderation. Leaning less on alcohol will help foster a sense of connection and accountability, solidifying this movement as a core aspect of youth culture in 2025.
Many of my clients have gone the route of abstaining from alcohol. This would all occur after they did a bit of research (on their own). They noticed how awful they felt the day after every time they would drink. In one case in particular, my client noticed the negative changes in his sleep patterns, his overall mental well-being was lagging, and just the lack of excitement to work out each day. We would talk each week about any events for work coming up that he may feel obligated to drink, and I would ask him to recall what the evening would ultimately look like. I'd ask him to tell it to me in a story type of fashion so we could live in the future for a moment... I call this ‘playing the tape through.’ This way, he can recall how it typically goes every time we do the same thing repeatedly.”
- Coach Dominic
3. HYROX Dominates Functional Fitness Sports
“Thanks to simpler movements and a low barrier to entry, HYROX saw explosive growth in 2024, solidifying its place as a major player in the functional fitness world. The sport combines running with high-intensity strength and endurance challenges and appeals to elite athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts seeking structured, measurable goals.
2025 will continue to be a big year for HYROX as more participants will be drawn to its simple format, allowing direct performance comparison across events worldwide. Though its popularity is mainly in Europe, where it originated, we’ll begin seeing more gym partnerships and training programs supporting the sport, especially with the HYROX World Championships in Chicago this year.
More of my clients have been exploring HYROX as a primary focus in their training. Most of these clients used to compete in CrossFit. They have found HYROX to be a great alternative that allows them to continue pursuing competitive fitness endeavors while having a bit more fun and enjoyment with their training.
I also believe that HYROX is just the beginning of offering alternative avenues for people to explore functional fitness. Crossfit started the idea of creating competition for everyday athletes. Still, over the last few years, the continual restructuring of the qualification process has pushed people away, seeking alternative options to continue challenging themselves physically. HYROX has certainly learned from this by offering more inclusivity, as will other functional fitness sports and competitions in the future.
- Coach Sam
4. VO2 Max Will be the New Fitness Benchmark
“Aside from athletes or intense fitness enthusiasts, VO2 Max has historically been a foreign term to everyday gym goers and people trying to maintain their health. This is primarily because getting the most accurate measurement (lab-based) was too expensive or required specific or controlled methods that only medical and fitness professionals knew.
With wearable devices (Apple Watch, Whoop, Garmin) making tracking easier, I believe this will be the year VO2 Max tracking becomes a mainstream fitness metric as crucial as steps, heart rate, and sleep.
Being able to track VO2 Max more efficiently and effectively comes at the perfect time, as more people take a proactive approach to their health and wellness. With growing awareness of the connection between cardiovascular health and longevity, a broader audience is embracing lifestyle changes to improve and extend their quality of life. As a key metric for assessing aerobic fitness and long-term wellness, VO2 Max is becoming increasingly valuable to consumers eager to understand and enhance their overall health.
In addition, with the evolution of the hybrid athlete and combining aerobic fitness with strength training, these individuals will use VO2 Max as one of the more important metrics to determine how their training is progressing.”
- Coach Sam
5. Strength in the Gym, Speed in the Wild
“People are increasingly turning to outdoor activities for both physical and mental well-being, prioritizing sunlight, fresh air, and natural movement. I’m seeing a shift away from indoor cardio machines to activities like rucking, cycling, and outdoor endurance training. Many of my clients now request programs integrating outdoor endurance—whether through group runs, outdoor HIIT, or park workouts—while still tracking progress with wearable devices. I’ve adapted training plans to blend indoor strength training with outdoor aerobic routines to meet this demand.
Some clients, however, prefer separating strength and endurance training for optimal results. They recognize that lifting heavy and long-duration cardio require different recovery and adaptations, so they focus on strength training indoors and reserve outdoor sessions for aerobic work. This hybrid approach is reshaping fitness routines, and it will be interesting to see how it evolves over the next year.”
- Coach Shanna
6. Injecting Change with GLP-1s
In recent years, GLP-1 receptor agonists have transformed the landscape of weight loss and metabolic health, and 2025 is poised to take these peptides even further. Next-generation compounds like Retatrutide—a triple agonist that activates GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors—are set to revolutionize treatment. These drugs won’t just support weight loss; they’ll also boost fat oxidation, improve insulin sensitivity, and enhance metabolic rate. This could lead to better muscle preservation, improved energy balance, and even potential applications in reversing fatty liver disease. More than just a tool for managing obesity, these peptides represent a fundamental shift in how we approach metabolic dysfunction.
But the innovation doesn’t stop at formulation. Advances in delivery methods are on the horizon, moving beyond weekly injections to include longer-acting versions, oral medications, and even transdermal applications, making adherence easier than ever. The fitness industry, which has historically been skeptical of pharmacological interventions, will have to come to terms with the fact that for many people, these treatments aren’t just shortcuts—they’re lifelines. They provide accessibility, sustainability, and a real solution for those struggling with behavioral changes alone. As GLP-1s become more mainstream, the conversation around their benefits, applications, and long-term impact will be more critical than ever.
- Coach Michael
We’ll dive into these predictions more as the year progresses, so keep an eye out! Get more expert advice from our coaches by visiting the proof3 blog, following us on Instagram, or connecting with us on LinkedIn. Want to take your health to the next level? Book a free consultation with one of our coaching coordinators to learn what remote coaching and a personalized fitness program will help you achieve. If you're in or around Scottsdale, AZ, visit our brand-new flagship gym to start training smarter!
