2024 Garmin Connect data report shows which fitness methods users gravitated towards over the past year
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be about to have another breakout, while Pilates and strength training remain top of mind for fitness enthusiasts, according to a new report from smartwatch giant Garmin.
Garmin releases 2024 Garmin Connect data report, revealing how Jiaming Users have engaged in health and fitness over the past year. The report offers some interesting insights and perhaps a few surprises for fitness operators and health enthusiasts.
Track running (+65%), HIIT (+56%) and Pilates (+42%) had the highest year-over-year activity percentage increases, followed by e-bike riding (+38%) and indoor rock climbing (+31%) .
Strength training also saw a healthy 25% year-over-year growth, which isn’t surprising given the modality’s post-pandemic surge in popularity.
Stair climbing also saw a significant 25% increase, likely due to the rise of glute training, especially among women. As fitness enthusiasts increasingly focus on overall health, breathing exercises have grown 19% year-on-year.
Outdoor running (7%) and walking (6%) also saw small year-over-year increases, showing the staying power of basic fitness routines.
The surge in Pilates is notable, especially since Garmin users haven’t traditionally been associated with the mind-body model. Pilates has been one of the fastest growing fitness modalities over the past few years and shows no signs of slowing down as franchise brands continue to expand and equipment manufacturers roll out advanced technology for the modern reformer experience signs.
HIIT’s strong performance bodes well for both large fitness operators like Barry’s and smaller boutiques, with a recent report from Research & Markets predicting that high-intensity interval training will be the fastest-growing boutique fitness category over the next five years approach because of its effectiveness in fitness. Exercisers with limited time. Meanwhile, studies like this one find that HIIT can reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older adults.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that a HIIT paradigm in healthy older adults is suitable and effective in significantly improving and maintaining long-term hippocampal-dependent learning for up to 5 years,” the study’s authors wrote.
Towards better health
Gaming 2024 report Insights into the general health and wellness patterns of people around the world are also provided.
In 2024, Garmin users recorded an average of 8,317 steps per day, well above the global average that hovers around 5,000 steps. Hong Kong users had the highest average number of steps, at 10,340, while Indonesian users were at the bottom, taking only 5,375 steps per day.
Going to the Netherlands? Netherlands wins on key health indicators
The Dutch are well-deservedly known for promoting a healthy lifestyle. Garmin users in the Netherlands had the highest average body battery levels, Garmin’s measure of an individual’s energy level based on factors such as physical activity, stress, heart rate and sleep.
The average body battery level for Garmin users in the morning was 71, while the Dutch average was 74. Japan has the lowest average body battery level, at just 66 in the morning.
The Dutch also had the best sleep in 2024, with an average sleep score of 73, beating the global average sleep score of 71. Indonesians had the lowest average sleep score at 64 (maybe they should walk more!).
Korean Garmin users did the best job at managing stress, with an average daily stress score of 28, higher than the global average of 30. Malaysians had the highest stress score of all Garmin users at 33.
Surprisingly, overall, Garmin users had the lowest stress scores on Monday (29) and the highest on Saturday (32). Garmin notes that this could be caused by “nervousness” before big games or events, which typically take place over the weekend.
fountain of youth
When it comes to fitness, the average Garmin user’s “training readiness” score is 60, which equates to a moderate level of readiness. On average, New Zealand users were the most prepared for training, while Korean users tended to be the least prepared.
Garmin users tend to be healthier than their biological age would suggest. The average Garmin user is 2.48 years younger than their actual age, according to the brand’s “Fitness Age” metric. Women are on average 1.94 years younger than their actual age, and men are on average 2.75 years younger than their actual age.
Garmin Eye Care
While Garmin has been best known for its health and fitness wearables over the past two decades, the Kansas-based brand has also set its sights on healthcare.
Garmin executives believe smartwatches can become a major player by tracking metrics such as stress, heart rate variability (HRV) and skin temperature and providing that data to healthcare professionals, allowing them to make more informed decisions about patient health. An integral part of modern healthcare.
Billed as “digital health powered by smartwatches,” Garmin is actively working to make this vision a reality. The company launched Garmin Health in 2014 and has grown it into a comprehensive B2B solution for healthcare, research and clinical trials, insurance companies, gyms and fitness brands, corporate wellness and more.
When it comes to smartwatches and healthcare, Garmin believes it has an advantage over other tech companies like Apple and Samsung due to its open platform, the quality of its biometric data and the long battery life of its watches.
“Garmin’s business strategy is to be an ecosystem player,” Scott Burgett, senior director of health engineering at Garmin, told Athletech News earlier this year. “When you look at the breadth of our wearable products, the breadth of data, and the ease of integration — we’re agnostic between iOS and Android — we really are the best company[to work with].”
To view the full 2024 Garmin Connect data report, see here.
