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by Joanna Walker on Friday, 3 July 2026
The fitness industry is entering a new era where retention matters more than recruitment and community is the defining factor in long-term success.
For years, the fitness industry has been obsessed with new joiners. Marketing budgets, promotional offers and sales targets have all been geared towards bringing more people through the front door. But the latest Wellness Watch Mid-Year 2026 report from ABC Fitness suggests the industry’s biggest opportunity lies somewhere else entirely.
New gym joins are down 9% year on year, new joins in studios have declined by 5%, while cancellations have increased by 8%. But look beneath those numbers and there’s a far more encouraging story. The members who stay are engaging consistently. And the reports shows us exactly why.
Retention starts with community
According to the research, more than two thirds of members (67%) say community is their biggest driver of motivation and accountability, while more than half (57%) state that being part of a fitness community has a significant impact on their long-term commitment to an active lifestyle. In addition, 61% of members say community leads to improved mental and emotional wellbeing.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise - people don’t join gyms to access equipment, they join to belong. This has been the Myzone philosophy for more than a decade. We know that people who feel part of a community are more likely to move than those who do not. In fact, Myzone users with 10 or more connections generate 47% more Myzone Effort Points (MEPs) per month.
Consistency creates commercial success
The next phase of fitness growth will be built on consistency, says Bill Davis, CEO of ABC Fitness: “Operators who make it easier for members to return, stay accountable and see progress will be best positioned to earn long-term loyalty.”
The challenge facing the industry has never been a lack of data. Members today have more fitness metrics available to them than ever, but that doesn’t necessarily inspire them to keep coming back.
That’s why Myzone pioneered Motivation Technology (MoTech), moving the dial from tracking activity to creating lasting behaviour change. Built on behavioural science and designed to reinforce positive habits, Myzone helps operators make consistency visible, progress meaningful and community tangible.
The typical Myzoner works out three or four times per week demonstrating consistency that leads to long term retention. And this translates into meaningful business outcomes. UK operators including Fitness First and Village Health & Wellness Clubs have reported retention improvements of between 20% and 25% among Myzone users as motivation, accountability and community become part of the member experience.
Rewarding repeat behaviour
The ABC Fitness report highlights the importance of reinforcing repeat behaviour by creating systems that make consistency easier.
That’s exactly where Myzone has always focused its efforts. By making accountability visible, celebrating progress and strengthening social connection, Myzone helps members build habits that last. And by rewarding effort, Myzone make fitness more inclusive and motivating for every member, regardless of ability.
Myzone celebrates movement wherever it happens. In fact, 64% of all UK MEPs earned during 2025 came from activity outside gym environments. By recognising and rewarding wider physical activity, operators can stay connected to members between visits, reinforce positive behaviours and build stronger, more engaged fitness communities.
The ABC Fitness report confirms a broader shift taking place across the industry. Growth is no longer about attracting more members; it’s about creating environments where people genuinely want to belong.
Technology has an important role to play, but only when it strengthens human connection rather than replacing it. To succeed in the future, operators will need to make consistency feel rewarding, recognise effort wherever it happens and build communities that members don’t want to leave.
To download the ABC Fitness Wellness Watch Mid-Year 2026 click here
To download Myzone’s Global Exercise Behaviour Trends 2025 Report, click here