What gym members actually want in 2026

Most people join the gym for traditional reasons. Get fit. Improve physical and mental wellbeing. Work towards a goal. However, ask them six months later why they’re still going, and the picture becomes more complicated.

The most recent data suggests the standard assumptions around what motivates the average gym-goer – assumptions which many corners of the industry still operate on – are increasingly far from the truth. We looked through various UK fitness surveys to establish what gym members actually want in 2026: why they join, why they stay, and what keeps them coming back.

Join for fitness. Stay for friendship

The perception that gyms are primarily transactional – turn up, use the equipment, leave – is dying. ukactive's 2026 National Fitness Day research found that making new friends is an important factor in joining a gym for 53% of Millennials and 51% of Gen Z, and – perhaps more tellingly – for 37% of Gen X and 35% of Baby Boomers, too.

The flip side tells the same story. Among people who say they aren't confident enough to join a gym, 31% say it's specifically because they don't have anyone to go with.

Gen Z's own data backs this up from a different angle. The Gym Group's 2026 Gen Z Fitness Pulse Report found 62% agree the gym is as much a place to socialise and feel part of a community as it is a place to exercise. 57% say they've made meaningful connections there, and 72% believe going to the gym helps tackle loneliness – significant numbers for an industry that tends to still market on equipment and classes first.

Opportunities: Beginner-friendly taster sessions, “bring a friend” passes, staff-accompanied day one sessions, and grouped class formats emphasising social connections are all opportunities to bring solo-averse customers out of their shell. 

Confidence and mental health results now rival the physical

While chasing physical and aesthetic gains is by no means on the back burner as a reason to get in the gym, confidence, mental health, and general wellbeing are now rival motivators for the majority of attendees.

ukactive’s National Fitness Day survey cites improving confidence as an important reason for exercising by 74% of UK adults overall. That rises to 81% of Millennials and 76% of Gen Z – who make up the majority of gym-goers. Improving mental health and wellbeing scored even higher for mid-range age groups (84% of Millennials and 76% of Gen X), which sits right alongside the more traditional motivators of building strength and fitness (83% overall) and improving physical appearance (78% overall).

Memberships are therefore no longer sold solely on the premise of physical transformation. Of course, a boost in self-confidence and mental wellbeing tends to come hand-in-hand with physical gains, but the data suggests members across the board are more interested in how exercise makes them feel – over how it makes them look – than ever before.

Opportunities: A ukactive report on mental health from last year found 61% of people with a mental health condition would be likely to join a gym if it were offered as a workplace benefit or discount, compared with 53% of those without one. Most smaller scale operators don’t consider employer partnerships, but they can be a great route to acquisition if you can find suitable partners.

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Strength training still reigns supreme – but older age groups need help

Young people are leading the charge on strength training. A joint report from ukactive and Les Mills found that 75% of Gen Z strength-train twice or more a week, ahead of every other generation, with Millennials close behind at 74%.

However, the wider population is lagging behind. The same report found 43% of UK adults are failing to meet the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines of two or more strength sessions a week, and 32% do no strengthening activity at all. That includes over a third of Baby Boomers, despite strength training being the single most-cited reason older adults say they join a gym in the first place (90% of Baby Boomer gym users say it's an important factor, versus 82% of Gen Z gym users).

Essentially, younger members are already doing what the guidelines recommend, while older members say they want it most but are least likely to be doing it. It’s a considerable gap that points to coaching and onboarding opportunities for providers, who can help older members break through the strength-training wall via tailored support.

Opportunities: Beginner strength-training programmes and classes aimed specifically at older users (who have a distinct set of challenges in the space) will help unconfident members get into strength work safely and effectively.

The gym is as much a lifestyle fixture as it is a fitness facility

With the data on the importance of friendships and mental wellbeing for members in mind, it’s perhaps unsurprising that 31% of British 16–29 year-olds rank gym and fitness facilities as the single most important local amenity when choosing where to live. That’s according to The Gym Group’s Pulse Fitness Report, which places gyms ahead of shops, parks, restaurants, and bars in the amenity rankings.

Further to this, 72% say gym access is an important factor in choosing their next home, and 32% say they'd pay a premium to live near one – an average of £40 extra a month, or £480 a year.

Member perception of gyms as more than just a place to lift weights is growing, too. ukactive's UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2026 (run alongside Sport England and 4GLOBAL) found that "trying new activities" is now a motivating factor in taking out a membership for 62% of consumers. That means clubs are increasingly functioning as hubs for recovery services, social spaces, and even "work-from-gym" options, as opposed to just a workout space. Members increasingly expect a club to flex around and work with the rest of their life, rather than being the single-purpose stop it used to be.

Opportunities: If it’s available, reallocate space to offer the additional layers mentioned. As for what activities matter to your members, speak to people on the floor and find out what would make their experience even better. Even a handful of insights can help with retention-boosting ideas.

Everyone wants easy payments

Member or owner, everyone wants the payment process to work without a fuss. For members, an easy route to payment is a key part of a simple sign-up experience, and for owners, getting paid reliably and on time is critical for cash flow and reducing admin.

With GoCardless, you can set up a fully automated Direct Debit process with ease – and it’s ideal for the recurring membership payments you’re collecting every month. It’s a one-time sign-up for your members, then every one of their payments is pulled automatically without either side needing to do anything. It helps reduce failed payments, which in-turn reduces your back office admin load, and creates more time for you to spend on adding value for your members.

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If you'd like more guides, advice and general pointers around how payments should work for gym owners, head back to our gyms and wellness hub.