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Gulf growth
Gymnation’s 2026 report found a strong appetite to improve physical and mental health in the Gulf region, and a call for beginner programmes and offerings targeted at women
Twice the size of the previous report, The UAE & KSA Health & Fitness Report 2026, commissioned by Gymnation, contains 745,000 data points and captures insights from more than 15,000 respondents.
It revealed that people living in the Gulf region have high health aspirations – 94 per cent said they want to be healthier and 93 per cent of respondents have plans to prioritise their mental health.
People are acting on their aspirations, with 65 per cent reporting that their health had improved from last year and 42 per cent are planning to increase their health and fitness spend this year. Seventy nine per cent consider themselves to be moderately active and only 2 per cent said they weren’t active at all. Eighty per cent of people exercise two or more times a week.
NEW AUDIENCES
Among Gymnation members surveyed, 51 per cent had had no gym membership in the 12 months prior to joining. The report says this suggests the region is experiencing a “genuine democratisation of gym culture, breaking down barriers that previously kept many away from the gym floor.”
While gymtimidation is noticeably declining among men, it is still prevalent among women. Equipment knowledge and exercising in front of others were the biggest issues, highlighting the need for equipment orientation and exercise education for first-time members. The report suggests creating beginner-friendly zones as well as women-focused spaces. Forty six per cent of women consider women-only spaces essential.
While the biggest motivator for taking part in exercise was fat loss and improving body composition (at 70 per cent), followed by improving strength (59 per cent), more people are looking for the holistic health benefits as well. Forty six per cent wanted help with sleep quality, 42 per cent with their mental health and 40 per cent are looking to improve their stress management.
42 per cent are planning to increase their health and fitness spend this year
STRENGTH STILL TRENDING
Strength training is the most popular fitness trend with 46 per cent wanting to give it a try, followed by functional training/Hyrox workouts (29 per cent); and yoga, Pilates and mindfulness exercises (26 per cent).
Affordability was the main reason for people giving up (58 per cent) followed by lack of time, accessibility, lack of motivation, lack of convenient options and feeling intimidated. Students and the unemployed were the most price-sensitive.
There’s a call for more affordable memberships, flexible membership types, social support and access to tailored programmes.
Seeing better overall results was the main reason given for exercising more in the coming year (55 per cent).
The report also illustrated the growing potential for gyms to be social spaces, with 31 per cent saying they’ve formed meaningful friendships or relationships at the gym.
Loren Holland, founder and CEO of Gymnation says: “The report confirms what we see every day: there’s a growing demand from people in the UAE and KSA to lead more active and healthier lifestyles, and affordability unlocks participation.”
