In the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 20th annual Worldwide Fitness Trends forecast, strength training ranked as one of the top trends for 2026.
As more members become interested with different strength modalities and equipment, it’s imperative for community rec center teams to seize this moment in the fitness world. According to Kerry Ashby, the program executive for healthy living at the YMCA of Greater Seattle, she’s seeing this stronger focus on improving physical strength firsthand.
“Members are seeking strength training opportunities that meet them where they are, from first-time lifters to seasoned strength athletes,” said Ashby. “The Y’s strength classes and personal training emphasize proper technique, form and progression — making strength accessible and less intimidating.”
Below, learn all the trends making waves in strength training and how your center can fully take advantage of this shift in fitness.
Combining Strength Training With Functional Fitness
Nick Vay, the VP of commercial sales at BeaverFit, said while dedicated, independent strength and functional training areas continue to be standard offerings for facilities, the same members are using both spaces.
“By combining strength and functional areas through thoughtful design, facilities can meet the demands for both, without sacrificing more real estate,” said Vay. “With the increased demand for strength training equipment across the industry, finding ways to meet that demand continues to be a challenge. We’re seeing our customers move outdoors, providing their members with a high-quality training option while alleviating congestion during peak hours.”
Ashby also noted the strong shift toward functional strength with exercises and equipment that support everyday movement patterns and joint stability — not just traditional bodybuilding machines — becoming more popular.
“Strength is increasingly offered in group formats that combine resistance work with mobility, balance and cardio components,” said Ashby. “This includes small group personal training and group fitness classes — such as Les Mills — that’s tailored for all experience levels and has a high participation rate.”
Teri Arends, the group fitness and wellness director at Aaron Family JCC of Dallas, also agreed these hybrid strength classes are very popular.
“Additionally, members want variety with purpose,” said Arends. “This includes reformer strength, kettlebells or rowing combined into one dynamic hybrid class. Pilates reformer and Pilates reformer hybrid classes offer strength, mobility and longevity in one format. This aligns with where our fitness/wellness industry is headed for the next decade.”
Mastering Space, Cost and Time Concerns
One of the biggest challenges facing operators when it comes to mastering strength training is space. Vay said with the recent explosion of interest in this type of fitness comes overcrowded indoor training zones.
“Strength training areas often see the highest traffic — especially during peak hours — so finding unique alternatives like underutilized outdoor spaces is a creative and cost-effective way to support this demand quickly and efficiently,” said Vay.
Also, he said expanding your indoor footprint can mean big dollars and even bigger headaches when it comes to permits, construction and temporary closures. Moving outdoors is often a much cheaper alternative, usually a fraction of the cost compared to creating new indoor space.
Eric Vahey, the national strategic account manager — nonprofit at Matrix Fitness, said there’s a debate in facilities between creating value for members, safety and various other factors on how to manage multipurpose spaces.
“We’ve seen facilities do small group or personal training in a space, and when the space isn’t being programmed, they have provided digital tools for members to workout,” said Vahey. “These include on-demand classes or programs that can be done using the equipment that’s in the space. Determining the best way to maximize space or letting go of some programming that hasn’t been successful, can really help make more room.”
Echoing concerns with utilizing space, Ashby said designing offerings that support both safety and community is challenging in many facilities.
“With many members using strength areas and classes, it requires careful planning to balance an offering of open workout areas with scheduled group programs, and ensuring equipment meets diverse strength goals,” said Ashby. “Moreover, strength gains take time. Keeping members engaged during slower progress phases requires strong program design and community building.”
Another challenge is despite growing popularity; strength training can still feel daunting to first-timers or those self-conscious in a gym setting. Ashby said removing barriers through education, community support and welcoming coaching is ongoing work.
To combat those obstacles, encourage members to see strength not just as lifting weights, but as building confidence, resilience and daily functional ability. Small wins — such as mastering form or increasing reps — should be celebrated publicly to build community momentum.
Offerings For All Ages
Vahey said more of the younger generation is turning to their phone — or favorite influencer — for workout programs. This means coached content is part of the fabric of exercise, and his team is seeing more people looking for a space in facilities where they can workout with their phone.
“People are using limited equipment like a bench and a few dumbells, or completing an entire workout on a half rack,” said Vahey. “There’s less bouncing from machine to machine, and more staying in one spot and completing the workout. Since more people are bringing their own devices, it’s important to consider having the right WiFi infrastructure, or digital tools in your workout spaces.”
On the opposite end of the age spectrum, Vahey said his team has seen more classes and programs focused on low intensity, functional movements targeted at the active aging population.
“As the baby boomer generation ages, there has been an increased demand for age-appropriate, evidence-based exercise programs,” said Vahey. “This regular exercise is important to the prevention and management of age-related conditions.”
Finally, Vahey said Hyrox training has lent itself to classes, competition and structured programming to help personal trainers deliver better results.
This genre of fitness follows a structured plan that helps build endurance, avoid burnout, and improve work capacity and lactate tolerance — all while helping to avoid injury.
“We’ve seen these programs being created at a lot of our nonprofit partners,” said Vahey. “Classes and small group training programs have been created using the principles of Hyrox that culminate in a competition.”
Lasting Advice and Tips
Vay advised for rec centers to consider creating outdoor strength training spaces on patios, rooftops, parking lots or even old sports courts.
“By leveraging these underutilized outdoor spaces, it gives you breathing room to accommodate more members during peak hours, offer additional class formats and reduce wait times on high-use equipment,” said Vay. “BeaverFit’s custom, modular solutions allow our partners to create unique training environments in places and ways they never thought possible. With in-house design, engineering and 100% domestically sourced manufacturing, organizations can be confident their equipment will stand the test of time, no matter how hard it’s used.”
Vay added working with a partner who specializes in outdoor conversions can help you ensure you’re creating a well-designed outdoor training environment, rather than a space that feels thrown together with old equipment.
For Arends, she recommended that centers should hire certified professional trainers and group fitness instructors and build community intentionally. “When members understand the ‘why’ behind strength training and feel connected, retention follows naturally,” she said.
Ashby said creating clear progression pathways for member to follow will help them stay engaged and committed.
“Invest in staff development,” added Ashby. “One of the highest ROI moves you can make is training your staff in strength coaching fundamentals. Help make strength training feel social and supportive rather than solitary. Some approaches to try are strength buddies, micro-communities, leaderboards and themed challenges.”
Finally, Vahey advised to capture data on strength equipment, as there are a number of tools on the market that can help you get a sense of what’s getting used in the fitness center.
“These tools can monitor both cardio and strength equipment,” said Vahey. “Facilities don’t always have the ability to eliminate certain cardio modalities, but if they do, more space can be created for strength training. It’s important to know how often a piece is getting used, if there are wait times and how long those are. Having good data helps operators make better decisions on where to spend their limited budgets.”
