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Wearable technology ranks as the top fitness trend for 2027 in the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual survey, marking its 10th time at No. 1 since 2016. Fitness apps rose to second, balance, flow and core strength reached third, and group fitness climbed six places to seventh. The rankings reflect expectations from fitness professionals, not measurements of consumer participation or health outcomes.
Wearable technology is the top fitness trend heading into 2027, according to the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual Worldwide Fitness Trends report, while mobile exercise apps and balance, flow and core strength rose to second and third. The ranking signals what surveyed fitness professionals expect to shape the industry in the coming year; it does not measure how many people use each type of training.
The report, published in ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, ranks trends based on responses from fitness professionals. Wearables have now placed first 10 times since the category entered the survey in 2016. The category includes devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, which can monitor activity and metrics including heart rate, sleep and recovery. ACSM said wearables ranked in the top three across every professional role, work setting and experience category examined.
Mobile exercise apps moved up from fourth to second, and the category combining Pilates, yoga, barre and mobility-focused exercise rose from fifth to third. Fitness programs for older adults ranked fourth, while traditional strength training climbed two places to fifth. Exercise for weight management was sixth.
Group fitness classes made one of the largest gains, rising from 13th to seventh. Data-driven training technology held at eighth, while exercise for mental health and well-being remained in the top 10 for a fourth consecutive year. The supplied report material does not include the complete ranking beyond the ninth-place entry, so the remaining positions are not listed here.
Technology Meets Group Training
The rankings point to a fitness landscape where digital tools remain influential but are not the only emphasis. The gains for movement categories and instructor-led classes suggest that surveyed professionals also see demand for exercise centered on mobility, strength, social contact and varied life stages.
For gyms and studios, the shift may inform decisions about class schedules, equipment, app-based services and programs for older adults. ACSM’s report describes professional expectations, however; it does not establish that every provider or consumer is adopting these offerings, or that a higher ranking proves a particular workout is more effective.
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How ACSM Builds Its Rankings
ACSM’s annual report is in its 21st year and is intended to identify trends fitness professionals expect to influence the industry in the next year. Its rankings are survey-based forecasts, rather than a census of exercise habits or a clinical assessment of fitness interventions.
Wearable technology first appeared as a category in the survey in 2016. Its repeated high placement coincides with the continuing use of consumer devices to track activity and other health-related measurements. The report also describes growing interest in Pilates offerings, including reformer classes, and renewed attention to group workouts.
“Technology continues to shape how people approach fitness, but this year’s rankings also highlight the value of shared experiences and programs that fit different stages of life.”
— Cayla McAvoy, lead author of the report and chair of ACSM’s Trends Workgroup
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What the Survey Cannot Show
The supplied report coverage does not state the survey sample size, response rate, field dates or detailed methodology, so those details cannot be assessed here. The ranking also does not show actual consumer participation, revenue, or whether a trend’s position reflects a broad change in behavior.
It remains unclear how much the shifts reflect lasting demand versus professional expectations for the coming year. The available source material also cuts off during its description of the top 10, leaving the final entries and full list unavailable.
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How Providers May Respond
The report offers fitness businesses and professionals a set of 2027 planning signals, including continued interest in wearable-linked services, app-based workouts, mobility and core training, older-adult programming, strength training and group classes. Whether organizations expand those offerings—and whether participation follows—will become clearer as the year progresses.
Further detail on the survey methods and the complete trend list would help readers judge how broadly the findings apply. For now, the rankings should be read as an industry forecast, not a direct measure of what all exercisers are choosing.
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Key Questions
What is ACSM’s top fitness trend for 2027?
Wearable technology ranked No. 1 in ACSM’s annual Worldwide Fitness Trends report. The category includes devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers.
Which trends rose the most in the ranking?
Group fitness classes climbed six places, from 13th to seventh. Mobile exercise apps moved from fourth to second, while balance, flow and core strength rose from fifth to third.
Does the ranking show what consumers are actually doing?
No. ACSM presents the report as a ranking of trends fitness professionals expect to influence the industry. It is not a direct count of consumer participation or evidence that a particular activity has become more effective.
How often have wearables ranked first?
ACSM says wearable technology has ranked first 10 times since it was added to the survey in 2016.
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