Strava’s year-in-review report reveals a surge in walking, a renewed appetite for racing and a youth-driven shift toward aesthetics-focused strength training
Strava’s 2025 “Year in Sport” report highlights the biggest fitness trends of 2025, as well as predicts what’s to come in 2026.
This year was one of the platform’s most active periods yet, drawing on activity recorded between September 2024 and August 2025. According to the report, more than 180 million global users logged billions of activities and kudos this year, with subscribers accumulating one hour of movement for every two minutes spent in-app.
ATN breaks down the key findings from Strava’s report, highlighting some of the biggest fitness trends of 2025.
Walking Is Serious Exercise
Running remained the most-recorded activity on Strava in 2025, but walking continued its rapid ascent. According to the report’s activity distribution, walking secured the second-highest volume of recordings, surpassing cycling, hiking and weight training. The data suggests users increasingly treat walking as intentional exercise rather than incidental movement. More than half of Strava athletes also logged multiple sports over the year, indicating a broadening approach to diversified movement.
Racing Accelerated Across Every Distance, Driven by Gen Z
Racing participation increased significantly across 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and full marathons, and the report attributes much of this momentum to Gen Z. Year-over-year, Gen Z participation rose by 28% in 5Ks, 39% in 10Ks, 31% in half marathons and 33% in full marathons. According to the report, Gen Z is 75% more likely than Gen X to say their main motivation for exercise is a race or event. Training data from Runna reinforces this engagement: women represented 34% of half-marathon training volumes and 12% of full-marathon training, while men represented 29% and 20%, respectively. Saturday emerged as the most consistent day for long runs.
Strength Training Continues to Surge, Especially Among Young People
The report shows that weight training grew strongly in 2025, particularly among younger users. Gen Z is twice as likely as Gen X to identify weight training as their primary sport, and 61% of Gen Z respondents said they lift for aesthetics. Women logged weight training activities at rates 21% higher than men. However, the report notes that 38% of women also expressed hesitation about lifting due to fear of getting bulky. Strava’s weekly distribution of weight training sessions shows motivation peaking on Monday and Tuesday, with activity gradually declining toward the weekend. The average strength session lasted just over 50 minutes.
credit: Strava
Social Engagement Hits New Highs
Strava’s social ecosystem continued to strengthen, with users giving more than 14 billion kudos in 2025, 20% increase over the previous year. According to the report, Boomers were the demographic most likely to give kudos. Activities with photos received more than three times as many kudos as those without, and trail running generated the highest kudo rates of any activity type. Strava also notes an important behavioral shift: more than half of Gen Z users expect to use Strava more in 2026, even as many anticipate spending the same or less time on TikTok or Instagram.
Gen Z Increased Fitness Spending Despite Inflation Pressures
According to the report, 65% of Gen Z users say they are directly affected by inflation, but the economic pressure has not dampened their engagement in fitness. Thirty percent of Gen Z respondents plan to increase their fitness spending in 2026, and 64% say they would rather spend money on gear than on a date. Wearables remain a high priority: 63% of Gen Z said wearables were their most important fitness investment in 2025. The report suggests that exercise continues to function as both an emotional outlet and a cultural touchpoint for younger users.
Exercise Is One of Gen Z’s Primary Social Connectors
Strava’s data illustrates the growing role exercise plays in social life. According to the report, 39% of Gen Z users say they exercise to meet people with shared interests. However, 27% of women and 20% of men surveyed said they view run clubs as exclusive or intimidating, and 25% of Gen Z shared that perception. Still, movement-driven connection continues to grow. Last year, Strava reported that one in five Gen Z users had gone on a date with someone they met through exercise, and this year’s data shows that 46% said they were open to a workout first date.