Gen Z Likes to Stay Fit With Friends and Trends

Gen Z is highly fitness-conscious and keeps things interesting by mixing workout formats that are dynamic, trendy and foster connection

- Shrenik Avlani

s millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) enter mid-life and Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) grow older, the first wave of Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, has entered adulthood. And this cohort that has joined the workforce and started earning a paycheck for the first time is deciding where and how they want to spend their money. Little wonder then that everybody—from curious parents to profit-seeking business leaders—is curious about what Gen Z is up to, what they like and what appeals to their interests. Given that the nation's median age in 2025 is 28.8 years, Gen Z makes up a significant proportion of India's population and is slated to become the biggest consumer group for everything from retail to services. And as a generation that is much more aware of the importance of fitness and health, everyone from shoes, athleisure brands to gym chains and fitness startups are figuring out strategies and products to cater to them.

"Those aged between 18-25 years are a major chunk for the fitness sector as they understand that physical activity is important for physical, mental and emotional health. They are enthusiastic about leading an active life and take up exercise and sports in big numbers. In contrast, young millennials aged between 30 and 35 years are still on the fence about adopting an active life," says Akshay Verma, co-founder of Fitpass, a platform that provides access to multiple gyms and sports facilities across India.