A series of fascinating reworked maps have revealed the most popular forms of exercise in countries around the world – and dance workouts are the number one way to stay fit in the world.
The maps, which include a main global map and regional breakdowns, are color-coded to indicate the types of exercise that residents of each country like best, and the results are generated from an analysis of the types of exercise that People search more on Google. using a master list of 200 workouts.
“Dancing” is the top exercise search in 51 countries including Finland, Egypt, Kenya, Botswana and Papua New Guinea.
Pilates is ranked first in 40 countries, including the United Kingdom, Portugal, Poland, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
The research was carried out by puregymwhich said that ‘dancing is a fun and accessible way to exercise.’
A series of fascinating reworked maps have revealed the most popular forms of exercise in countries around the world – and dance workouts are the world’s number one way to stay fit.
The maps are color-coded to indicate the types of exercise that residents of each country like most, and the results are generated from an analysis of the types of exercise that people search for most on Google.
‘Dancing’ is the top exercise search in 51 countries including Finland, Egypt, Kenya, Botswana and Papua New Guinea.
Georgia Boyle, personal trainer at PureGym Edinburgh, added: “Dance is a fantastic form of exercise for a number of reasons. Not only is it a fun full-body workout, it is also an amazing form of creative expression, stress relief and Above all, it is a form of exercise that can bring people together.
‘Easily accessible to all ages, getting started with dancing is super easy: try a class in person or at home, or even put on some music and dance at home.
‘I think one of people’s biggest barriers in dance is feeling like they “have two left feet” or that they won’t be a technical professional. However, the only thing that matters is to get moving and enjoy the music.’
As for Pilates, which came in second place, PureGym explained for the uninitiated that it “focuses on improving strength, flexibility and balance.”
He continued: ‘The prominence of Pilates should come as no surprise. The original form of the exercise, which began in the 1920s, now offers variations for people to practice, such as reformer and wall pilates; the latter was named by PureGym as the number one fitness trend for 2024, having recorded a whopping 4,461 percentage increase in interest.’
The third most sought-after form of exercise, according to the study, is yoga, which ranks first in 26 countries.
Pilates is a leader in 40 countries, including the United Kingdom, Portugal, Poland, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
The third most searched form of exercise, according to the study, is yoga, which ranks first in 26 countries, including Canada and China. But not its birthplace, India, which favors parkour (which originated in France).
CrossFit ranks fourth (22 countries, including Mexico and Spain) and ab workouts rank fifth (17 countries).
The rest of the top 10 comprises boxing (sixth, 12 countries), running (seventh, 10 countries), calisthenics (eighth, eight countries), climbing (ninth, six countries) and hiking (tenth, five countries).
CrossFit ranks fourth (22 countries, including Mexico and Spain) and abs workouts rank fifth (17 countries)
This regional map shows that in South America, boxercise and pilates dominate fitness
Laura Melia, physiotherapist and managing director of PureGym Manchester, said staying fit is all about finding what works for you.
She commented: “Everyone is at a different stage of their fitness journey, with different levels of strength and mobility, and what works for one person may be too much or too little for another. Don’t feel pressured to Match anyone’s workouts and avoid comparing progress to other people’s.
To learn more about the research and the most popular form of exercise in each country, visit: www.puregym.com/blog/how-the-world-works-out.
