EGYM Wellpass analyzes the practices of 800,000 employees and reveals new fitness trends, from bootcamps to active recovery.
The corporate fitness landscape is undergoing a profound transformation driven by new aspirations that combine performance, social connection, and well-being. This was revealed in an analysis published on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 by EGYM Wellpass (formerly Gymlib), the European leader in employer-co-financed fitness subscriptions. Drawing on the study of several million sessions reserved by its 800,000 users between the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, the platform paints a picture of employees reinventing their fitness routines. Five major trends emerge, illustrating a search for intensity, sociability, and recovery.
Fitness and Bootcamps: The Culture of Intensity Fitness remains the top activity, with over 1.6 million sessions recorded between January 2025 and March 2026. Its practice surged by 66.6% between the first quarter of 2025 and 2026, confirming a strong “return to the gym” effect after holiday periods. Activity peaks observed in September and October highlight how fitness has firmly established itself as employees’ first anti-stress reflex upon returning to work.
In this dynamic, one discipline stands out: bootcamps. With a 24.6% growth during the same period, it ranks fourth among the most popular activities. This enthusiasm directly echoes the Hyrox phenomenon, a fitness competition combining running and functional exercises that has popularized intense and group workouts among a wide audience.
Racket Sports: New Kings of Afterwork The study sheds light on an increasingly social dimension of sports practice. Sports are no longer just an individual matter but are becoming powerful drivers of cohesion and conviviality among colleagues. Racket sports are the big winners of this trend. Squash records a spectacular growth of 242%, followed closely by badminton with a 108% increase. Padel, on the other hand, confirms its lasting presence in the French sports landscape by ranking in the top 5 activities with a 66.7% increase in sessions.
Active Recovery Beyond Effort A significant novelty in this analysis is that recovery is no longer exclusive to elite athletes but is firmly integrated into employees’ routines. Sauna sessions have increased by 182.7% and those dedicated to relaxation by 238%. This strong signal resonates with the excitement in the well-being sector in France. From Paris to major cities, centers specializing in hot-cold alternation, such as Sant Roch or Reset, are multiplying and experiencing great success, establishing recovery as an essential step in the weekly fitness journey.
Pilates-Reformer: The Upscale Shift of Body-Mind While yoga retains a strong popularity with a 19.4% increase in sessions, it is now challenged by the rise of Pilates-Reformer. This discipline, practiced on specific machines, experiences a dazzling growth of 64.4%. Long considered a niche practice, it now appeals to a much wider audience, as evidenced by the increasing number of specialized studios in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, or Marseille. Pilates-Reformer emerges as a “premium” discipline, balancing physical performance and mental well-being.
Solid Values Confirming Their Presence Lastly, the study demonstrates the maturity of the market with the stability of established practices. Dance (+39.4%) continues to attract with its playful and social aspect. Cycling, although slightly declining (-8%), remains the fifth most popular sport, favored for its cardiovascular efficiency. Additionally, climbing (-13%) confirms its place as the seventh most popular activity, indicating a lasting presence after years of strong growth.
EGYM Wellpass aims to democratize access to well-being in the workplace. The platform provides access to over 6,000 facilities in France and counts among its 2,500 clients groups such as Carrefour, Danone, and Deloitte, as well as fast-growing companies like Qonto and PayFit.
