No gym, no problem. At-home fitness equipment became some of the most sought-after items this year as everyone scrambled to recreate a gym atmosphere at home. Decathlon struggled to meet market demands when their supply of dumbbells and kettlebells got snatched up from retail stores.

Some smaller, independent gyms in Hong Kong even started lending out their dumbbells and other small gym equipment to encourage gym-goers to stay active while gyms were closed.

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We’ve got smart home TVs, kitchen equipment and voice-activated speakers—so it only makes sense that our gym equipment is as equally as high-tech. From a full-sized interactive Kara Smart Fitness Mirror that allows you to broadcast and follow along with high-quality workouts, to Tonal’s digital resistance weight machine which features a LED screen, or Peloton’s full-featured spin bike that comes with a 21.5-inch touchscreen display, smart home gym equipment will only get bigger and better.

More recently, Apple announced Fitness+, a fitness experience built around the new Apple watch which allows users to stream ten different workout types from high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga, dance to treadmill.

Workout clothes had always been about comfort, performance, durability and style. In 2020, however, there’s an added requirement when we’re making a purchase: safety. 

For those who went back to the gym during the third wave when masks were made mandatory, you might have searched for breathable face masks such as Under Armour’s sports mask or Uniqlo’s Airism face mask. Other Covid-19-friendly items were also introduced including Rhanders’ antibacterial fitness gloves, bacteria-fighting towels from Mizu and Larq’s self-sanitising water bottle.

With the constant need to stay vigilant and safe this year, on top of the rising Covid case numbers, many people experienced some form of Covid fatigue or pandemic depression. Work-life balance became non-existent for some, as the lines between work and home become blurred due to home offices. Most of us were also unable to see friends and family as much, nor have the same amount of freedom to enjoy activities and hobbies we used to have. 

Covid fatigue and pandemic depression became more normalised and talked about this past summer, and people started paying more attention and awareness towards self-care and mental health. Topics such as weight gain, lowered productivity, burnout and anxiety gained traction as more people opened up about their experiences on social media.