THE BEST EXERCISE IN EVERY COUNTRY: HOW THE WORLD WORKS

People have created their own unique forms of exercise throughout history and around the globe. Some of them have quickly become fads, including backward running and eye yoga. ... some of which endure, becoming well-known all throughout the globe.

For instance, yoga had its beginnings more than 5,000 years ago in India and rose to immense popularity in the West throughout the 20th century. Pilates, which was created in Germany in the early 20th century by a guy by the name of Joseph Pilates, is now practiced all over the globe and is predicted to reach over $400 billion USD in the next ten years together with the yoga business. In the meanwhile, exercise cult favorites like CrossFit and F45 have gained worldwide recognition. The former was created in the US in the late 1990s, and it currently has studios spread throughout more than 155 nations.

With so many intriguing and diverse approaches to fitness emerging from all around the globe, we questioned which exercises are really the most popular in each nation.

 

EVERY COUNTRY'S BEST WORKOUT

 
By examining the amount of Google searches for more than 200 distinct workouts—from running to boxing to abs—we aimed to find out which sorts of exercise are most popular in each nation.

Dancing is the most popular kind of exercise, having topped lists of preferred activities in a staggering 51 countries. Dancing is an ancient art form that comes in a myriad of styles and is a certain method to raise your heart rate. It is simple to see why dance is so popular since it is an easily accessible method to begin moving, whether you're dancing to Taylor Swift or doing dance-themed courses like zumba and stepper-ton.

Georgia Boyle, a PT and HND dance artist at PureGym Edinburgh, says: "There are many reasons why dancing is an excellent kind of exercise. Dancing is not only an enjoyable whole-body exercise but also a fantastic way to express creativity, relieve stress, and celebrate other cultures while uniting people. All ages may simply start dancing; just turn on some music and start moving about your home! You can even take a dance lesson in person or at home (some PureGyms offer dance classes!). I believe that the belief that they "got two left feet" or won't be a technical pro is one of the main obstacles that prevents individuals from taking up dancing. What counts most, however, is getting oneself moving and experiencing the genuine freedom and joy of moving your body to music."

Pilates and yoga come in second and third, respectively, behind dance. Popular exercises include CrossFit, which is popular in 22 countries, boxercise, which is popular in 12 countries, and ab exercises, which are preferred in 17 countries where people prioritize toning their abs over all other muscle groups.

We've distilled all of this data into the following color-coded maps, categorized by worldview, and provided a more detailed analysis of the varying fitness preferences throughout the continents to better see how the world functions.

WHAT EXERCISE IS THE MOST FAMOUS IN EUROPE?

Approximately one-third of European nations choose Pilates over other forms of exercise, with countries like Slovenia, Italy, and Albania choosing the muscle-strengthening routines that aid with posture and flexibility. It's interesting to note that Pilates was first created for rehabilitation but quickly became well-liked by the general public and dancers. Pilates comes in a variety of forms these days, from Reformer to Wall Pilates, which is really the largest fitness trend of 2024, based on data from our 2023/2024 Fitness Report.

In addition to yoga, Pilates, and CrossFit, which together make up the preferred form of exercise in 37 of the 54 nations in Europe, there are other, more unusual forms of exercise. The most popular exercise right now in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Lithuania is paddle boarding, which involves standing up on a board and moving down a body of water with a paddle. Meanwhile, the workout that's getting people moving in Croatia is the treadmill strut, which became popular on TikTok. These two examples show how powerful social media can be in the modern fitness industry.

HOW ARE PEOPLE IN ASSIA MAINTAINED?

Dancing is the most popular form of exercise in 12 Asian nations. Dancing, whether it be street, ballet, hip hop, or modern, is a great method to work out. Enhancing muscular tone, endurance, coordination, strength, and timing—it's often a very sociable method to get in shape and seems less like a "chore" than other types of exercise.

With over 15 years of professional dance training expertise, Phoebe Lavina @pheobelavinatraining, a PureGym York personal trainer and dance instructor, states: "Dancing is one of the best forms of exercise because it works the body and mind while boosting self-esteem and confidence." Acquiring and maintaining the skills of choreography helps your heart, circulation, balance, muscles, and joints by stimulating your brain as you move constantly."

Ironically, parkour, a French martial art, is more popular than yoga in India, the birthplace of yoga. Parkour, which focuses on getting from one location to another in challenging situations—mostly outdoors—by combining swinging, leaping, rolling, sprinting, and climbing—is frequently referred to as the art of displacement. Parkour enthusiasts claim that the sport is also a philosophy, with a focus on the value of conquering challenges.

WHICH KIND OF EXERCISE IS MOST FAMOUS IN AFRICA?

On the African continent, yoga and pilates are much less common than they are globally; just seven nations consistently choose yoga over other forms of exercise, and only two usually choose pilates.

dance, on the other hand, is the favorite type of fitness, with 34 different African nations seeking more for dance exercise than any other, contributing significantly to its current global ranking. This is not surprising, given how popular dance is across Africa and how integral it is to so many of the continent's traditions! African ceremonies, rituals, and celebrations frequently incorporate dance as a means of communication. Examples of these include the Zulu "Indlamu" dance, which is frequently performed at weddings, festivals, and ceremonies in South Africa, and the traditional Maasai jumping dance, which is performed by Maasai tribes in Kenya and Tanzania.

Climbing is also the most popular form of exercise in four separate African countries: Burundi, Guinea, Mali, and São Tomé and Príncipe. This is an excellent method to stay in shape in places where there are plenty of opportunities to do so, such as the lush woods of São Tomé and Príncipe, the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali, a sandstone cliff that is popular with climbers, and other breathtaking settings.

WHAT ARE THE TOP WORKOUTS IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN AMERICA?

Ab exercises are the most popular in North and Central America; eight nations, including Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, rank first and second, respectively, in this regard.

Closely behind in popularity is boxercise, the most popular form of exercise in six nations, including Puerto Rico and Honduras. Boxercise is a high-intensity session that combines parts of boxing with a thorough aerobic exercise. It was first introduced in the UK in the 1990s, and since then, it has gained popularity worldwide, with the main objective being to increase public access to boxing.

North and Central America are also huge fans of Pilates, with the internationally renowned class being the preferred method of exercise in five nations, including the US.
IN SOUTH AMERICA, HOW DO PEOPLE MAINTAIN FIT?

Exercise climbs once again in South America, where six distinct countries—Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and others—preferring combat-based boxing.

Pilates, jogging, and calisthenics—a kind of physical training that uses your own bodyweight to increase strength, flexibility, and fitness—are other popular types of exercise in South America. The term "calisthenics" really came from the Greek terms "kallos," which means beauty, and "sthenos," which means power. It's amazing to watch this training technique, which originated in Greece and was based on the idea of having a balance between mental and physical power, spread to South America and become a popular form of exercise for many people there.

WHICH ACTIVITY IS THE MOST FAMOUS IN OCEANIA?

The Oceanic continent is also all about abs; more people are looking for techniques to exercise their abs than any other country, with seven of them having the highest search volume. Running is also more popular here than it is anywhere else on the continent, with Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu, and four other countries prioritizing running above other kinds of exercise. Along with this, some of the world's most picturesque running races are held on islands like Savai'i in Samoa, such as the magnificent Samoa International Marathon, which has coastline sections and a finish in the lava fields of the island.

Pilates is preferred above other forms of exercise in both Australia and New Zealand, where over 

1.1 million people are estimated to practice the discipline. The fitness approach itself had a remarkable 250% rise in both countries by the end of 2022.
Making an exercise regiment might be one of the most difficult aspects of becoming in shape. You may discover that although certain exercises are quite enjoyable, others aren't nearly as enjoyable. Really, the most crucial thing is to choose an exercise that you like. Not only will you receive the much-needed exercise that is so good for our bodies and brains when you love what you're doing, but you're also more likely to incorporate it into your daily routine.


The reason it's crucial to find an exercise you enjoy is that each person has a different fitness journey, strength, and mobility level, so what works for one person may be too much or too little for another. Laura Melia, PT, is the general manager of PureGym Manchester. Avoid comparing your development with other people's exercises and don't feel obligated to equal theirs.