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Here’s a breakdown of what’s in store today

⭐ 1 Shift: Why do fitness products look like furniture now?

⚡ 1 Tip: If all options appear equal, get more information

💊 3 Resources: Secret Creative Resources That Pros Use

Reading time: 3 minutes

⭐ Shift

Why do fitness products look like furniture now?

Have you ever wondered why fitness products for the longest time have looked the same? After all, why change them? They were meant to hide away in a basement or packed in a gym. Today, post pandemic, things are different. Gone are the days when exercise equipment was purely functional and often an eyesore. I have been noticing a brewing trend where fitness products are trying to fit in, than just simply getting you fit. Here are 3 stories that point towards interesting opportunities in the fitness space:

1. Aesthetic expectations

Post pandemic, our relationship with our homes has completely changed. I believe it's linked to the considerable time we've spent on social media during the pandemic. My theory is that human competitiveness, amplified by our increased presence on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, has driven us to view our homes not just as living spaces, but as a competition. Certainly the idea of an 'Instagrammable' home has moved from a niche concept to a widespread goal. The Frame Pilates machine with its softer silhouette and welcoming tones is a brilliant example of a well designed home object. It was designed by Camp Studio for Frame fitness. Another one to watch out for is Forme Studio, which is a neat looking smart mirror that displays on demand workout training videos.

2. Space-Saving Solutions

As every inch of home space in metro cities becomes important, fitness products are stepping up to do more with less. There are weights like the UBarre which doubles as a sculptural art piece and modern storage solutions like the Tempo Move, which brings in warm materials and a neat system to build your home gym. The Tempo Move was designed by Level Design in SF and there is a neat video here walking through the process. A tiktok famous brand to watch out for is Bala. They have some of the more unique looking weights and accessories that I have seen in this space.

3. Big Players Making Moves

Last year, Nike announced that they are entering the gym equipment space. While it's still up in the air how successful this venture will be, one thing seems certain – if Nike's track record in creativity is anything to go by, we can expect some exciting design work once their team fully dives into this new challenge.

Then there's Lululemon, who recently stepped into the connected fitness arena. This was a big flop but parallelly, they're definitely making some waves (pun intended) with their Double Roller. This foam roller combo stands out not just for its functionality but for its design intent in my opinion. With its unique textures and choice of materials, it's obvious that this roller was crafted to be displayed, not stashed away.

Where are we headed?

As fitness products evolve into art pieces, multifunctional furniture, and tech companions, they're shifting from hidden corners to center stage in our homes. This shift, still in its infancy, offers immense room for growth and innovation, specially if you are a designer building in this space. There are tons of opportunities here, especially when you consider how primitive some of products in the fitness space currently are.

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⚡ Tip

“If all options appear equal, get more information”

This line from a recent read really got me thinking. As designers, we're often at the crossroads of critical decision-making. But what do we do when two options look equally good? It's easy to pass the buck to a committee or let the design director make the call. At least this is what I did for the longest time.

There's a big difference between quick decisions and right decisions. The right ones need time and the right information. So, here's a tip that might seem simple but is often overlooked:

If you're stuck between design choices that seem the same, you don’t have the right information. Dig deeper.

Happy designing :)

💊 Resources

3 links to boost your creativity.

• This is the Periodic Table of Storytelling

• Items Design is a library of free AI generated design assets. Great for UI and branding projects.

• Freelance Pricing Secrets Every Designer Should Know is a great video and a solid starting point for understanding design pricing strategies.