A new study has revealed the UK’s fitness capitals, and the city that takes the overall crown is not the one you might expect. Rather than London or any of the UK’s other capitals coming out on top, personal training courses provider The Fitness Group identified Wrexham in north Wales as being the hub of all things health and fitness related.
The setting for Disney Plus documentary Welcome to Wrexham, featuring Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, north Wales’ footballing Mecca led in multiple categories in the study, including yoga and gymnastics.
Key findings
The Fitness Group used data from Mindbody, Superprof and Google Trends to analyse the popularity of seven key fitness disciplines (pilates, yoga, CrossFit, strength training, HIIT, weightlifting and gymnastics) across UK cities, considering workout establishments, classes, private instructors, and Google search volume.
As well as Wrexham winning the overall title with a score of 92.65 (London was down in 9th with a score of 45.58), the study also identified yoga and pilates as the most searched-for fitness classes in the UK in 2024, with 59.07 and 56.34 searches per 1 million residents respectively.
Top 10 UK fitness capitals
| Rank | City | Pilates | Yoga | CrossFit | Strength Training | HIIT | Weightlifting | Gymnastics | Overall Score |
| 1 | Wrexham | 63.25 | 85.28 | 89.70 | 48.53 | 94.10 | 72.05 | 92.63 | 92.65 |
| 2 | Newtownabbey | 73.53 | 64.73 | 94.13 | 42.65 | 63.25 | 67.63 | 64.70 | 89.70 |
| 3 | Buckley | 69.10 | 70.58 | 70.58 | 23.53 | 98.53 | 50.00 | 75.00 | 88.23 |
| 4 | Lisburn | 64.70 | 66.20 | 80.90 | 83.83 | 75.03 | 60.30 | 33.83 | 82.35 |
| 5 | East Kilbride | 55.90 | 69.13 | 42.65 | 42.65 | 82.35 | 66.20 | 42.65 | 79.45 |
| 6 | Newport | 29.40 | 32.33 | 22.05 | 79.40 | 33.83 | 27.95 | 54.40 | 55.85 |
| 7 | Belfast | 48.55 | 58.83 | 60.30 | 60.28 | 45.58 | 72.08 | 39.73 | 54.40 |
| 8 | Dundee | 25.00 | 47.08 | 32.35 | 30.90 | 30.88 | 16.18 | 29.43 | 47.08 |
| 9 | London | 77.95 | 75.00 | 35.30 | 47.05 | 39.70 | 57.35 | 38.23 | 45.58 |
| 10 | Nottingham | 50.00 | 33.83 | 25.00 | 39.70 | 57.35 | 35.30 | 25.00 | 42.68 |
Which cities came out on top for each discipline?
Yoga capital: Wrexham
- 16.74 yoga classes per 100,000 residents
- 76.11 yoga-related searches per 100,000 residents
Pilates capital: London
- 16.77 Pilates classes per 100,000 residents
- 66.16 Pilates-related searches per 100,000 residents
CrossFit capital: Newtownabbey
- 14.09 CrossFit classes per 100,000 residents
- 78.30 CrossFit-related searches per 100,000 residents
Strength training capital: Lisburn
- 1.29 strength training classes per 100,000 residents
- 64.51 Strength Training-related searches per 100,000 residents
HIIT capital: Buckley
- 7.86 HIIT classes per 100,000 residents
- 78.65 HIIT-related searches per 100,000 residents
Weightlifting capital: Belfast
- 1.82 weightlifting classes per 100,000 residents
- 18.20 weightlifting-related searches per 100,000 residents
Gymnastics capital: Wrexham
- 9.13 gymnastics classes per 100,000 residents
- 761.11 gymnastics–related searches per 100,000 residents
Most in-demand fitness classes in the UK
- Yoga: 59.07 searches per 1 million residents
- Pilates: 56.34 searches per 1 million residents
- HIIT: 21.29 searches per 1 million residents
- Gymnastics: 14.93 searches per 1 million residents
- CrossFit: 2.97 searches per 1 million residents
Steven Dick, Co-Founder of The Fitness Group, said: “We’re seeing various types of exercise gaining traction in different cities in the UK, from Wrexham to London, which is encouraging for public health.
“Different cities are developing their own fitness strengths. While some excel in yoga, others stand out in CrossFit or strength training. This variety is beneficial because it allows more people to find a type of exercise that suits them, which is crucial for maintaining long-term health.
“As people consider their health during the festive season and think about potential New Year’s resolutions, it’s encouraging to see such diverse fitness options available across the UK. Whether someone is looking to stay active during the holidays or start a new fitness routine in the new year, there are likely to be suitable options in their area.”
