Garmin, the ultimate provider of diverse GPS solutions to aviation, automotive, navigation, fitness and outdoor sectors, today released its 2025 Garmin Connect Data Report, revealing that Garmin users worldwide logged 8% more activities than in 2024, reflecting steady growth in global fitness participation. In Thailand, running remained the most popular activity, while racket sports such as badminton, along with indoor activities like strength training and Pilates, saw strong growth this year. To close out the year, Garmin also launched the “Give a Garmin” campaign, offering special gifts for customers who purchase participating Garmin products from 11–26 December 2025.
Ms. Missy Yang, Country Manager of Garmin Thailand, says, “This year’s report clearly shows that people are prioritizing their health and increasingly relying on technology to better understand their bodies and train more effectively. ACSM also predicts that wearable technology will remain the top global fitness trend in 2026. Garmin remains committed to delivering accurate, reliable health insights powered by advanced technology and long-lasting battery life. With the new Garmin Connect Rundown, users can now see a clear, year-long view of their health and activity patterns—helping them stay motivated and continue to ‘Beat Yesterday’ every day.”
Global Fitness Participation Increases 8% — Hybrid Training, Strength Workouts, and Racket Sport Rise Across Asia
This year, Garmin users completed 8% more activities than last year, with running, walking, cycling, strength training, and indoor cardio ranking as the top five sports. Garmin’s data reveals notable differences across regions. In Asia1, users are increasingly adopting a more balanced mix of cardio and strength workouts, while racket sports continue to gain significant momentum. In Thailand, running, walking and strength training remained the top three activities. However, several sports recorded significant year-on-year growth, led by meditation, which surged by 148%, reflecting Thai users’ growing focus on mind–body balance. This was followed by badminton, which increased by 116%, tennis at 65%, and Pilates, which grew 35% in 2025.
- Running: Global outdoor running increased by 6%, with Japan recording the highest number of running activities. Norway saw a 16% increase in indoor running, reflecting differences driven by climate and training culture.
- Walking: Over half of global Garmin users averaged over 8,000 steps per day, with 28% exceeding 10,000 steps. Hong Kong ranked #1 globally with 10,663 steps per day, followed by South Korea ranked (9,969), and Spain (9,937). Thailand recorded an average of 7,120 steps per day.
- Hiking: Global hiking activity grew 12%, with Slovenia recording the highest share of hiking activity among all regions
- Strength Training: Strength training increased 29% globally, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth above 20%. Women recorded 6% more strength-training sessions than men. In Asia, strength training grew 27% and Thailand grew 30%, surpassing cycling for the first time and entering the top three sports, indicating a shift toward more balanced training routines.
- Racket Sports: Including pickleball, badminton, table tennis and padel, racket sports grew 67% globally and more than doubled in Asia. Vietnam recorded the highest per capita in racket sports.
- Health Monitoring: Women reported 3% lower stress levels than men, with the Netherlands ranking as the least stressed country. Body Battery data showed greater energy fluctuations among younger users, while China recorded the highest average daily energy expenditure.
2026 Global Fitness Trend Forecast
According to the 2026 ACSM Worldwide Fitness Trends, wearable technology remains top of the fitness trend for the fifth straight year, with growing interest in advanced metrics such as heart rate variability (HRV), sleep data, and VO₂ max. Fitness apps ranked #4, helping users build consistent exercise habits through reminders, rewards, and tracking features. Senior fitness continues to rise, emphasizing the importance of professional training and health management for aging populations.
Functional and core-focused training is expected to see continued growth. Activities such as yoga and Pilates emphasize strength, core stability, and flexibility to improve overall fitness and reduce the risk of injury. Physiological data and analytics have become essential tools for coaches and other fitness professionals, enabling personalized, science-based training programs. Garmin Coach training programs and Garmin Health’s integration with third-party health platforms further demonstrate how data can support diverse activities, from running to strength training.
By leveraging long-term personal data, Garmin users can access timely, personalized training guidance and recovery strategies, fostering a safer, more efficient, and technology-enhanced fitness lifestyle.
Garmin Connect Rundown: Comprehensive Integration of Physiological Data
Garmin has launched the new Garmin Connect Rundown, part of the premium Garmin Connect+ subscription service. The plan offers features like Active Intelligence, which delivers personalized insights, and Live Activity, which lets users view heart rate, pace and indoor workouts in real time from their smartphones. More exclusive features will roll out in the future.
The newly launched Garmin Connect Rundown compiles a full year of physiological metrics and activity data—such as users’ top three sports, total annual activity volume, step count and sleep data. It provides a clear view of long-term health and activity patterns, helping users track progress and examine changes through scientific data. With these health insights, users can set health goals for 2026, whether improving sleep, building strength, or taking on outdoor adventures. Garmin leverages technology to help everyone better understand their bodies and pursue a healthier everyday life, ‘beat yesterday’.
Garmin is also inviting Thais to gift better health this New Year with its year-end “Give a Garmin” campaign, offering exclusive premiums with the purchase of participating Garmin smartwatches. Customers will receive Garmin Sporty Socks with purchases priced at 10,000 baht or below, a Garmin Minimal Tumbler with purchases between 10,001 – 20,000 baht, and a Garmin Crossbody Bag with purchases of 20,000 baht or more. The promotion runs from 11–26 December 2025, or while stocks last. For more information, visit here or follow Garmin Thailand on Facebook and Instagram.
