Why More Are Now Pulling Up to the Gym: A Social Media Effect?

Annual gym attendance in Singapore more than doubled from 2021 to 2024, raising the question: What is driving this surge?

According to data from Sport Singapore, annual gym attendance rose from 1.97 million in 2021 to 4.07 million in 2024 — an increase of 2.1 million over four years.

Alfred Ang Qing Yi, 20, a Temasek Polytechnic student who has been going to the gym regularly since 2021, said, ”I wasn’t the fittest because I was quite overweight and cared a lot about my personal image and how people viewed me. That motivated me to start working out.”

Janice Woon, Division Head of Active SG, mentioned that males aged 20 to 39 made up the majority of the gym attendance annually, which aligns closely with Gen Z’s exposure to fitness-related content on social media.

“I was very active on social media, and once I started gymming, I kept getting gym content on TikTok and Instagram,” Mr Ang said.

He recalls how influencers like David Laid “motivated me to keep going”, alongside the “motivational quotes and videos that helped me stay consistent”. This shows the significant role social media played in shaping his discipline and drive

Lee Huei Chern, Chief Strategist of ActiveSG, said, “From surveys we have conducted, motivations for gym goers include better health and wanting to look and feel good. This could be possibly influenced by body-focused content online.” This explains the influence social media has, affecting their perspective on the ‘ideal body’.

Mr Ang mentioned how he would “post mirror selfies or gym stories” on social media as “it felt cool and motivating”. He added that this was a common sight among people his age.

Social media’s focus on ideal bodies motivates young adults to push harder.

“In the gym community, there’s a saying that once you start gymming because of body image, you’ll never be fully happy with your body,” Mr Ang said. He opened up on his consistent desire to keep improving despite his peers seeing improvements in him. This also contributes to the rise in gym attendance.

Ms Woon said, “ActiveSG gyms are very affordable — $2.50 per entry, with concessions for students and seniors.” This encourages more people to head to the gym because of how affordable it is.

Mr Ang agrees that ActiveSG provides very affordable gym entrance fees, and is a great investment without burning a hole in his wallet as a student.

According to ActiveSG, students and senior Singaporean citizens enjoy a rate of $1.50 per entry, which is more affordable compared to gyms like Anytime Fitness, charging $95 for one-time entries.

There are many reasons behind the growing trend of gym goers with social media, personal desire to look and feel good, and affordability.

“I love that people are driven by different goals but everyone always chooses to show up, whether it’s for themselves or for others,” said Mr Ang. 

These motivations reflect a growing culture of commitment that continues to shape Singapore’s fitness landscape.