From TikTok to Treadmills: How Social Media Is Driving a New Fitness Boom in the UK

The humble treadmill is undergoing a cultural makeover and social media is playing a starring role. New trends emerging on TikTok are helping to reposition treadmills as the ‘must-have’ piece of fitness kit for a new generation of UK consumers.

Fitness hashtags featuring treadmill-based workouts have surged across social media, with routines such as the viral “12-3-30” incline walking workout. The hashtag linked to the trend has accumulated more than 325 million views, demonstrating the scale at which treadmill workouts are circulating online. 

Johnson Fitness & Wellness, the owner of home fitness equipment brands such as Bowflex, Horizon and Matrix, says social media is increasingly influencing how customers discover and approach treadmill workouts.

James Moffat, Sales Director at Johnson Fitness & Wellness says, ‘The popularity of treadmills and content featuring treadmill workouts reflects a broader shift in how people approach fitness. Instead of long, rigid workout plans, users are gravitating toward flexible routines that fit around busy lives and can be done at home. Treadmills lend themselves perfectly to this trend by allowing users to walk, jog or run while following along with short, social-first workouts that feel achievable rather than intimidating.

Treadmills are also advancing technologically every year and all of our treadmills now include connectivity, whether that’s a way to track your workouts remotely using your watch or phone or linking up with Bowflex’s JRNY app, which provides tailored workout content based on your needs.’

As social platforms continue to shape how people discover and engage with fitness, treadmills are benefiting from renewed relevance. Whether it’s a viral walking challenge, a creator led workout series or a quick incline routine squeezed in between meetings, treadmills are proving they can keep pace with the fast-moving world of online trends.

Bowflex has recently introduced two new fully connected treadmills set to revolutionise your daily workout:  The Bowflex T9 and the Bowflex T6. These are the only two treadmills in the UK that can sync up with your smart watch directly to monitor your progress.

Visit Johnson Fitness & Wellness | Treadmills | Rowers | Bikes | Ellipticals to find out more.