Why Everyone’s Obsessed With Strength Training in 2026
If it feels like everyone is suddenly talking about strength training, you’re not imagining it.
Lifting weights, building muscle and simply wanting to feel strong have become a much bigger part of the fitness conversation over the last few years — and in 2026, that doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
The latest fitness industry research backs it up too. More than half of regular exercisers now include some form of strength training in their routine, and group strength training is growing too.
But we think the more interesting question is why.
We’re changing the way we think about exercise
For a long time, particularly for women, exercise was heavily focused on burning calories.
Do more cardio. Burn more. Get smaller.
Thankfully, that conversation is changing.
More of us are training because we want to be strong. We want to build muscle, look after our bones, move well and have bodies that are capable of doing the things we ask of them — now and as we get older.
And yes, there are aesthetic benefits to building muscle too. But they’re becoming part of a much bigger picture rather than the only reason to exercise.
It feels like a healthier relationship with fitness, and we're very much here for it.
Strength training doesn't just mean lifting heavy weights
This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions we hear.
When we say strength training, your mind might immediately go to a gym floor, a barbell and a very heavy squat.
And that absolutely is strength training.
But it isn't the only way to strength train.
At its simplest, strength training is about asking your muscles to work against resistance and gradually challenging them to do more.
That resistance could come from dumbbells. A barbell. Your own bodyweight. Springs. Bands. Or a combination of them.
And that's where the fitness industry is getting much more interesting.
People still want to get stronger, but they don't necessarily want to do it alone in a traditional gym.
Because not everyone loves the gym floor
We love the gym. But we also completely understand why it isn't for everyone.
Walking into a weights area when you don't know where to start can be intimidating.
What weight should you pick up? How many reps should you do? Is your technique right? What on earth is that machine for?
The 2026 Global Fitness Report found that half of people interested in strength training felt out of place in the weights area.
That's a lot of people who want to get stronger but aren't necessarily comfortable with the traditional way of doing it.
And we think this is one of the reasons group strength training is having such a moment.
You can walk into a class knowing the workout has already been planned for you. There's an instructor there to coach you. Someone can check your technique, tell you when to add more resistance and, occasionally, convince you that you absolutely do have another ten seconds in you.
You get the benefits of strength training without having to figure everything out yourself.
This is exactly why we created Rise-former®
When we opened RWC Bawtry, we knew we didn't want to create another traditional Reformer Pilates studio.
We wanted to build something stronger.
So we took things we loved from Lagree, Reformer Pilates and athletic strength training and brought them together to create our own Rise-former® Method.
The biggest thing you'll notice in a Rise-former® class is how slowly we move.
And slow does not mean easy.
We'll often spend 60 seconds or longer working through one movement or combination. Rather than rushing through repetitions, we're trying to keep the muscle working continuously.
We might then add more resistance. Increase the range. Add another layer. Or ask you to hold when you'd really quite like to stop.
That's time under tension, and it's a big part of the way we train.
The result is a low-impact workout that challenges your strength, control and muscular endurance without needing to jump around or move quickly.
If you've ever wondered why your legs are shaking when you've barely moved a few inches, now you know.
And you don't need a Rise-former® to train this way
You'll see the same strength-first thinking over at RWC Auckley too.
Our Strength Sculpt classes take some of the things our clients already love about Sculpt and give them a heavier strength focus.
We use weights and resistance, but we're still interested in control.
We'd much rather see you perform a movement properly and understand where you're supposed to be feeling it than race through 20 reps for the sake of getting them done.
Sometimes that means slowing a squat right down.
Sometimes it means adding weight.
Sometimes it means doing fewer reps, but making those reps count.
It all comes back to the same thing: giving your muscles a reason to adapt and become stronger.
Do you actually need to strength train?
We might be slightly biased here, but there's a reason strength training is getting so much attention.
Building and maintaining muscle matters far beyond how your body looks.
Strength training can help maintain muscle mass, support bone health and improve strength and physical function. And those things become increasingly important as we get older.
That's why we're particularly pleased to see the conversation around strength moving away from something you do purely to change your appearance.
Getting stronger is useful.
Carrying your shopping is easier. Picking up your kids is easier. Other forms of exercise become easier. Your body is better prepared for everyday life.
And there's something really satisfying about realising the weight that once felt heavy doesn't anymore.
So, is strength training just another fitness trend?
We don't think so.
The way we strength train will continue to change. There'll be new classes, new equipment and probably plenty of new trends along the way.
But wanting to be stronger isn't particularly trendy.
It's one of the most useful things we can do for our bodies.
What we think is changing in 2026 is that more people are realising strength training doesn't have to look one particular way.
You can lift heavy weights in a gym.
You can train on a Rise-former®.
You can pick up dumbbells in Strength Sculpt.
And actually, you can do a mixture of all three.
The best type of strength training is ultimately the one you enjoy enough to keep coming back to.
And if that happens to involve 60 seconds of shaking on a Rise-former®... we'll see you in Bawtry.
Want to get stronger with us?
You can experience our strength-focused classes across both RWC studios. However you choose to train, start where you are and build from there.
RWC Bawtry — Rise-former®
Our signature method combining Reformer-based movement with slow, controlled strength training and extended time under tension.
RWC Auckley — Strength Sculpt
Our stronger take on Sculpt, using weights and resistance alongside controlled, intentional movement.