Forget the six-pack. Fitness is being reframed, from muscle-building and aesthetic gains, to how many years of good health it can add to a life. Instead of chasing personal bests, the focus instead is switching to metabolic health, stable hormones, and functional strength over time. Now this cultural shift is getting its own competitive arena. The Super Age Games, set to take place in New York in November, will offer challenges to test the pillars of aging well. The concept has already attracted the attention of the scientific community: 20% of signups are from medical professionals. Trials will include “The Tightrope,” which measures balance and stability and “The Synapse,” which tests cognitive capacity under load. David Stewart, the games’ founder, tells VML Intelligence that while “there are many fitness-focused events out there,” the Super Age Games go beyond a “one-off Instagram moment.” To preserve longevity, he says “you need…physical, cognitive, and social [areas], all functioning together.” The ultimate goal, says Stewart, is to “help you live longer, healthier, and happier.”
From fitness-centric residences to mini gymfluencers, we round up the latest trends.
1. Longevity fitness
2. Wellness residences
Why join a gym when you can move into one? US fitness giant Life Time is taking the "live-work-play" model to a sweat-inducing conclusion: becoming your landlord. The company, which operates four Life Time Living residences fusing living and wellness, is taking it up a notch with the Brooklyn Tower + Life Time development, an “elevated” country club concept. Due to open in late 2026, the wellness offerings will be accessible by both residents and the local community, spanning a rooftop pool, group fitness studios, and strength and functional training spaces.
It’s part of a wider real estate shift toward 24/7 wellbeing immersion. The upcoming Ace & Ivy, set to open in Houston in 2028, is a residential tower that embeds wellness in the floor plan, with in-room saunas and red light therapy and an indoor pickleball club. Developer Winston Ho says his goal is “to build a true health and wellness community.” Arada’s Akala development in Dubai (opening 2029) will offer luxury residences and a hotel anchored by a “precision wellness environment,” offering classes, medical wellness, and mindfulness.
3. AI trainers
Your next personal trainer might just be an algorithm. Experienced and novice athletes alike are tapping ChatGPT to program everything from running plans to weightlifting splits, the New York Times reports. Highlighting the scale of the trend, an ABC Fitness survey reveals that a staggering 61% of gym members used AI-driven fitness tracking tools in 2025. For many, the appeal is the bot’s unique bedside manner, with one user praising ChatGPT’s “validation and the tough love after hard workouts.” Yet fitness experts are cautioning that because AI lacks human nuance, it’s crucial to check any chatbot-devised routine against reliable sources, especially for those navigating injuries or with specific health concerns.
4. Junior gymfluencers
Getting kids off screens and into physical activity is an ongoing public health challenge, with 81% of adolescents (rising to 85% of girls) aged 11 to 17 considered ‘physically inactive” by the World Health Organization – meaning they fail to reach the recommended level of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Now a new wave of pint-sized fitness influencers could help turn that tide.
One is Lucy Milgrim, a ten-year-old wrestler and powerlifter from Long Island, New York, whose TikToks showcase her lifting weights up to 180 pounds. She embodies a growing interest in strength training among children. While once thought to stunt growth, doctors now consider supervised resistance training safe. And the influencer effect is real: a Swiss study found that following fitness creators on social media positively impacts teens’ motivation to exercise. In a world dominated by screens, these young gymfluencers might be the key to making fitness cool again.
5. Peakspans rising
Move over healthspan–the newest buzz is all about “peakspan.” While healthspan measures the years you live free of chronic disease, peakspan focuses on "the length of time someone spends at near-peak health," says Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov, founder of biotech company Insilico Medicine. The goal, he explains, is to measure how long you can maintain 90% of your maximal physical and cognitive performance. Think of it as stretching your personal prime for as long as possible. Luckily, sophisticated interventions or expensive biohacks are not required. Experts stress that investing in the basics – whether that’s daily movement, a balanced diet, routine eye exams and adequate sleep – are the real key to peak functioning.
Main image: Courtesy of The Super Age Games/Ahmet Kurt & Unsplash.
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