As the nights get brighter, many of us will be swapping the gym membership for the great outdoors, but what outside exercises and activities are going to be big for 2022?
Using Google Search data, the outdoor experts at Blacks have revealed what will be the next big outdoor exercise activity for 2022.
These are the outdoor activities that saw the biggest increase in search volume between 2020 and 2021. The boom in interest that these trends have experienced means that they’re the ones to watch and could be all the rage in 2022.
THE MOST POPULAR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR 2022:
| Rank | Activity | 2020 searches | 2021 searches | 2020-2021 Increase |
| 1 | Rock Climbing | 217,200 | 486,000 | 123.8% |
| 2 | Paddle Boarding | 1,086,000 | 1,980,000 | 82.3% |
| 3 | Triathlon | 217,200 | 325,200 | 49.7% |
| 4 | Whitewater Rafting | 97,200 | 145,200 | 49.4% |
| 5 | Knee Boarding | 12,000 | 15,600 | 30% |
| 6 | Ultra-Marathon | 79,200 | 97,200 | 22.7% |
| 7 | Bouldering | 217,200 | 266,400 | 22.7% |
| 8 | Snowboarding | 217,200 | 266,400 | 22.7% |
| 9 | Canoeing | 397,200 | 486,000 | 22.4% |
| 10 | Running | 888,000 | 1,086,000 | 22.3% |
1- ROCK CLIMBING: 123.80%
Seeing by far the greatest year-on-year increase in interest was rock climbing, with searches jumping by 123.80% in the last year. Rock climbing has become increasingly popular, with more climbing facilities opening across the country. In 2018, the Guardian declared that the sport had gone from a niche activity to a worldwide sensation, and the momentum hasn’t slowed down, with the sport also being included on the Olympic schedule in Tokyo.
2- PADDLEBOARDING: 82.30%
As more people are being exposed to paddle boarding for the first time, the sport has experienced a surge in popularity which is expected to continue into 2022; searches have increased a huge 82.30% in the past year. Paddle boarding is a holistic workout that is beneficial to many aspects of health, while also being extremely relaxing and spiritual.
3- TRIATHLON: 49.70%
The Triathlon is a multi-sport event combining swimming, cycling and running. Triathlons lost popularity in 2019, but as many people took up fitness throughout 2020, searches have increased by 49.70% from 2020 to 2021, meaning it is one of the outside exercises to look out for in 2022.
Kiera Baxter at Blacks comments: “Getting outdoors can benefit not only your physical health but also your mental health and this has never been truer after the turbulent few years we have experienced. It is great to see that once niche activities are becoming more and more popular with people who are looking to try something new.
“Learning a new skill such as rock climbing or challenging your physical and mental fitness by taking part in a triathlon is a great way to get outdoors, keep fit and even make some new friends. We hope you give some of these outdoor activities a try in 2022.”
Getting on your bike is another fantastic way to get in a workout outdoors, here’s 5 REASONS TO JOIN YOUR LOCAL MOUNTAIN BIKING CLUB
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