Garmin Connect 2025 Data Report: Key Fitness & Wellness Insights

Garmin’s 2025 Connect report shows an 8% increase in logged activities vs. 2024. with an average workout session being about 55 minutes. Unsurprisingly, running is the most popular activity.

Top 5 activities: Running > Walking > Cycling > Strength training > Indoor cardio

Major Activity Trends

The average Vietnamese person is really into  their racket sports, more so than any other country. That factoid is part of the surprising increase in popularity of racket sports globally – the fastest growing sport. Or at least the fastest-growing one that Garmin owners record.

Strength training is also more commonly recorded, and, based on anecdotal evidence, there is strong uptake among young men (and women) and disproportionately more older women getting involved. Society has more widely recognised the need to build muscle mass to better manage age-related decline (muscle atrophy).

• Racket sports: +67% (biggest surge; led by women & 18–29; Vietnam #1 per capita)
• Strength training: +29% (4th straight year >20% growth; women +6% over men)

• Indoor running +16% (Norway leads)
• Hiking +12% (Slovenia leads)
• Outdoor running +6% (Japan leads)

I recall seeing, several years ago, in some golden cheetah cycling data, that 60-minute rides were the most popular. This appears to be the same or more pronounced, with over 50% of recorded bike rides exceeding an hour.

Typical durations:

• Runs: >25% lasted 30–45 min
• Walks: mostly 15–30 min
• Cycling: nearly 50% ≥1 hour

Activity Preferences by Age Group

I’ve often joked over the past decade or so that triathlon seemed to be the new golf for middle-aged people. Unfortunately, the stats show that if we make it to 70, we are all destined for golf! (I play golf, nothing wrong with it).

• 18–29: Most outdoor & track running; train 4–7 p.m.
• 30–39: Lead strength training, indoor cardio, treadmill
• 40–49: Most trail running
• 50–59: Lead indoor cycling, lap swimming, mountain biking
• 60–69: Lead outdoor cycling, walking, hiking; train 8–10 a.m.
• 70+: Most golf

Steps & Wellness

We are all stepping just that little bit more but Hong Kongers are leading the way with their 10,000 steps per day. Impressive considering the humidity, heat and hills.

Daily steps: +1.2% globally • Hong Kong #1 with 10,663 steps/day

• >50% averaged ≥8,000 steps
• 28% averaged ≥10,000 steps
• 0.4% averaged ≥20,000 steps

Stress: Women 3% less stressed than men • Netherlands has the lowest global stress

Body Battery Highlights

It seems that the average Chinese person is the most stressed during the day, but the Kazakhs get more stressed than any other nationality.

• Younger users: bigger peaks & deeper lows
• Highest average peak: Portugal (74)
• Best conservation: South Africa (low = 24)
• Biggest drain: China • Lowest low: Kazakhstan (14)

Badges & Challenges

• Most earned: Global Wellness Day
• Appalachian Trail badge (2,200 mi): 0.5%
• Everest climb badge (29,029 ft): 0.2%