A survey conducted by Active Lives and published by Sport England revealed that there are 142,000 fewer inactive women than in the past 12 months and an additional 254,200 more active women (based on data gathered from May 2018 to May 2019).
Fitness activities are becoming even more popular, particularly for women - with weights, interval and gym sessions seeing a significant increase in participation, as highlighted in the report findings.
As a result, women are feeling more compelled to adopt an active lifestyle with organisations working towards removing the barriers that prevent women from engaging in sport. The surge in participation can be linked to campaigns such as This Girl Can promoting women to get exercising and the efforts of increasing the visibility of women in sports.
The community has had a part to play in lifting the participation rates. Community fitness groups that offer classes such as dance, yoga or running continue to grow in numbers and are attracting women. Research conducted by UK Active in 2018 found that boutique fitness goers are largely female, making up 83% of the classes booked in London.
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But, more can be done.
Late last year, GiveMeSport Women spoke to Bami Keyuti, founder of BamBam Boogie - a dance fitness brand. Off the back of that, Bami formed Twerk After Work™ a franchise that offers twerking classes combining HIIT, cardio and meditation practices for an all-round workout.
Primarily targeted for women, Bami said, "I feel as though women need the confidence more.
"[At the end of the session] We give ourselves a hug and we do some positive affirmations. That definitely encourages the women who come to the class to feel more confident about themselves and love their body."
Speaking on the importance of fitness, Bami told GiveMeSport Women, "You don't have to be a fitness queen or anything but at least you know, put some time into your cardiovascular health.
"Twerking is super good for fitness because it works mainly your thighs so your quads, your hamstrings, your calves and also you can help tone your stomach."
Aside from the clear health benefits, joining a fitness community is fun and can act as a safe-haven. In my experience, I found that I'm more likely to return to classes because of the intimate family feel when part of a community fitness group and its proximity. Having a fitness group closeby is convenient and makes it highly accessible.
Although recent surveys indicate that women are getting more active, there is still a well-established gender gap across the world. Though, with more campaigns empowering women to take part, more inclusivity, and visibility and a rising number of fitness groups for women - the statistics will continue to improve.
Over the next few weeks, GiveMeSport Women will be shedding light on a number of different fitness community groups that you should try out.