Forget drinking, Gen Zers are heading to high-end fitness clubs to make friends and socialiseAt 7pm on a Friday in London, the lobby of Third Space in SoHo looks more like a members’ club than a gym. There’s a humming smoothie bar, twenty- and thirtysomethings in colour-coordinated workout sets, and a steady stream of arrivals heading to reformer Pilates classes.A decade ago, a similar crowd might have been at the pub, drinking anything but a smoothie.Third Space in London. The gym’s Formula3 class comprises rowing as well as kettlebell and body weight exercises. Photo: @thirdspacelondon/InstagramAcross the UK and US, younger consumers are redirecting their discretionary income from nightlife to fitness. Gym-related spending among Gen Zers and millennials is rising as alcohol consumption continues to decline, according to a February report from Bank of America. And, according to market intelligence firm Mintel, 30 per cent of US Gen Z consumers say they’re spending more on gym memberships and classes than a year ago, as fitness takes a broader role in their lives. “We’re seeing consumers across the board becoming more focused on their well-being,” says Claire Tassin, principal strategist for wellness at Mintel. “But Gen Z in particular is driving a lot of that energy.”Tassin says gyms and studios are filling a gap once occupied by bars, restaurants and even offices. Meeting people at a gym or through pickup sports activities is nothing new, but younger people are investing in fitness as their must-do social activity instead of just a healthy habit for their bodies.As a result, boutique fitness studios and premium gyms are increasingly functioning as social hubs for younger consumers, offering the structure, familiarity and community they’ve lost elsewhere. That’s the case for Nicolette Brewer, 25, a technology consultant who lives in New York’s West Village. Her main gym, Equinox, costs over US$300 a month. She estimates she spends around US$500 monthly on fitness, between her SoulCycle spinning classes, boutique Pilates-Barre fusion studio the Silhouette Method, and entry fees to run races.The view from Equinox King West in Toronto. The gym costs over US$300 a month. Photo: @equinox/InstagramShe says she met her boyfriend at a run club and made other friends by attending the same workout classes week-in, week-out. “It reminds me of being in school and sitting next to someone in class and becoming friends because you’re in close proximity,” Brewer says. At the very minimum, if you need a conversation starter, there’s always the fitness class you just sweated through together.Brewer, who attended university during the pandemic, says she appreciates the chance to do more in-person activities. “People are more comfortable living digitally now because of Covid. So it’s nice to have a space where we can go out and it’s OK to socialise and start conversations,” she says.Olivia Antonelli, 26, also sees group fitness as a key part of her social life. “Every friendship I have now, no matter what phase of my life I met them, we always say, ‘Let’s go take a class’ instead of let’s go to drinks or dinner,” the Manhattan resident says. “There’s something so empowering about it.”If older millennials made athleisure acceptable daywear, Gen Z has turned wellness into a full-fledged identity. On TikTok and Instagram, gym routines, Pilates classes and “What I eat in a day” videos have become a core genre, with more than 3.4 million posts under #Pilates alone.