Ask around and you'll hear some version of the same story: someone met their partner, their best friend, or their new favorite brunch crew at a run club. A few years ago that would have sounded random. Now it's practically a dating strategy.
Fitness groups have quietly become one of the most popular places for people to meet, and the numbers back it up.
The rise of the social workout
Strava's Year in Sport report for 2025 found that new clubs on its platform nearly quadrupled in a single year, passing one million total. Hiking clubs grew the fastest, followed by running clubs, and club-organized events were up too. The year before, Strava reported a 59% jump in running club participation, with more than half of survey respondents saying they'd made new friends through a fitness group and about one in five Gen Z respondents saying they'd gone on a date with someone they met that way.
The dating apps have noticed. Bumble has partnered with Strava on events, and Tinder teamed up with the running app Runna to launch singles run clubs. Some of the biggest run clubs in the country, like New York's Lunge, describe themselves as social clubs first and running clubs second.
And it's not just running. Hiking groups, pickleball leagues, climbing gyms, cycling crews and boutique fitness classes are all filling the same role: a regular place to show up, see familiar faces and actually talk to people.
Why it works
You already have something in common. Nobody has to scramble for an opener. "How far are you going today?" or "Is this your first class?" does the job.
It takes the pressure off. You're there to work out. If you meet someone, great. If not, you still got your miles in. That low-stakes setup is exactly what makes conversations feel natural.
You see the real person. A profile shows you someone's best photo. A group workout shows you whether they wait for the slower runners, laugh when it starts raining, or cheer for the person finishing last.
It's not built around drinking. For a lot of people, a Saturday morning run or an evening class is a welcome alternative to meeting at a bar.
It repeats. Seeing the same people week after week is how small talk turns into real connection. Fitness groups build that in automatically.
Bringing it to Fresno: our Fitness Singles Mixer at Iron Office
We've been watching this trend for a while, so in October we decided to lean into it. On Saturday, October 10, Love on Tap hosted a free 21+ Fitness Singles Mixer at Iron Office, a local gym in Fresno.
The idea was simple: take everything that makes fitness groups such a good place to meet and add a little structure for singles who wanted it. Instead of hoping you'd end up next to someone interesting on a group run, everyone in the room was there to meet people. Ice Breaker Bingo gave guests an easy reason to walk up and say hello, and the gym setting kept the energy up and the vibe relaxed.
It went great. We had over 100 singles join us for a judgement free, relaxing way to meet other local singles.
“This was so refreshing compared to dating apps,” said attendee Heather Sisk. “The best part was I was also able to make some girlfriends and we are planning a hike.”
A big thank you to Iron Office for opening their doors, and to everyone who came out and gave it a shot.
How to meet people through fitness (even if you're nervous)
Pick a group that matches your level. Most run clubs have a social pace group, and plenty of hiking and walking groups welcome beginners.
Go more than once. The first visit is about showing up. By the third, people start to recognize you.
Stick around after. The coffee, smoothie or post-run hang is where most of the real conversations happen.
Introduce yourself to one new person each time. That's it. One.
Try an event built for meeting people. Singles mixers like ours take out the guesswork about who's open to meeting someone.
Come work out with us
The best part of this trend is that it's about showing up in person and being yourself, which is exactly what Love on Tap is all about. We're already planning more events that bring singles together in fun, low-pressure settings.
Follow us on Instagram at @loveontapdating and check loveontap.dating for upcoming events. See you there.
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