This is how athletes train and rest in 2025: Spain leads in several key habits
The training and rest habits of athletes in 2025 show a clear trend towards controlling effort, strength and health, with Spain among the most active countries.
The way athletes train and rest is changing. There's more control over effort, more emphasis on weekly routines, and a clearer understanding of the importance of rest.
This is reflected in the global data on sporting habits from 2025Published by Polar, with Spain ranking highly in several key indicators.
The analysis, based on millions of sessions recorded throughout the yearIt shows how structured training and data tracking have become established as a regular part of preparation, even outside of high performance.
During 2025, the average weekly training time was 301 minutes, something more than 5 hours of physical activity per week, a figure that more than doubles the minimum activity recommendations.
Even so, the total volume decreased slightly compared to the previous year, an adjustment that points to somewhat more measured and conscious training.
Structured training and effort control
More than half of the users followed a structured training plan, and the vast majority registered their heart rate during the sessions. A fact that confirms a clear trend: training with objective references and not just by feel.
The specific objectives of the 59% of users followed a structured plan and the 87% recorded their heart ratereinforcing the commitment to increasingly conscious and data-driven training.
Regarding disciplines, the running It remains the most practiced sport, followed by walk and the strength training, which continues to gain importance in overall preparation.
A very recognizable pattern also among triathletes, where strength has become established as a key complement to prevent injuries and improve performance.
Spain, among the most active countries
In the breakdown by country, Spain ranks second in the world in weekly exercise time, with an average of 325 minutes (5 hours and 25 minutes), second only to Finland.
The most common activities among Spanish athletes were running, strength training, and walking, but there are several particularly striking facts:
- CyclingSpain leads the world ranking with 31,8 km average per outing, far above other countries.
- Strength trainingSpain shares the second position worldwide, with 66 minutes on average per session, second only to Finland.
- Swimming in a pool: second position, with 2.109 meters on average per session, second only to Australia.
- Hiking: first place in average distance (8,8 km), although with less elevation gain than other countries.
- WalkSpaniards travel an average of 5,8 km in 78 minutes, leading the average distance per session.
In running, the average distance per session was 7,6 km, a competitive figure internationally, although slightly below Germany and Japan.
| Indicator | Spain | International comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Average weekly exercise time | 325 minutes (5h 25m) | 2nd place worldwide (Finland: 362 min) |
| Structured training | 59% of the users | Global upward trend |
| Heart rate usage | 87% of the users | Data-driven training |
| Cycling (middle distance) | 31,8 km by exit | 1st place worldwide |
| Swimming in a pool | 2.109 m per session | 2nd position (Australia: 2.526 m) |
| Strength training | 66 minutes per session | 2nd place worldwide (tied with the USA) |
| Running (middle distance) | 7,6 km per session | 3rd position (Germany and Japan ahead) |
| Hiking | 8,8 km by exit | 1st place worldwide |
| Average sleep duration | 7h 17m | 6th position (Finland: 7h 44m) |
| Sleep quality | 71 / 100 | Below northern European countries |
| Average bedtime | 00: 10 pm | The latest in the ranking |
| Main motivation | Health | Above performance and aesthetics |
We sleep less… and later
Rest remains the biggest area for improvement. In Spain, the average sleep duration was... 7 17 hours and minutes, which places the country in the middle of the international ranking.
The overall sleep quality score was 71 100 on, a figure considered a good night's rest, but far from the countries with the best records.
Furthermore, Spain stands out for two clear habits: it is the country where athletes They go to bed later (00:10 h) and also where They wake up later, with an average time around 07:27.
The report also reflects that, globally, Sleep duration gradually decreases with ageAlthough, paradoxically, older age groups are the ones who do the most physical exercise.
This is a relevant fact for triathletes and endurance athletes, where rest remains one of the most crucial factors in assimilating the training load.
Health comes before performance
In terms of motivation, the main reason for training in 2025 was clearly the healthabove performance or aesthetics.
Even so, the competitive element remains very much present: More than half of the athletes plan to participate in an organized raceThis confirms that sporting challenges continue to be a key driver for staying active.
A real snapshot of modern sport
The data from 2025 paints a clear picture: athletes who train regularly, with more structure, who integrate strength into their routine and who continue to find an important stimulus in competition, but who still have room for improvement in rest.
A very recognizable photograph for any amateur triathlete, where training more is no longer the main objective, but train better and with more purpose.
