Every one, at some point in time has hit the gym, even if it’s just for a day.
Every one, at some point in time has hit the gym, even if it’s just for a day. It’s a style statement too, to drop the name of that exclusive gym you go to, in random conversations. So, in a milieu where it seems like every second person and their brother is signing up for gym memberships, we wonder, has the fitness industry in India finally come of age? Far from it, says Vikram Bhatia, MD of the health club group, Fitness First India.
Fitness is not a part of our culture
I have been in the industry for the past 18 years and I can safely say that India has changed, in terms of health and fitness. That said, the country still has the lowest penetration of gyms in the world and accounts for the smallest gymming population in the world. We can attribute this to the fact that culturally, we Indians don’t consider physical education as a part of our lives. Unlike other countries, where outside activities are a part of their lives, here, it’s just almost like the last thought.
Content overkill
Yes, there is far too much content about fitness drummed about in the media but that has not dramatically worked to get people to think of fitness as a part of their lives. The other limitation is that the stories are one-dimensional focusing largely on fitness mantras of actors and other celebrities. There really is not much education out here on basic stuff like how to get started with fitness or how can someone get into the fitness industry as a profession.
Make fitness a way of life
Everyone says that they want to join a gym to get fit and then drop out. I have friends and family who belong to that category. A fun fact is that India also accounts for the highest dropouts in the world.
While the intention is noble, the first mistake most people do in signing up at the gym is that they go there to get a result. Once they enroll, they get into thinking that “Not losing weight is not my responsibility. The company has to do it for me.” Like I’d mentioned earlier, there is high enthusiasm but low education among people. We have had people who within a month of joining say, we feel cheated. We ask them to leave. The bottom-line is ‘you’ve got to make the routine of working out in the gymnasium a way of life, not just some place for quick-fix.”. It takes a year of sustained work to get the results you want. So, if instant gains are your goal, then you’ve got the whole fitness principle wrong.
Beating boredom
People quickly get bored of doing the same regular workout. The thing for any health club owner is to realise and ensure that there is a lot of human interaction between members. The answer is to get rid of boredom and not about recommending a trainer to your member. Create the feel of a club within the club. Add group classes where members can participate and encourage them to take part in other fitness activities. In our gyms for instance, we have a beverage bar and a free DVD library which makes members feel like they are in a more friendly space.
Staying abreast of the latest trends
Do we watch out for the latest fitness trends and adopt them in our gyms? Oh, absolutely yes! We definitely look at fitness trends, in terms of equipment, technology and even workouts. We currently offer about 18 to 20 different fitness activities in our clubs. The one currently popular is called Bodybalance ™. It’s a workout that combines yoga, tai chi and pilates.
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