The Hindu Business Line : Shopping fit

At 7 p.m., Siddharth Bhattacharya calls it a day. Clicking his briefcase shut, this high-powered executive heads to his evening haunt — the gym. Once inside, he is transported into a rejuvenating world of treadmills, elliptical machines, multigyms, rowers and muscle toners. He is waging a daily fight... against his recalcitrant waistline.

For an increasing number of urban Indians, keeping fit is in and evenings at hazy pubs and bars are fast becoming passé. Upmarket health clubs, swank spas, neighbourhood gyms and home fitness gadgets are catering to a growing number of fitness-conscious people. Alongside fancy outfits in luxury hotels there are private health clubs, multi-gyms and spas that offer a mind-boggling array of facilities. These centres hum with occidental music, employ modern marketing techniques and attract a distinct strata of clients who are enticed with aerobic sessions, massages, planned routines and diet charts.

Exercising right

As personal fitness is increasingly viewed as a long-term investment, people are clamouring to find a gym that suits their purpose... and style. For some fitness aficionados, choosing the right gym is almost as important as choosing the right life partner.

Which explains why health clubs are stressing as much on the ambience as on top quality equipment to attract customers. Be it a young man who covets a perfect body, or the society butterfly who wants to keep her weight in check or even the corporate climber who uses the gym to network, the atmosphere gets as many marks as the body-toning machines.

Fitness centres are also beginning to realise the spending power of the great Indian middle class and its appetite for more than just a simple workout plan. Gyms today offer nothing less than a complete strategy to counter the effects of a frenzied lifestyle.

More importantly, they offer to turn your exercise regimen into a fun experience by providing personal television sets on treadmills, low-cal cafeterias, great music and even beauty salons.

All under one roof

Amatrra Spa at ITDC's flagship Hotel Ashok in Delhi is one such lifestyle joint where clients pay a king's ransom — membership starts at Rs 2 lakh a year — for the privilege of sweating it out. Spread over 45,000 sq ft, this state-of-the-art gym also combines the ancient Indian sciences of ayurveda and astrology with 21st-century equipment.

Its Managing Director Ashit Sud says, "The ideais to harmonise individual energies in a spa experience. Our aim is not just to ensure that our clients are fit. We endeavour to balance positive and negative energies and move them towards self-realisation."

An astro-science expert prepares a detailed planetary chart for each member based on which an ayurvedic specialist prescribes a customised spa regimen. This comprises therapeutic treatment, healing massages, dietary prescriptions and workouts on a personalised gym facility.

Sud says that the gym equipment has been acquired from Technogym, which was the sole supplier to the 2004 Olympic games at Athens. The machines are operated using Smart Keys that are programmed according to thephysical and cardiovascular requirements of each member.

Multiple services

For those who want to relax and simply soak in the ambience after a hectic day at work, there are meditation rooms customised to suit one's planetary positions, hydrotherapy treatment, Jacuzzis, a fibre optic swimming pool and a beauty salon. And for those who feel hungry after a long workout, there's Ambrosia, the food court, which offers vegetarian health food and a juice bar that serves freshly prepared drinks rich in nutritional supplements.

Anu Sood, Marketing Head of Delhi's Ozone gym, echoes this magic mantra. "Ozone offers more than just treadmills and cross trainers. Our group fitness programmes, special plans for ladies, the Ziesta spa, the cafeteria (K Cal Zone) and state-of-the-art machines make us more than just a gymnasium."

The focus at Ozone is on wellness and relaxation. Yearly gym membership ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 45,000 per head (Rs 70,000 per couple). Ozone offers special discounts for women to encourage them to work out. However, upmarket gyms are fast realising that while there are people who come for a relaxing dip in the Jacuzzi, a majority simply want to exercise. The gyms offer different membership plans for the latter.

Choosing a gym

Most people prefer a gym that is close by. Otherwise, driving long distance to a gym at the end of a working day can be exhausting. Equally sought after are gyms that open late into the night and run 365 days a year. Just knowing that you can walk in any time during the day is a comforting thought.

Another factor that makes gyms popular is their cleanliness. The barbell or bench that you're working out at must be free of bacteria and virus. It's important to choose a place that makes hygiene a standard to be followed at all costs.

But most important of all is the quality of the equipment. Don't settle for anything less than top-class workout machines. And do check out the ratio of machines to the number of users. For someone trying to squeeze in a workout in the midst of a working day, it wouldn't make sense to wait a long time for one's turn at the machines. Also, consider the quality of the instructors. Behind every successful gym are its fitness providers — people who gently guide you through the exercise regime and help burn those extra calories.

A professionally trained staff is very important. Says Anu, "A gym which has trainers who know the correct ways of using the equipment, who can draw up the right kind of diet chart and who understand which muscles of the body are being exerted, is always more preferred."

Exercise gear

Workouts at gyms must be complemented with the right kind of exercise gear. The fitness market is seeing a flood of light, new age gear which promises to make your trip to the gym more exhilarating. Indian gym enthusiasts are very much at home with sports and fitness goods manufacturers like Reebok, Nike, Adidas and Lotto.

In vogue are sleek tracksuits and jackets made of lightweight material that keeps the skin dry. Says Ritika Anand, PR Manager, Lotto, "Currently, we are using polystatic carbon in our clothes. This is an anti-static fibre made of a special carbon-active material that aids muscle efficiency, thus improving overall workout performance."

High performance shoes that are light, yet stable, are also available at all top-selling brands. Manufacturers of exercise gear are also bringing out slippers, socks, sweatbands, bandanas and weightlifting gloves to protect the skin on the hands.

"Lotto uses special features like Eneturn ( for shock absorption) and Air Zone (for all-round breathing) to design its shoes," explains Ritika. These come in a range of vibrant colours and prices.

Gym in a bag

Companies like Reebok and Nike also produce lightweight exercise apparatus like Therabands, Tubings, Swiss Balls, Stability Trainers, Rebounders, Hand Exercisers, Flex Bars, Fat Percentage Monitors and Calorie Counters. Some are so small that you can virtually carry a personalised gym in your bag wherever you go. The portable nature of these equipment can help you design an exercise programme that fits into your lifestyle.

Leading companies say these fitness tools have been designed based on extensive research. They not only tone the body but also have a positive cardiovascular impact. Popular in the West, they are now gaining ground in India too.

With the finest fitness technology within reach of urban Indians and top-class fitness gear at a shop near you, `gymming' has acquired an extra allure. You only need to slip into a tracksuit, sling a gym bag over your shoulder and work your way on a treadmill, watching your favourite TV show or listening to Olivia Newton John belt out Let's get physical.

Picture by Bijoy Ghosh

Location courtesy: Sports Locker, Chennai.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Shopping fit

Turn the clock

For your eyes only...

Working through pregnancy

Beauty tips...