So what it's slump, high-end gyms open in city overbooked and brimming with fitness freaks. Experts feel recession is fuelling the boom
So what it's slump, high-end gyms open in city overbooked and brimming with fitness freaks. Experts feel recession is fuelling the boom
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The markets maybe at an all-time low, but fitness freaks aren't sweating over it. They are building muscles in style, fuelling a race among health club operators to set up high-end gyms in the city. And as experts explain, to beat the recession's stress as well. The Capital has seen two premium gyms being launched in the past month and they are already overbooked. Their high charges are not playing a spoilsport.
The $4-million gym with 24,000-square feet premium space at Connaught Place, boasts around 150 pieces of hi-tech equipment, facility to train in yoga, Tai Chi, cardio dance and ballroom dancing apart from ordinary workout facilities and spa-sauna services. The cost is around Rs 3,000 a month, depending on the plan you choose. Another new health boutique, Breathe, at Masjid Moth houses a pond, a waterfall and organic interiors that will rejuvenate you at a monthly fee of Rs 5,000.
Overbooked
There is no dearth of patrons. Fitness First opened on Tuesday with 800 members enrolled even before the first day. Breathe can take in a maximum 225 members, but it is already overbooked.
"Health is a growing concern and the economic slowdown will in no way affect fitness habits," said a confident Vikram Aditya Bhatia, the managing director of Fitness First. The club is targeting a 3,000-head membership, and hopes to achieve it soon. Even Breathe is drawing up massive expansion plans. "We plan to set up branches in every nook and corner of all major Indian metro, even if they're just 3,800 square feet in area.
We've been at it since June last year, and are targeting professionals above 25 years of age, who're only becoming more health conscious by the day. The financial crash doesn't scare us," said Breathe's co-founder actor Rahul Dev. B-town's action man Suniel Shetty and model-turned-actor Milind Soman too are partners in the project.
Recession helps
Ishi Khosla, a fitness expert, feels the recession is actually aiding this freak boom. "In these troubled times, people are being forced to compromise on their mental and physical health. They are under excess stress. So it's a good time for health centres to come up. Exercising not only keeps the body fit, it also refreshes the mind. The club operators are cashing in on this."
Gym lovers happy
Meanwhile, the city's gym-goers couldn't have had it better. Shruti Joshi, an IT professional, said, "It doesn't matter if it's a $4-million gym or a star endorsed one. A serious fitness buff is interested in nothing but good training. Money is not an issue when it comes to staying fit."
Agreed Anirudh Choudhary, a scriptwriter. He said, "I spend Rs 1,500 every month training in an ordinary gym. I might as well go to a premium one for double the price for better training. Also, if it's promoted by the likes of Suniel Shetty, I would certainly want to give it a try."
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