Fitness and health goes hand in hand. Those who areconscious of health are willing to walk that extra mile to keep themselves fit.
But besides fitness, there are those who want to developtheir body and muscle mass. For them the next door gymnasium is the bestoption.
“A gym is to keep oneself fit forever,” believes fitnessconscious twin brothers Subrai and Shyam who regularly carry out workouts atChowgule Sports and Fitness Centre in Margao, an ambitious project worth Rs 5crore.
As ex-students of the Chowgule College they get a 50 percentconcession and pay yearly fee of Rs 3,500 each.
“Private gyms charge a regular (per month) feet but theincome is not steady,” said Aparne Hede, proprietor of Fitness Point gym, whoalso runs a gym equipment store in Margao.
Unlike any other enterprise when business drops during themonsoons, in gyms it’s the other way round.
“Since outdoor activities are limite during the rains,people prefer to stay indoors and exercise. For the period between June toSeptember gyms do a roaring business. Pre-wedding season, between December andMarch, is also a happy season,” Hede said.
But from March to May business drops, as sweating keeps peopleaway from exertions, exercises and exhaustion.
Running a gym may not be a lucrative business for small andmedium players but off late plush gyms have been doing flourishing business.
“There is lot of potential for fitness industry in Goa,”feels George Sequeira, Director of Fitness Zone and a certified fitness trainerwho wants to wipe out the myths about usage of gyms.
Out of AMFPT (American Muscle Fitness Personal Trainer) in2008-09, he runs two wellness centres at Caranzalem and Miramar in Clube Gasperde Dias. Both do roaring business.
What do these gyms offer?
In body building Norbert’s Fitness Studio offers permanentweight loss or weight gain, muscle building and body toning, personal training,nutrition, physiotherapy, sports specific training, dietary advice and easy tofollow workout routines at its three branches “ Porvorim, Panjim and Vasco.They also offer maintenance plans that can be executed at gym or at home. “Wehave programmes for all ages, genders and workout goals,” claims NorbertD’Souza who has penned a book “ H.A.B.I.T.s on fitness.
While youngsters normally hit the gym quite easily and forobvious reasons, the elderly too join the gym basically to keep fit.
Manoj Hede, Director of Physical Education and Sports atKare College of Law said: “While youngsters are enthusiastic to join a gym, theelderly who are above 50, opt for the free government facilities like jogging,badminton courts, table tennis or swimming. In Goa people from all agesstarting between 15-16 to those between 65-70 join the gym.”
Hede confirms that people have become more fitness conscioussince the last 10 years.
A medium gym may earn between Rs 50,000 to 75,000 per month,while a big one may earn Rs 2 to 3 lakh.
There are 300-350 gyms all over Goa, which includes privateand government run gyms.
But the number of gyms that stick to specific norms arehardly 15-20.
Of late, neo concepts like aerobics, zumba, power yoga andkettle bell are fast gaining popularity.
