Shaping Up

The Jakarta Post - WEEKENDER   |  Sun, 10/26/2008 6:07 PM  |  Trends

Aerobics, yoga, cardio or hip-hop dance – whatever gets you moving, you’re bound to find a health club that has it. The health clubs of today, with their see-through walls and gleaming equipment, are more than just gyms and they are getting trendy Jakartans hooked on the body beautiful and fitness culture. Maggie Tiojakin reports.

 
Fitness and health used to have those exclusive country-club associations: a sprawling area featuring a tennis court; an indoor badminton stadium; a large pool for large families (and their nannies close by); a spacious workout room full of modern equipment; a sauna and spa, with a herd of uniformed staff attending to the high-paying members’ every need.

Then smaller, more moderately priced clubs came along. Minus the tennis court, indoor stadium and swimming pool, they thrived on simplicity: a small workout space, tiny sauna, regular aerobic classes and a lot of smiles making up for everything not running like clockwork. For a long time, they were the heart and soul of the industry.

That was until the big boys dropped in, with serious designs on getting Jakarta’s growing middle class – with their extra cash and growing waistlines – onto treadmills and lifting weights in the name of being healthy and looking good.

Club franchises such as Celebrity Fitness and Fitness First boast state-of-the-art facilities, international instructors, professionally trained staff and a simple but powerful message that good health and good looks are part of being a hip urbanite. To fit seamlessly into the modern lifestyle, many are conveniently located in the malls and office buildings where most members spend their lives.

“Our concept is simple,” says Hendra Nugraha, the regional marketing and promotions manager at Celebrity Fitness. “We want to appeal to the younger crowd who are looking to lose weight, get buffed or stay healthy. Where is the one place our clientele most often go to? Malls. So why not offer them the experience of exercising while running their errands and socializing with their friends?”

Why not, indeed. Since Celebrity Fitness opened its first center in Plaza EX, it has grown to include 13 other centers throughout Jakarta and Surabaya, helping more than 120,000 regular members stay in shape.

“I used to hate the idea of going to a health club,” says Fitri, a member of Celebrity Fitness in La Piazza, Kelapa Gading. “I always drifted in and out of health clubs because either the price was too high or the ambience was just too dull. Somehow, I didn’t feel motivated. With Celebrity Fitness, it’s different. I can watch TV while exercising and the trainers are really helpful.”

“We specialize in beginners,” comments Hendra. “We want people to have more confidence in themselves, their bodies and health. For those who often feel ‘intimidated’ by the idea of working out, we’re telling them that exercising can be fun.”

But how is it different from other health clubs?

“First, we treat each customer like a celebrity,” says Hendra. “We give them VIP reception and services. Second, we offer classes that you can’t find anywhere else, from yoga to African dance class. Third, we have first-class instructors from all over the world. And, fourth, for everything I’ve just mentioned, you only have to pay a fairly small fee.”

Wirata Surya, owner of Citi health club in Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, disagrees.

“The new health club chains you see mushrooming in the city are much more expensive compared to what people have to spend here. And what they’re selling – first and foremost – is image, not health.”

Founded in 1998, Citi Club is a small fitness center located on the second floor of a two-story building near Mal Mangga Dua. In the beginning, it attracted people of all ages who were interested in aerobics classes and simple cardio exercises. Lately, its clients are men and women in their forties and fifties who have been going to the club for years.

Just last year, Wirata had to close one of his three clubs because of a lack of members. Although he doesn’t blame his loss on the local – and international – chains that are beginning to make their mark in the industry, he admits to the difficulty of keeping up in more competitive times.

“There were two types of health club: the moms-and-pops and the country clubs. Each catered to a different market, so there wasn’t really much competition. Everybody sort of had their own thing,” Wirata explains. “Today, health clubs are like restaurants. People used to go to restaurants to eat; now they go to restaurants for a fine dining experience. It’s the same with the fitness industry.”

A troubling observation, no doubt, for the smaller players in the industry. Even so, in this business – as in any other – one ground rule applies: the stronger players get to stay in the game. And quality and originality always pay off.

Ade Rai, a body builder and fitness guru, is a strong believer in originality of concept. His club, appropriately called Klub Ade Rai, champions the art of body building by implementing the tried-and-true recipe for achieving optimum health: “Eat well, exercise and adopt a healthy lifestyle,” Ade says at his Kelapa Gading club.

Yet despite the rise of fitness clubs in Jakarta, Ade doesn’t seem particularly worried about losing his clients to other, fancier centers.

“Here, at Klub Ade Rai, you’ll find something you won’t find in any other place – hand-built equipment,” he says. “Each piece of equipment is custom-made to suit the programs we have here and they are designed in a way that matches our clients’ needs.”

Surprisingly enough, despite the change in style and culture of fitness centers, country clubs have managed to dodge the bullets simply by doing what they’ve been doing all these years: keeping their clients happy.

Gading Sports Club – which boasts a large swimming pool, tennis court, jogging track, indoor stadium, sauna, fitness center, restaurant and ballroom and residential complex – has yet to feel the need to expand or improve its services in the face of what may be the fiercest competition it has ever seen.

“We’re different from what’s out there,” says Norman Wicaksana, the club’s operations manager. “I suppose you can say we operate at a different level. We don’t just cater to individuals … we cater mostly to families. We already offer the best of the best, all we have to do is maintain that.”

Nevertheless, Norman says the booming trend of health clubs is a good sign.

“It means people are working out and taking good care of themselves,” he suggests. “And this is a change for the better. Not the other way around.”

Hendra agrees. “I am very proud to see more men and women donning sporty outfits, rather than the usual T-shirt and jeans,” he says, chuckling. “They’re comfortable showing off their shapes – I don’t mean as exhibitionists – because they feel good about their bodies. And, at Celebrity Fitness, that’s our number one priority.”

Or, perhaps, their number one priority is to keep the cash coming in. But what

business venture doesn’t have that as its priority? After all, in the end, it’s only business.

Another health club chain, Fitness First, which now oversees the operation of seven centers in Jakarta, offers a lot of variety in its concept.

“We prioritize comfort—for people of all ages,” says Arif Hidayat, the National Marketing Manager. “It’s a place where members can exercise in their own space, without the intrusion of loud conversations or music. First and foremost, it’s a health club, not a hangout place.”

In 2005, Fitness First opened its first center at Plaza Semanggi, drawing 5,000 members in its early operation. Today, it has no less than 28,000 members, which is a pretty steep climb in three short years.

“For now, we’re still focusing on Jakarta,” says Arif, when asked whether the chain will expand into other parts of the country. “Our two-year expansion plan involves the opening of four more centers in the city.”

Despite the competing offers provided by different health clubs in and around the city, Arif says there is a common denominator to them all for customers.

“More health clubs, more options,” he says. “I find that to be a good improvement in the industry.”

Changes, in whatever shape and texture, may not always feel good, but more often than not, they’re necessary. Before the local chains took over the malls with their brilliant aquarium concept where everybody can get a glimpse of health on the make, fitness was an idea that spurred exclusivity. Now, everyone is in on the trend and running on treadmills to stay fit.

“We have the same goal,” says Hendra, commenting on the competition among health clubs in and around the city. “We want everyone to be healthy and get moving.”

 
Photos by Adi Wahono

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