The Hindu Business Line : Fit and flourishing

Circa 1960: Remember the time when a portly Raj Kapoor wooed a voluptuous actress on screen and still had a huge fan following. And look at the Khan tribe of Bollywood - lean, mean and sculpted at every possible angle. Which of two do you prefer: A family pack or a six pack?

If you fall into the second category then you obviously belong to the ever-growing tribe of fitness enthusiasts who will trade their early morning siesta and gourmet delights for a stretch, jog and endless hours of high-impact training. And in your quest to shed your pounds to get a physique a la Aamir Khan, chances are you will head to your nearest gym to get the body that you have been yearning for and admiring endlessly in the latest glossies.

Not surprising that retail biggie Kishore Biyani smells opportunity in the fitness industry. Biyani, who has tied up with desi fitness giant Talwalkar to open gyms in various malls, makes an interesting point.

He says, “When I was young my mother used to take me to a temple. In fact, for most people the temple was a place to visit at least once a week if not daily. But today both parents and children come to the malls as if it is a ritual. Therefore, the opportunity that a mall presents is immense compared to any other arena of business.”

Biyani has a point as yet again he has put his finger on the pulse of an industry which is waiting to explode. With the right kind of technology, investment and infrastructure, fitness as a category is on its way to become an industry.

Good figures

According to industry estimates, the fitness industry is pegged at Rs 2,500 crore and is growing annually at over 40 per cent. The individual spend on personal wellness and fitness in metros has also increased over two-and-a-half times, resulting in a swell in the number of members at gyms and health clubs.

So what percentage of urban Indians work out regularly? It is still about 0.1 per cent in India as against the global average of 15-20 per cent, say industry observers.

According to Prashant Talwalkar, Managing Director, Talwalkars Better Value, “We work on the theme ‘make fitness your religion.’” From what started as a ‘vyayamshala’ in 1932, the company has become the largest fitness chains in India with 65-odd centres dotting the country.

Explains Talwalkar: “Fitness is an industry which needs a lot of personal attention from its promoters. It cannot be remote-controlled. With international brands making their presence in India, the industry is growing by leaps and bounds. For us, a large chunk of our expansion will be in Tier2 and Tier 3 cities,” he added.

So what is the best format that will do well in India? Big or small? According to analysts, neighbourhood formats are the best in a country such as India, and franchise may be the best possible means of expanding.

Biyani, whose first gym opened at a Mumbai mall, is taken aback by the response. “The response has been unbelievable. The mall where we opened our first venture on an average sees a footfall of 11,00 people in a day. This is the highest in my estimate. Therefore, the concept is here to stay,” he says.

Pantaloon Retail’s tie-up with Talwalkars Better Value will launch Talwalkars Fit-and-Active gymnasium and Talwalkars Sparsh spa. The company plans to have 11 such gyms and spas in the next two years. “We will be adding new outlets at Siliguri and Raipur by the end of this year,” says Biyani.

The view is endorsed by yet another industry player – Fitness First India, the 100 per cent subsidiary of the UK-based company. The $1.6-billion company with footprint in 540 countries will invest Rs 200 crore by 2010 to roll out 15 large-format gyms in India.

“There is growing enthusiasm about fitness among Indians. What is needed is the right kind of education about fitness at affordable price,” says Vikram Aditya Bhatia, Managing Director, Fitness First India. The company is targeting a client base of over 5,000 by the end of this year.

According to Raman Sood, Managing Director, Grand Slam Fitness, the influence of Bollywood on fitness is unquestionable! “People are a lot more dedicated to fitness compared to a decade ago. Surprisingly, a lot of our clientele are not youngsters but those aged 40-plus.”

The company retails fitness equipment and does turnkey projects for companies by setting up gyms at their premises. It says treadmills, followed by cross-trainers, are the most popular equipment for home users. Till the first half of last year, it was growing at about 100 per cent but since the last six months, the growth has only been 50 per cent. Even then, there has been no slowing down. Grand Slam has about 70 exclusive outlets across India.

Chennai-based FitnessOne, which has a chain of fitness centres and also customises gyms both for homes and offices, says it is looking to become a one-stop solution for all fitness needs.

“There are many clients who would like to work out in the privacy of their homes. It is for them that we have introduced the concept of the home gym. All we need is 100 sq. ft. of space and we set up the gym according to the client’s needs,” says Vivek Anand, Founder and Managing Director. He says the cost of setting up a home gym varies from Rs 40,000 to Rs 2 lakh depending upon the individual’s fitness targets. The company, which has customised gyms for over 30 corporate clients, says it has flexible instalment plans for individuals and corporates who are interested in setting up gyms but can’t pay at one go.

It has also got into equipment retailing with its own brand, Propel. The equipment is made in Taiwan and Korea. “We were among the pioneers to open Pink, a women-only gym,” says Ameeta Agnihotri, Director (Corporate Affairs). The company’s clientele include glass major Saint Gobain, Ashok Leyland and Motorala. FitnessOne has 65 outlets of which 10 are company-owned. Mauritius-based India Equity Growth Fund, part of Reliance Asset Management (Mauritius), bought a 4.5 per cent stake in Fitness One in 2007 for Rs 100 crore.

Demand for professionals

As the industry is still in its teething phase, finding and training the right kind of manpower is a challenge that most players face.

Says Bhatia of Fitness First, “Finding the right manpower to teach use of the various kinds of training gadgets such as trampolines, weights and rowing machines is always a challenge. Since most instructors don’t just coach groups or individuals in various exercise routines (weights, aerobics and flexibility training) but also act as nutrition and health advisors, it essential to have a multi-dimensional knowledge. However, specialisation in a particular arena can add a feather to their cap.”

Personal trainers can also tailor a fitness regimen to individual requirements, be they housewives, sportspersons, film stars, or stressed out business executives.

Most fitness companies having a presence in India have also set up their own training academies. In Delhi, Reebok India organises a training course twice a year under the Reebok Instructor Alliance programme. The two-and-a-half month, 80-hour course culminates in an A-level Master Trainer exam.

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