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| Sunday, 05 March 2006 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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FAD or fitness only the gyms can tell! by Vimukthi Fernando What do towns have more than Chinese hotels these days?
Each and every little town boasts of the existence of at least one, out of over 2,000 barbell clubs catering to the fitness needs of young men, while facilities, equipment, size of the gymnasium and its membership increases with close proximity to Colombo. The annual membership fee range from Rs. 3,500 to 30,000 depending on the facilities provided. These gymnasiums cater to a cross section of the society, aged 14 to over 70, both male and female. To find out what motivates the general public in their increased use of gymnasiums the Sunday Observer snooper around a few gymnasiums in Colombo and the suburbs querying owners and users alike. Here is what they had to say: "For me, a workout in the gym is an essential and integral part of life, such as having breakfast. If I do not exercise, I tend to feel bad miserable the whole day," says Sheila De Silva, a 65-year-old housewife from Dehiwela. Back at home, glowing from her morning workout she described as to how she first joined a gymnasium five years ago. Recommended exercise "After my husband's death, seven years ago, I was having regular bouts of depression, continuing for long periods though I was under medication. Although my counsellor recommended exercise, I was reluctant to take it up. You see, my late husband and I used to go jogging in the mornings. So, I thought it will aggravate my sadness. In the end the doctor suggested exercising at a gymnasium, under supervision because I have a few medical complications as well. The very first day itself made me feel so good and I was anxiously looking forward for the next day. Three days of exercise made me a strong believer of exercise, for human wellbeing," says De Silva. 'Feeling good' is what makes one continue, and keeps him or her attached to the gym, agrees Stephen Labroy, 59. "I started it about 11 to 12 years ago. Just to tone up. But I felt better. You look good and feel good. That is what makes me workout, more than the health benefits. You have much more energy though you spend a lot of energy at the gymnasium," says Labroy. In contemporary Sri Lanka, there is more concern on health and fitness than before, says Labroy. Therefore, people who try to get themselves fit in some degree or other go to the gym. Gyms are more popular than getting involved in sports, due to the time commitment involved in the sports field, he reasons. Exercising three to four days per week, for one hour and twenty minutes a day, his exercise schedule involves exercises which improving strength, balance and stretching, says the owner of his gym. "I have a spine condition called scoliosis, a curving of the spine from birth. But, I exercise for about one hour, six days a week," says Aroshi Perera, Group Director, Human Resources Development, Delmege Forsyth Co. Ltd. At 36, she had been an exercise enthusiast for the past 18 to 20 years, says Perera. A recent 'gym user' she had obtained membership at the 'Fitness Kingdom' about four months ago. "Exercising at a gym is definitely different from that of exercising on your own. While you are guided and motivated by trainers, machines and equipment allow you to target specific muscle groups, which is an advantage. You can lose a lot of weight by regular exercise such as walking, but that is overall body-weight. There you cannot target specific areas," The changing lifestyle and the high amounts of stress at workplace, necessitates exercise in today's world, says Perera. While regular 'gym users' express themselves, the Sunday Observer queried the owners about those members who do not make use of their membership. Do they secure membership purely for the sake of 'prestige' of belonging to a gymnasium, like the days of old? "It is no more a 'prestige' label that attracts members to gymnasiums," says Aruna Aluthge, Director, Fitness Kingdom, Colombo 10. Sometimes there are people who take up exercise, but fail to continue for various reasons, he explains. "Sixty percent of the members in the Fitness Kingdom network of gymnasiums continue as active members." The sentiment echoes at the Oceanica Recreation, Colombo 3. "We get about 30 to 40 new members every month, but only about 50 percent, those who are committed to continue with their membership," says its owner, Gamini Kulathunga. However, "There is a percentage of people who acquire membership in gymnasiums for prestige sake. But, I do not encourage their membership in my gym. It is a black mark on the gymnasium and the instructor. What does it mean to you, if you hear that such and such a gymnasium's member has died of heart attack," quips, Disnendra Perera, Niroga Fitness, Battaramulla. A fad If it is not for 'prestige', would the trend of enroling in gymnasiums to use exercise for individual well being continue or is it just a fad, the Sunday Observer, questioned. "It most certainly is a fad, at a global level," quips Harindri Seneviratne, 22, a young executive at a mercantile establishment in Colombo. Gyms are very popular among youth who are concerned about beauty. "I joined the gym with a group of friends who obtained membership for beauty reasons, but after three months it is only just two of us left out of a group of about eight," she says. But, Aroshi Perera opines that it is good that exercise is catching up as a fad. "What you have to look at, is the ultimate result. Here, it would be a fitter, healthier work force and a population, that is a substantial contribution to a country's productivity," says Perera. Since her gym membership four months ago at Fitness Kingdom, she had revived a scheme facilitating gymnasium membership for employees at her workplace. |
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