"Men constitute 50%, senior citizens 10% to our revenue"

Fitness and wellness market, which has seen a good growth in India over the last few years, is witnessing new trends. New age consumers- kids, men and aged persons-are the new clients who are hitting the gyms. We caught up with G Ramachandran, Promoter and Director, Gold’s Gym India, who shared more on latest trends and new-age consumer.

Tell us about Gold’s Gym.

Gold’s Gym started in Venice California in 1965, and soon became the hotbed for the development of training techniques, equipment and nutritional concepts that formed the foundation for the modern fitness revolution. In 1975, Gold’s Gym received international attention when it was featured in the major motion picture, ‘Pumping Iron’. It was thus effectively established as the ‘Mecca of Bodybuilding’.

Today, Gold’s Gym has over 700 facilities. It is the largest international gym chain in the world recognised for its passion, unique heritage and experience as the final authority in fitness and lifestyle.  The India chapter of Gold’s Gym started in 2002, when the first Gold’s Gym India branch was set up in Mumbai.  Today, we have 83 centres in India.

Other than women, wellness market for new-age consumer like kids, men and aged persons has also grown manifold. Your say on this.

There is a growing awareness for people in all categories including the metro sexual male and the new-age kids. This market is only growing and in due course, wellness will occupy all community profiles as people, as they grow older would like to look younger with new-age products.

What percentage of gym business for kids, men and aged persons constitute to your annual revenue?

Men constitute about 50% while senior citizens and kids 10% each.

Do you have special initiatives to attract the new-age consumers?

Yes, new form of training and functional training with outdoor games and bonding through boot camps do form popular forms of attracting customers other than the usual discount offers.

What are the services mostly these categories go for?

New fun loving activities like Zumba classes, high frequency interval training orientation classes are catching the attention of people.

Do you think stand alone gyms are required for new-age consumer market?

Absolutely stand alone gyms are a must coupled with innovation and new forms of fun loving activities to keep the person wanting to come to the gym again and again.

What potential this segment has and where do you see it five years down the line?

Immense potential and also this category surprisingly carries stress on account of peer pressure to look good and hence will form a greater part of the millennial population in the coming years.

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