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How Are Gyms Becoming All-rounder In Indoor And Outdoor Fitness? 'If an entrepreneur wants to stretch his or her boundaries, just staying within the four walls of the gym cannot make them grow'

By Divya Himatsingka

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

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For people who think gymming is all about indoor fitness, it's time to rethink. This age is about variation, about adding value to our lives in different ways and gyms have become an outlet for outdoor fitness as well.

Outdoor Gyms

Though indoor fitness is extremely essential because the only way to use machines is through gyms, a lot of outdoor options are also available. Outdoor gyms are a growing trend today. Regular gyms invest in air-conditioned spaces and high-end machines, but they are also facing competition from outdoor gyms, which have opened new avenues for people to get fit without incurring any extra cost.

Hence, a number of gyms nowadays are involved in marathon training, training for trekking, boot camps during winters, triathlon training, cardio fitness through running, cycling on the outskirts of the city and of course aqua workout to beat the summer heat. To add to the physical fitness, gyms are also focussing on the spiritual aspect by conducting yoga sessions.

Benefits Of Outdoor Activities

Thinking out of the box is the order of the day. If an entrepreneur wants to stretch his or her boundaries, just staying within the four walls of the gym cannot make them grow. It is essential to brainstorm, study the market and collect enough data to ascertain people's desires and comprehend a plan accordingly.

It is always a great idea to keep the routine exciting as when ceasing to opt out of trying new activities in new environments, even the most satisfying regimens can gradually become stale and routine. Not only is there a risk of becoming complacent, bored or burned out in the exercise program, one can miss out on the simple experiences and new learning opportunities of new workout venues.

One of the many benefits of outdoor activities is that they involve higher levels of own body weight workout, which has many advantages. On the other hand, indoor routine can make exercise more appealing and feasible during changing weather.

Group classes/ studio and fitness classes provide a group experience that might be motivating too. Machines can more easily provide a consistent, well-controlled and lower-impact activity. Moving between indoor and outdoor environments can help one expand the athletic experience based on the changing moods and needs.

Many outdoor activities, like hiking, trail running and cross-country skiing are terrific ways to improve your proprioception (your sense of balance and where your body is in space).

Craze For Well-designed Packages, Including Indoor And Outdoor Activities

Fitness like all other businesses, is an all-out "services" oriented business. We may be providing machines to exercise and man power in the form of trainers, but a lot has to be done about personal attention along with giving priority to members' requirements.

A well-designed package, which includes both indoor and outdoor activities, helping in the overall development of an individual is the order of the day.

The fitness industry is evolving from big to bigger. But the only key element that will differentiate one from the other will be the "services" provided and not the size and scale of the gyms.

In the end, the main motive is to keep members satisfied and give them the best of both worlds. Be it outdoor gyms, where workout happens entirely outdoors, or gyms offering seasonal fitness sessions outside. With the thin line between indoor and outdoor fitness blurring, what is evident is that mixing up of the two sessions is a great way to keep exercise exciting and fun.
Divya Himatsingka

Director, Skulpt

Divya Himatsingka is the Director of Skulpt which operates through Ideal Gymnasium Pvt Ltd. Divya has done her schooling from La Martiniere Girls School and graduated from Bhawanipur College. She also has a diploma in Fashion Designing from BILAMS. When she is not working, she engrosses herself in travelling and cooking. Divya’s career in the fitness industry kick started when she and her husband, Nakul Himatsingka associated with Gold’s Gym. After being approached by the brand, they became the very first sub-franchisee of Gold’s Gym in Kolkata. She has been in this industry for almost 12 years now.
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