The fitness rage

The race to attain a body that comes with a tag of 'neighbour's envy and owner's pride' is heating up and there is a swarm of people who are exhausting every possibility the fitness sector has to provide.

The health and fitness market in India is estimated at around Rs 2,900 crore and is growing at an annual growth rate of 15 per cent. Compared to the West, Indians were never too particular about the fitness but slowly there is a change in the attitude and more people are thronging to gymnasiums. The average annual spend on health and fitness by an individual is a meagre sum of Rs 2,600 (approximate), which means there is a huge gap to be filled.

"Indians are gradually catching in on the importance of fitness and thus there is a major fillip to the industry. The demand has been fuelled by the TV boom and the media exposure and everyone wants to be fit and have a perfect body, for which they are not shying away from going to the slimming centres or gymnasiums," says Vandana Luthra, founder VLCC.

To help achieve desired results, there is a need for services of fitness trainers and yoga experts. The fitness trainers are trained professionals who specialise in the formal and practical education of anatomy and exercise physiology, kinesiology and biomechanics, strength training, pilates and much more.

Few people in India have an understanding of the profession and is not considered a serious vocation. But the scenario is getting a push and considering it is not much explored the growth potential is tremendous.

Munira Jawadwala Kawad, Manager-Training and Sports Nutrition, Gold's Gym India , feels that the fitness trainers form the first bastion of protection against diseases, as they train the human body and mind to fight off many diseases. "Currently, approximately only 0.06 per cent of Indian population is exercising. Therefore, there is a tremendous potential in this industry and a long way to go before there are any indications of saturation," she says.

To be good at your game, a fitness trainer should get a formal education in anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, exercise technique and nutrition. Apart from certification, good communication skills give you an edge in the industry. And there is always a need to update oneself to the changes in the industry.

Rujuta Diwekar, fitness trainer who is credited with sculpting the bodies of likes of Anil Ambani, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, tells that nothing can surpass honesty, integrity and the desire to excel. "Good fitness trainer continues to make time daily to sharpen their skills. Also, taking up a course updates once every year allows them to study further and keep up with the latest research, trend and competition in the industry. Respecting your own time and that of your client's and learning to be non-judgmental also goes a long way," she feels.

Another form which has seen a resurgence in the fitness industry is Yoga. "Earlier, Indians used to consider it as slow, but as Yoga became popular in the West people here started realising the external and internal benefits Yoga provides," says Payal Gidwani Tiwari, Yoga expert. Yoga has come in fashion as the young generation is more clued in to fitness and have realised the benefits it has not only on the body but also on the mind and soul. Tiwari feels that to excel in the profession one has to have the passion, otherwise the person exhausts his/her potential and can't excel.

Just like any other profession there can be pressures- the money might be a little uneven in the beginning, there may be a need to arm yourself with more certifications, clients expecting too much and such - but considering this is something which you like doing helps in overcoming these. "Clients, whether they are celebrities or not, only expect you to work genuinely, honestly and not waste their time. I think it's a very fair expectation," opines Diwekar.

One can get into the entrepreneurial aspect of the industry by either funding yourself or by finding the venture capitalists to secure the finances. To learn the ropes of the profession, an aspirant can opt for courses such as the Nike Aerobics Course, Reebock Instructor Certification programme or any of the reputed locally offered courses such as those at Talwalkars.

The basic course is for 80 hours, with around 30 hours of theory and the remaining made up of practicals. At the end of the course there are exams, both written and practical, to be passed before you can become a Reebock Certified Fitness Instructor. Reebok Instructor Alliance programme, a two and a half months or 80 hours course culminates in an A-Level Master Trainer Exam that must be cleared in order to be certified as a trainer. Gold's Gym University offers certifications in fitness management, personal training and group exercises.

The duration of the course is 4 months for personal training and 22 hours for indoor cycling certification. The fee structure starts from Rs 10,000 and goes up to Rs 22,000. There are other international certifications available in the country, such as American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) health fitness and clinical certifications. But these courses do not offer practicals, thus the trainers clearing only these certifications may be good at theory, but not as confident in practicals.

The starting remuneration can be anything between Rs 5,000-10,000, and if you make a mark then there is no upward limit. You can even charge Rs 10,000 and more for hourly consultations.

Rujuta Diwekar, Celebrity Trainer

Since childhood I have been watching my mother do her yoga practice daily and I guess that has been the biggest influence. In school I was always into sports but had no clue that one could ever make a career out of it. Then, while I was in college I became an aerobics instructor and thoroughly enjoyed interacting with people. But it was only after my graduation that I realised that it was possible to get a professional education in the field of fitness and nutrition. I completed my post graduation in sports science and nutrition in 1999 and did a basic course from Leena Mogre's academy.

From 1999 there has been no looking back. I believe that the clients whether celebrities or not expect you to work genuinely, honestly and not waste their time, and I think its a very fair expectation. One should follow his/her heart and enjoy every moment of the job. Its very empowering to be a fitness professional as it gives you complete control over the time. Use that time intelligently and constructively. The money is great if you are good. On an average one can easily make about Rs 25,000-70,000 per month with just about four hours of work a day.

Career options

One can enter in the business by opening a fitness or a slimming centre. Other options are to become an expert in Yoga or become a fitness trainer.

Starting salary

Rs 1.2-2.4 lakh per annum

Institutes

·       Gold's Gym University , Mumbai www.goldsgymuniversity.com

·       Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, Chennai www.ashtanga.com

·       Talwalkars Academy, Mumbai www.talwalkars.net

·       K11 Fitness Academy, Mumbai www.keleven.com

·       Reebok India , www.reebok.com/in