Is gym a worthy investment?

Laban Okemwa, a gym owner in Nairobi’s Karen estate had not really thought of investing in a fitness space until his customers got stranded.

“Three years ago, one of the gyms I was working with closed leaving me stranded with the clients I was training. I had to think fast not to lose them and I rented a small room at Hardy, Karen area,” says the 40-year-old.

He then started investing in a bigger space that he named ‘Laban’s Gym’. The fitness trainer says that a gym is a worthy investment though as an entrepreneur, it does not pay off at first.

“Exercising has taught me to be resilient and I have watched the gym grow. The equipment is quite expensive so I started off slowly and gradually build on it,” he says.

Physical fitness was not his first career choice because he wanted to study medicine but he did not qualify.

Being a physical fitness fanatic, one time he got an opportunity of step in for a trainer in a gym, an experience that excited him.

He later decided to train at Bodywise Health Club. With 20 years in the fitness industry, he has worked at the Karen Country Club for nine years, at Serena Hotel gym and as a freelance trainer in different gyms in Nairobi.

At his gym, two trainers assist him and Jonah Tuyishime, a 31-year-old is one of them.

Jonah, a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology and Psychology) graduate started fitness training in his second year in university. “My passion for sports and athletes began in my earlier days when I was still in primary school,” explains Jonah.

“Today, I’m a fitness consultant, which means that beyond training, I will advise on basic nutrition, sports, psychology and will also link customers up with a nutritionist and physiotherapist on a need-to basis,” he says.

Jonah says he realised there was a gap in the fitness industry in Kenya as most of the trainers were only focused on exercises.

“Exercising are superficial. This means it is designed for the body to enhance your look. How and what you eat is the bottom-line. You cannot go to the gym, eat the wrong foods and expect to see any change,” says Jonah.

“Knowing what to eat, how to eat it, cooking method and when to eat is ultimately the backbone of a healthy body.”

Stay on top

With a number of gyms popping up almost everywhere in the city, Laban says investors have to ensure that they stay on top of the game and keep with fitness trends.

He is a member of Idea Health and Fitness Association that brings together fitness instructors, club and studio owners to learn everything from healthy diets to new workouts.

Laban says gym membership has grown over the years compared to 10 years ago.

“Both men and women come to the gym because they want to look good. Everyone wants a well-sculptured toned body. However, in most facilities, the number of women outnumbers men. This is because men prefer to engage more in outdoor activities,” he says.

I meet his at his gym busy working out. He exercises about six times a week, for an average of 45 minutes.

“Even me when I get bored, I incorporate cross-training, marathon, hiking or swimming,” he says.

Soni Kanake

­ Jonah Tuyishime, a trainer in general fitness shares some of these trends in the fitness industry:

Zumba

Women love Zumba and it has been slowly gaining popularity in recent years. This could be attributed to the fact that it is a fun way of keeping fit as it is dance.

Martial Arts

Women are enrolling more for martial arts classes, especially self-defence. Most prefer kick-boxing, karate and taekwondo.

Lifestyle changes

Currently, there is a high influx of people that want to lose weight due to increased awareness of the importance of staying healthy.

Age groups

Most senior citizens are enrolling in gyms on doctor’s advise.

However, the— 20–40 year-olds go to gyms for a healthier lifestyle. They look up TV celebrities who motivate them to be lean.

Personal goals

Some people are not necessarily interested in losing weight; some just want a well sculptured body.

Generally, men are more into building their bodies and looking more masculine while women are more about losing weight and looking curvier.

The first thing most women want is to lose the belly. The fitness trainer advises people not to get into training to lose weight.

“When losing weight is your ultimate goal, you will stop training as soon as you achieve it. Rather make training a lifestyle to continue reaping the benefits of overall health, which include; cardiovascular, respiratory, better coordination and strong bones,” he notes.