Sweat and Money Flow at the Fitness Center

Sweat poured down Marina's (29) face and clothes after spending about an hour at the fitness center or gym in her housing complex, Cisauk, Tangerang Regency. She tried everything from the treadmill to the stationary bike to the weightlifting machine.

At least 2-3 times a week, Marina exercises at the fitness facility available in her housing complex. She does not want to waste the existing facilities. Moreover, the fitness center in her housing complex is not only conveniently located but also affordable in terms of price.

Residents of the housing complex are charged a fee of Rp 25,000 per visit without a time limit. Meanwhile, a monthly fee of Rp 150,000 is imposed.

"Actually, the daily rate is Rp 12,500 (discounted) because of the residents. The normal price is Rp 25,000. I prefer to pay daily because I can't always go to the gym. Usually, I go two or three times a week. Yes, it's definitely nice to have a gym in the complex because it's cheap and close," said Marina, Friday (July 11, 2025).

According to the private employee, the gym offers various facilities to support exercise and maintain his fitness. Amidst his busy urban work schedule, exercise can help him reduce stress and achieve work-life balance.

"Working in a city like Jakarta, where you're constantly jostled on the train, plus all the problems and workload, can be tiring and stressful. Yes, exercise can help. It doesn't have to be the gym, though. I also jog in the afternoon or evening at GBK. Exercise, whatever form it takes, is the key. Consider it an investment in your future health," he said.

Awareness of maintaining fitness and health has coincided with the proliferation of fitness centers in many locations. Whereas fitness centers used to be predominantly found in malls or star-rated hotels, they are now more commonly appearing in shophouses and residential complexes.

Just look at South Tangerang City, Banten, where two fitness center networks, Fithub and FTL Gym, seem to be competing to establish their presence in several shop houses simultaneously over the past two to three years. Not to mention other fitness center brands. It appears that almost every main road in South Tangerang now has a gym.

A similar phenomenon is also evident in several areas in Jakarta and surrounding cities. In the student city of Yogyakarta, gyms have sprung up in various locations, from shophouses to villages. Some target students and young people, charging prices that are affordable.

Rayyan (18) said he pays Rp 179,000 per month for gym fees at Areafit Fitness & Badminton, located in a residential area in Muja Muju, Yogyakarta City. With that monthly fee, he can go to the gym whenever he wants. The fee per visit is Rp 35,000.

To attract the interest of residents in exercising, fitness centers are not only becoming increasingly close to residential areas. They are also continuously innovating amidst the growing awareness of urban communities to live healthily.

The Singaporean brand The Gym Pod, which is now starting to emerge in Indonesia, for example, offers fitness facilities in private rooms at affordable prices.

The Gym Pod's Chief Technology Officer, Lucius Andi Putra Asikin, told Kompas on Thursday (July 10, 2025) that he believes the healthy living trend will remain strong in the long term in Southeast Asia. Therefore, Gym Pod sees an opportunity to provide a comfortable exercise space by bringing the micro-gym concept.

"This concept makes the gym more accessible to most people, because they can pay as little as Rp 27,000 per 30 minutes to start exercising," he said.

The Gym Pod offers its consumers the option to pay for each use, although there is also a choice to become a monthly member. Users' needs are also supported by the data technology they have developed since 2018.

They're also leveraging this data innovation to expand their business in Indonesia. While currently adapting to the fitness market trend, which focuses on major cities, after 1.5 years in Indonesia, they've deployed gym containers to nine locations in Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek). This year, they aim to open three to four new locations.

"We still have a large space to reach more markets across Indonesia, where awareness of fitness may still be lower compared to other major cities," said Lucius.

MarketLine research on the Marketresearch.com page states that the fitness and health business market in Indonesia will grow by 6.1 percent in 2024. This trend is primarily driven by the increasing prevalence of lifestyle-related health problems, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.

The presence of the millennial and Generation Z populations, who are increasingly focused on personal, physical, and mental health, also supports the growth of this market. The Central Statistics Agency recorded that in 2024, the millennial and Generation Z populations in Indonesia reached 65.5 million and 73.0 million individuals, respectively.

With such high demand, the fitness and wellness center market in Indonesia is projected to record revenues of US$0.6 billion by 2024, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4 percent between 2019 and 2024.

According to Fitness Expert from the Indonesian Fitness Trainers Association (APKI) Jansen Ongko, personalization of people's fitness needs drives the gym industry to continue to grow.

"Every individual has unique goals. Ideally, fitness centers should provide training programs that are more personalized and tailored to individual needs, of course supported by professional experts," he stated.

The fulfillment of these needs must include providing flexibility to fitness center users. Regarding membership, for instance, a single type of package currently cannot meet the diverse needs of consumers.

Fitness centers need to offer a variety of options, from short-term, pay-per-visit systems to family packages, to make them more accessible to different segments of society.

As fitness centers evolve, they're increasingly offering a variety of classes, from yoga and Zumba to spinning and strength training programs, making workouts consistently engaging. Fitness centers also frequently build customer engagement through events and activities that strengthen the community and increase loyalty.

Therefore, according to him, fitness centers must continue to invest in facility upgrades, programs, and understanding market trends. The ability to quickly adapt to market changes and consumer expectations, including facing unexpected challenges, is key to survival and growth.

I am confident that with the right approach and a commitment to quality, the fitness industry will continue to grow robustly and make a significant contribution to the health and wellness levels of the Indonesian community.

At the same time, fitness centers also require responsible and transparent management to maintain operational sustainability, while providing a greater sense of safety and trust to their members.

"I am confident that with the right approach and commitment to quality, the fitness industry will continue to grow and make a significant contribution to the health and fitness levels of the Indonesian people," said Jansen.

At the fitness center, sweat and money flow in abundance. One contributes to a healthy body, while the other strengthens the fitness business.