The stars and this business<\/p>\n
By Tri Hafiningsih<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Celebrities and the fitness business seem to
\nhave a symbiotic relationship. They need each other.<\/p>\n
The celebrities need to have good, respectable places to hang
\nout. They need to be in places where a lot of "other" people
\ngather. And fitness clubs seem to be the right place for that.<\/p>\n
The celebrities need to be where they can become the center of
\nattraction, while the clubs need to have the celebrities to
\nappeal to other potential, but more "ordinary" members. So they
\ncomplement each other.<\/p>\n
But of course, fitness clubs are primarily a place to workout
\nto keep you in good shape and health.<\/p>\n
The Manggala Fitness Center, one of many such clubs in the
\ncity, enjoys celebrity memberships. TV actors and actresses
\nincluding Primus Yustisio, Reynold Surbakti, Pangky Suwito and
\nhis wife Yati Octavia, and rock singer Nicky Astria, are a few of
\nthe prominent names on the center's membership list. While
\nmembers of the Warna vocal group, and singer and actress Nafa
\nUrbach, are a few of its frequent visitors.<\/p>\n
Primus Yustisio, the leading star of children's favorite TV
\nseries Panji, Manusia Milenium (Panji, the Millennium Man), said
\nhe preferred to go to the Manggala fitness center because of its
\nfriendly and "not too exclusive" environment.<\/p>\n
"It's the place where I can work out with friends, or take
\nfriends with me to have a good workout," he said, adding that in
\nhis line of work, staying in good shape is a must.<\/p>\n
He has tried Clark Hatch, a more "exclusive" club, but gave up
\nthe "too serious and businesslike establishment for older
\npeople", as he prefers a place where he could meet his peers.
\n"It's more relaxing and fun here," he added.<\/p>\n
The center's manager Dwi Iriani said people went to health
\nclubs or fitness centers not just for health purposes, but also
\nto socialize and keep up with the trend.<\/p>\n
"Some even come here to seek business opportunities," she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
She said establishing a good relationship with celebrity
\nmembers helped the center stay profitable.<\/p>\n
The center accommodates members' natural curiosity of the
\ncelebrity world by providing them opportunities to meet with
\npeople from the show business. Fitness instructor turned actress
\nVicky Burki, TV fitness show presenter Fahmi Fahrezi, favorite
\ninstructors of the city's fitness society like Monique, or the
\nformer Asia Aerobics champion Jinot, are regularly invited to
\nlead the aerobics and other body conditioning workout classes at
\nthe center.<\/p>\n
The center, which is located in the heart of the business
\narea in Senayan, currently caters to at least 500 active members
\nwho are mostly middle management executives, students and
\nhousewives, also develops programs that keep up with the trend,
\nlike salsa dance, tae bo, body sculpt and yoga classes.<\/p>\n
The celebrities, on the other hand, have easy access to the
\nfitness facilities in the center, Dwi said. Nicky Astria, the
\nWarna vocalists, and Vicky Burki, she said, are some of the
\ncelebrities who often use the center's classrooms to practice
\ndance steps for their coming videos or shows.<\/p>\n
"They usually use the rooms between scheduled fitness classes
\nas they are less crowded then," she said.<\/p>\n
Profitable<\/p>\n
Fitness establishments seem to be an easy and profitable
\nbusiness for many people, including celebrities. Quite a number
\nof public figures have opened health clubs or fitness studios to
\naccommodate the increasing number of fitness fans from the
\nyounger generations.<\/p>\n
Sisters and actresses Minati and Chintami Atmanagara, TV drama
\nactress Venna Melinda, presenter and comedian Ulfa Dwiyanti,
\nDangdut dancer and model Liza Natalia, former model Etty Febbe,
\nand bodybuilder Ade Rai, are among those who have successfully
\nset up fitness centers.<\/p>\n
Minati and Cintami, who opened their first studio in 1990,
\nwere among the first go into the fitness business. They currently
\nhave two large studios in Tebet and Kebayoran Baru, South
\nJakarta, which they claim accommodate to over 1,000 active
\nmembers. They are planning to open another studio in Pluit, North
\nJakarta, in the middle of the year.<\/p>\n
Minati said that although they are currently experiencing a
\nbrisk business, due to the society's increasing desire for a
\nhealthy body and mind, the first six years were not profitable
\nand they barely managed to stay afloat.<\/p>\n
"Back then, not many people were aware of the importance of
\nkeeping fit through regular workouts and body conditioning," she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The TV drama actress, now an expert on a body conditioning
\nworkout called body language, said she was so satisfied with the
\nresults of the workout that she wanted to share her experience
\nwith other women. "So I refused to give up the business, although
\nthe future didn't look promising for our studio," she said.<\/p>\n
She said her fame as an actress helped a lot in promoting body
\nlanguage workouts. "I have easy access to the media to promote
\nthe outstanding advantages of this body conditioning workout,"
\nsaid Minati, who would be making a comeback to TV dramas after a
\ntwo-year absence due to her busy schedule and brisk fitness
\nbusiness.<\/p>\n
Another way to enter the fitness "hall of fame", would be to
\nmake fitness videos. Many celebrities have earned more fame by
\nmaking such videos but have also suffered financial losses due to
\nvideo piracy.<\/p>\n
Liza Natalia, popular for her sensual dances in a dangdut
\nmusic TV series called Joged, and bodybuilder Ade Rai, are a few
\nnames that have gained more popularity by releasing fitness
\nvideos. However, they could not prevent the sale of pirated
\ncopies of their videos.<\/p>\n
Other fitness experts such as Berty Tilarso, have launched
\nsuch videos with guests like actress Meriam Bellina, to boost
\nsales.<\/p>\n
Minati Atmanagara, on the contrary, has refused to take part
\nin any such video production or TV fitness shows.<\/p>\n
"Body language has a totally different nature compared to
\nother workouts. It requires full concentration. It's not for fun.
\nAnd it's certainly not easy. It's for a better body and mind, and
\nit will almost totally change bodies, hopefully for the better,"
\nMinati said, adding that she did not want to be responsible for
\nany injuries when people do the complicated movements by
\nfollowing the steps on video.<\/p>\n
"If you can't give it your full concentration, then you'd
\nbetter not do it at all," she added.<\/p>\n
Management<\/p>\n
"People see the fitness business as an easy, money-making one,
\nbut it's not that, really," said the Manggala fitness center
\nmanager, Dwi Iriani. She said a good program and management, like
\nin any other business, are the most important factors to survive
\nthe harsh competition.<\/p>\n
Like the other pioneers in the business like Clark Hatch and
\nFitness International that cater to the high income international
\ncommunity, Manggala was initially established to accommodate top-
\nlevel executives of an exclusive business community.<\/p>\n
"It was established in 1986, exclusively for the top officials
\nand executives of the lumbers' club," Dwi said. The center was
\nestablished to complement the already existing facilities, such
\nas the Manggala health clinics, of the large office building.<\/p>\n
Beside the complete fitness facilities of the gymnasium,
\nManggala has other supporting facilities such as a swimming pool,
\nsquash and tennis courts, and bowling alleys.<\/p>\n
The center later lowered its requirements and fees to gain
\nyounger and more "fitness-aware" members, she said. "We also had
\nto find ways to survive the fitness boom of the last few years,"
\nshe said.<\/p>",
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