The reaction to the article I wrote recently about fitness centers, however, seems to have a lingering effect on the gym-going public (which was the main target of that column in the first place). Modesty aside, I’d like to say that the feedback was overwhelming. Every time I go to the gym, fitness center regulars approach me to discuss with me the article and — modesty aside for the second time – most of them agree with what I wrote in that column.
But what I really found invaluable was the response from the officers of the three major fitness centers operating in the country today.
Slimmers World International vice president Helen Camacho, a dear friend, sent me a text message promising to improve further (like they always do) the services of all their branches spread out all over the country. She also proudly told me in her text message (it was a long one) that they are in the process of upgrading their facilities and equipment and already have installed TV monitors in their cardio machines (treadmills, transport, etc.) in their main branch in Adriatico (Pan-Pacific Building).
Slimmers World also promises to provide this kind of service to their other branches soon. Old exercise machines are being pulled out (these are, in fact, being put up for sale at giveaway prices) and would be replaced with new pieces of equipment within the next few months.
Lastly, Ms. Camacho invited me to the press launch of the Slimmers World Great Bodies contest (won last year by Carlos Morales and Karen Villanueva) on Oct. 12, 6 p.m. at the Republic of Malate. (I hope I’m back from the GMA 7 Grand Kapuso Fans’ Day in Davao by then.)
Middle of this week I’ve also been in touch with Kent Richards, national operations manager of Fitness First. We’ve never met personally, but we are seeing each other next week so that we could discuss gym matters. He promised to show me "the big picture" – particularly in Fitness First.
Well, I went to the Fitness First branch at the Wynsum Building in Ortigas Center for the first time this week and I was impressed with the efficiency of the people there, particularly the assistant fitness manager, Rouel Garcia. The place itself is marvelous because it is at the penthouse and you see a fantastic view of the metropolis while you sweat it out.
Then yesterday, I met up with Gold’s Gym president Mylene Dayrit, who is also a Philippine STAR Lifestyle columnist on health and fitness matters (she obviously knows what she is writing about since she has been involved in the fitness center business all her adult life). We were also joined by Gold’s Gym’s Tony Reyes and another Philippine STAR columnist, Bum Tenorio y Dayrit (he is an "adopted" member of the Dayrit family).
It was actually Christine Dayrit (still another columnist of this paper – for the Travel section) who set up this meeting. Christine and I are both members of the Cinema Evaluation Board and we see each other during reviews. She called me up as soon as my piece on gyms came out and said that her sister-in-law, Mylene, was very pleased with my article on fitness centers. But first, she checked in their computer if I was working out at her gym and was relieved to find out that I was not. This meant that I was not alluding to Gold’s Gym in my column. (Hey, it was a general overview of the fitness center business.)
And so the meeting was arranged and I was expecting Christine (whom I‘ve always been very fond of) to be there, but she had to beg off due to other pressing matters.
But the meeting (at the Gloria Jean’s coffee shop just outside the Gold’s Gym branch at Robinsons Galleria) went very well – with Mylene Dayrit and I discussing the current scenario in the various fitness centers in Metro Manila, she from the business angle, and from my end, the clients’ side.
It was also very nice of her to have invited me to join their fitness center and I am tempted because I observed that the clients there are being supervised very well (ask Rudy Fernandez and Juliana Palermo – they both work out at Gold’s) and the pieces of equipment all modern.
The truth is, I almost enrolled there recently because I’ve heard so many good things about Gold‘s Gym from their clients (talent manager/entertainment writer Jojo Gabinete swears by it). The only thing that stopped me and is still stopping me is the fact that I want my gym to be walking distance from my house (like I indicated in my column). Sure, I can walk to Robinsons Galleria from North Greenhills (I did that during EDSA II), but would I survive the pollution along the way? As soon as they put up a branch in Greenhills, however, I will be the first to sign up because I like what I saw during my observation tour of their Galleria gym (surely they must apply the same efficient system in their other branches).
After a week of gym talk, I’m just very happy to report to our physical fitness enthusiasts out there that the three major fitness centers in this country – through their officers – have promised to be even more receptive to the concerns (okay, complaints) of their respective clients and that they will improve all the more their services to better please their members.
I know that this will not solve the problem of poverty in this country and neither would this boost our economy (or hopefully stop the politicking all over). But then, we just have to admit the fact that in this very stressful life we go through every single day, going to the gym and fitness centers have become part of modern living.