Delhi's decides to give its fitness resolutions the cold shoulder

In a rather cold January, Mind proves no match for Matter.
Gyming in January is generally a crowded affair While during the rest of the year, one sees a few, regular, familiar faces pumping iron and pounding the treadmill, January is the month that has large numbers of recruits joining, feeling the burn and then subsequently quitting.This lemming like behaviour can be associated with the resolution making fever that develops around the New Year period. There is something about the start of each year that makes people try to reform their habits and enact a lifestyle change. Perhaps due to the fat gained partying and holidaying over the New Year, one of the most common resolutions is to get fit. Gyms cash in, promising hopefuls 6 pack abs and shapely pecs. "We usually see a boost of 30 to 40 percent in new memberships in this (New Year) period as compared to other months" says Sangeeta Bist, Centre Manager at Esporta, R K Puram. Similar numbers exist for gyms in Mumbai.
It's 6 in the evening on January 18th at Esporta, rush hour by gym standards. There are just four persons working out in the 10000 sq ft gym where monthly memberships go for Rs.5000. It's a bizarre sight, but one that's common in gyms across the capital this year."Forget about new memberships, even our pre-existing customers are missing sessions. Our daily walk-in number is down to 40 from 120 in other months"says Sangeeta Bist of Esporta. A similar story is repeated at Fitness Core at Vasant Vihar, Gold’s in Rohini and Talwalkars in GK-2 market.Sangeeta blames it on the cold weather-the temperature is around 13 degrees or several degrees below normal at the time I spoke to her. "Its so cold that people don't want to get out of their beds. Even in the evenings people would rather go straight home than work out" "But the gym is heated" I say. "Arre, but par thand me hi to aana padtha hai naa?(they have to come in the cold right?)" she retorts.
The gym floors are unheated and consequently emptier at the Muscle Beach Gym in Munirka. A lone man is cranking out his reps on the bench press machine. His breath turns white in the cold basement. "Only the true hard - core fitness junkies will come these days" says Akash Thakur a trainer.Of course there are those who seethe positive side of the situation. "Usually the floor is crowded with new comers this time. Most have no idea how to gym. So it's good to have some space to do your own thing. I don't have to wait for my turn on the equipment" said Neeraj the lonely gym rat training at Muscle Beach.

Management however, is not taking January’s low turn out too seriously. I came across no special offers or discounts in the gyms I visited although centre managers at ESPORTA and Gold’s said that they offer counselling to hold on to existing customers. A trainer at Fitness Core,Vasant Vihar who wished to remain anonymous said "Right now its really cold, but as soon as people start to notice that tyre building up around their belly they are going to come. People like to come at the start of a month, so I’m guessing things will pick up from the first of February." Äkash, trainer at the spartan Muscle Beach gym scoffs at such spinelessness anddismisses the entire concept of New Year fitness resolutions. "Those who do come here on the basis of New Year resolutions don't last. If twenty such people show up on day one, I can expect only one or two to become regulars" he grunts.