How Virgin Active is choosing to flex its muscles amidst changing consumer needs

The gym industry in Singapore has become more diverse in its offerings, and saturated over the years. From the rise of smaller, boutique gyms with specialised offerings and trainers, to mobile gyms and home workout, big gym brands now need to innovate to remain relevant - at least, that’s according to Julien Bera, country director, Southeast Asia of Virgin Active.

According to Virgin Active’s Singapore Fitness Trends Study 2024, consumers are now seeking for gyms that fulfil their diverse needs at once, and 87% of gym members state that recovery spaces are a need at the gym. Meanwhile 73% of the respondents surveyed answered recreational spaces, and 71% answered wellness program. Even a fairly large amount of gym users (60%) said community-focused social bonding activities are an important offering at the gym.

These needs are on top of their work-out needs like the freedom and flexibility to choose different workout activities and the quality of workout experiences and classes offered at gyms.

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“This is especially timely in an era where the boundaries between work, social life, and personal well-being are increasingly fluid,” said Bera in an interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

“In addition, the convergence of wellness and fitness will become even more pronounced, and gyms need to adapt to this shift by offering services and programs that embrace this holistic approach.”

As such, Virgin Active has gone beyond traditional gym models to provide an end-to-end combination of physical, mental wellness and recovery facilities, added Bera. This is especially with the gym’s belief that one’s experience should be holistic and seamless.

Our lives have evolved as with our need. The future of the industry requires us to go beyond creating spaces simply for fitness.

What are modern consumers looking for?

In Virgin Active’s study, it found that gym members have three key goals when at the gym. The goals being to relax and relieve stress, to perform short and efficient workouts, as well as to prevent and recover from injuries.

In addition, it also found that the most popular group workouts offerings in Singapore are Yoga (31%), HIIT (25%) and Indoor Cycling (19%).

The inability to meet consumers needs can be dire. Just last year, Pure Yoga and Pure Fitness' Suntec City branch shut down in September. According to the company, a key consideration to the closure was the evolving business scene in Singapore leading to the reshuffling of resources to optimise offerings.

Pure Yoga and Pure Fitness were not the only brands to face headwinds last year. Notably UFC Gym also shut its doors earlier in 2023.

To keep up with evolving trends, Virgin Active has invested close to SG$5 million to transform its clubs into premier wellness havens in Singapore. This looks like the addition of dedicated zones and specialist programmes that members can look forward to.

Some improved club experiences include a Singapore-exclusive Fitness Therapy Zones, revamped studios, bikes and specialist programmes for ‘Cycle’ and newly renovated spaces for ‘GRID’ – the gym’s offering for HIIT programme.

The Fitness Therapy Zones, added Bera, include premium devices from health technology company Hyperice such as massage guns and leg compression boots to boost muscle recovery before and after workouts.

“As someone who frequents the gym, I enjoy the versatility of our reformer pilates specialised programmes which supports my daily lifestyle outside of the gym,” explained Bera.

The reformer pilates specialised programmes have become a favourite workout of Bera, who added that it helps him stretch and soften tissues.

Beyond Singapore

It seems like the consumer’s needs for gyms to have various offerings is something that goes beyond Singapore too.

Hong Kong gym chain PURE Group launched its new reformer pilates brand in December 2023. Also known as "pureform reformer pilates", the brand offers seven types of classes including Flow, Burn, Core, Classical, Garuda, Jump Abroad and Stretch.

While it targets all Hong Kongers regardless of gender or age, the primary audience includes individuals who are interested in body toning, core strengthening, posture enhancement and flexibility improvement. The brand is exclusively available at six PURE Yoga studios and two PURE Fitness locations in Hong Kong.

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