Gyms

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In keeping with a global trend, gyms are becoming more and more popular in Indonesia's urban areas, attracting a growing number of health-conscious professionals, especially. The trend is even more pronounced in Indonesia because the outdoor environment of most cities is not exactly conducive to doing exercise. A lack of green areas, clogged streets and sidewalks from hell all act as incentives for people to join their local health club to keep fit.

Most large-city hotels have their own gym that is open not only to hotel guests but to the public. There are also many independent gyms, including franchises of international brands like Gold's Gym, Clark Hatch and Fitness First. Very popular also is the locally owned Celebrity Fitness, which has several clubs in Jakarta and Surabaya. Gyms often offer additional facilities like saunas, steam rooms, relaxation rooms and cafés; some have swimming pools. Generally, if you join a hotel gym you'll be entitled to use the hotel pool. Lying poolside ordering cocktails isn't a bad option for a hot, lazy Sunday.

On top of the usual gym equipment, bigger gyms also provide scheduled classes for aerobics, yoga, spinning, Pilates and the like. If you need some guidance and advice, or someone just to motivate you to do the hard work, personal trainers are available.

Some gyms will charge you a registration fee and then you'll be able to pay monthly or for a whole year to get a slightly cheaper deal. Some gyms offer family or corporate packages with better rates. If you're not quite sure whether it's the right place for you or not, you may be given a free 1-day trial. You can expect to pay as little as Rp 150,000/month or Rp 1.5 million/year (US$17 or $170) for a basic place, up to Rp 500,000/month or Rp 5 million/year (US$55 or $550) for a more sophisticated club. An hour's session with a personal trainer will set you back between Rp 100,000 and Rp 150,000.

Contributor: Nick Aarons

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