Private club-gym

HIGHLY personalised and holistic - that's what Gravity wants to be. Singapore, with its pool of high powered executives, is where the company is rolling out its top-of-the-range fitness and private club concept, as a prototype for other cities in the world.

"It's a new brand meant to address the needs of members who are looking for quality integrated programme between fitness and wellness," says Simon Flint, CEO of Fitness First Asia.

Gravity was developed from a survey of 2,500 senior executives in Fitness First's membership base. "Ninety five per cent of the respondents told us that they were interested to explore more exclusive propositions. They'd be willing to pay a premium for personalised fitness and healthcare," he says.

The US$9 million club and gym is designed like a private club, with private working spaces, meeting room, top-of-the-line equipment and experienced trainers. It also provides its members access to a suite of wellness practitioners like nutritionists and craniosacral therapists.

"It's about peak performance for the executive who wants to get the most out of every day, and the way we've designed the space is to give it an intimate feel, even for group exercises," says Mr Flint. The aerial yoga classes will be held next to the infinity lap pool group classes, where there are also some equipment for those training for a triathlon.

"We've really paid attention to extra details, even to the extent of creating our own signature scent and providing Ayurveda-based toiletries, so that there's a six-star hotel standard environment," he adds.

A restaurant on the top floor of the building, with views of Marina Bay and serving healthy Mediterranean cuisine, will further cater to members to have healthy cuisine or meetings with guests when it opens in October.

Members pay a joining fee of S$3,000 and S$600 in monthly fees, but membership will be capped at 999, Mr Flint explains, so that personal attention isn't compromised.

Why does he think Gravity will be a success in Singapore? "We believe that the people who will be our members are competitive by nature ... so we'll also be designing personal challenges for them to achieve their goals or to see where they stand in their peer group. It's about engaging members," he notes.

To indicate how serious Gravity is about personal wellness, it has even tied up with a health services provider, Sprim, to conduct trials and tests, and to publish its findings based on member participation of specific trials and outcomes.

"We want to be an incubator of new technology and fitness methodology; such cutting-edge developments will then be shared with the Fitness First brand which may in turn have the effect of elevating the standards of the industry as a whole," concludes Mr Flint.

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