Gyms cash in on soca sweat

WE are in the 2025 Carnival season in Trinidad and Tobago, with soca dominating the airwaves. The countdown is on to get fit to play mas and attend your favourite fetes, as gyms across the country will be catering to those soca lovers and make their workout sessions more enjoyable.

The gyms are not only seeing an increase in membership because of Carnival, as many people normally set health goals for the new year.

Not only will the gyms be busy over the next two months as people will be flocking to their neighbourhood parks and recreation grounds to shed a few pounds and get fit.

"We have ramped up our class offerings, so next week we will be bringing on new, dynamic classes. We are looking to basically catch the interest of newcomers to the gym," said Kahlil Ramsubhag, director and co-founder of The Bar by the Beast.

Gyms offer a variety of classes during the year, with the popular spin class being one of the options.

Why not have fun doing those classes during the Carnival season?

"Spin is always one of the most popular classes you would get, but we have zumba, aerobics, we are thinking of bringing in tae bo (and) a soca class."

Speaking more about the soca class at the Grand Bazaar-based gym, Ramsubhag said, "Honestly, you need to make it fun, especially for newcomers. You want to make it engaging. So (in) a soca class, you play the oldies, the classics, the new soca music. You get people moving, they have fun, they enjoy themselves, they wine a little bit and they still get their workout in."

Director at the Fitness Centre Rana Ibrahim, a gym with four locations across the country, said classes will be altered during the Carnival season.

"We take what our clients tell us – we value that feedback. Always during our Carnival season, especially in our spin classes, we have soca-themed spin classes. We will try to pump as much new and old soca (as possible) to get people in the groove. It also helps with a lot of foreigners that come to visit us. It gives them a chance to experience what a Trini workout session would be."

Although people are trying to get fit for Carnival, most have been registering at The Bar by the Beast after setting personal goals.

Ramsubhag said, "What we have found this year, surprisingly, the crowd we are seeing coming in for Carnival – a lot of them are not coming with the intention of getting fit to play mas on Monday or Tuesday...a lot of clients (are) coming in and saying, 'We are not here for Carnival, we just want to make a lifestyle change.' This is something we want moving forward."

People flocking to the gym

Ramsubhag said, "We are seeing, as of this week, a big influx of clients coming back in, because December is typically a slower month for us. We are seeing the crowds coming back. We are seeing a lot of new clients, actually, in the last three days...it shows a renewed interest in the health and fitness field."

The Fitness Centre has also seen more numbers.

"We have definitely seen a marked increase coming out of Christmas, because of the Carnival season, and also because you have a lot of people that do the whole 'New year, new me,' and we are very welcoming at Fitness Centre to all aspects of fitness and whatever your goals may be."

For International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation elite pro women’s physique athlete Marisa Khan-Lutchman, exercising is part of her weekly routine.

She is encouraging people to continue after the Carnival season.

"You will come in the gym for two months hoping for some kind of miracle, but that is not going to happen. You are not going to see results in a month or two...it has to be a lifestyle."

Gyms plan to capitalise on tax-free equipment

On September 30, 2024, Minister of Finance Colm Imbert said in the budget that from January 1, 2025 the government would "exempt all sporting equipment from taxes and duty, with the exception of clothing."

Asked if the Fitness Centre would use the opportunity to buy more equipment, Ibrahim said, "A 1,000 per cent yes! That made my 2025. I was so excited, because it definitely opens up a lot more wiggle room in our budget to do much-needed upgrades and also just to keep in the trend of fitness.

"Definitely you are going to see, within the next couple of months and all throughout the year, upgrades happening within all of our branches because we don't have this tax any more."

People may also consider buying equipment for their homes because of the tax exemptions on equipment, and as a result may go to a gym less often.

Ibrahim is not concerned, as working out around others is needed at times.

"To be honest, I think humans are social creatures. Yes, we all love our space, our alone time, but there comes a point in any human's life that you need social touch...

"People will do a bit of both. They would save their workouts for home when they are running short on time, and if they want to drop in to do a class with their friends or take a small pump before the fete, I definitely see that people will be frequenting the gym throughout."

Khan-Lutchman has also welcomed the opportunity to buy equipment without taxes. As a personal trainer with 15 clients, she said, "I have a personal gym at home where I train clients...I will be capitalising on that.

"The plan is by the end of the year to bring in everything that I need to get."

Ramsubhag said The Bar by the Beast has also started to benefit from the tax exemption on equipment.