Senior fitness classes, a niche segment waiting to be tapped for Businesses

Providing exercise classes and other health and fitness services to the older generation is a business that will see good growth in the coming years, as brands and franchise owners seek to capitalize on an the aging Indian population.

More and more seniors and older adults (especially in Tier-1 cities) are now looking for gyms, fitness classes, and instructors that will help them stay active. In the last couple of years, older adults enrolling in fitness centers have grown, and there’s a decent demand from this segment.

People over 55 years old notice a difference in balance as they lose strength in their legs, and exercise helps those who have problems with arthritis and prevents them from falling. With the guidance of personal trainers, participants build back muscle mass and muscular strength, increase flexibility and cardiovascular endurance, and improve functional ability.

So do the seniors have any specific criteria? Yes, there are a few:

• They want low-impact exercises. They like aqua exercises, aerial yoga as it takes away weight and gravity on the knees, ankles, and other joints.
• They want classes later in the day
• They want to connect, they like the cameraderie
• They like music, keeps them engaged in fitness
• They want a good discount (they are senior-citizens)

Compared to the youngsters, the seniors want to take it a bit easy. So no very early morning sessions. They don’t want to rush anymore, but they want more connections.

Yoga, tai chi, walking groups, Zumba, seated strength training, and dance classes such as tap and ballroom, are quite popular with the seniors.