When English footballer, Chris Feather came to Australia on a working holiday visa with a mate, he had little idea that he would soon be training Russell Crowe. Or that one day, he would be heading up 98 Gyms with the Hollywood star as a silent partner.
Feather and his associates belong to one of Australia’s growth industries with fitness centre revenues expected to reach $2.4 billion by 2023, according to a report by international market researcher IbisWorld. But `Ibis’ also cautions that the market is in danger of reaching saturation point.
Spearheading the boost in fitness is the rise and rise of 24/7 fitness chains, which allow entry at any time of the day or night. These budget 24-hour gyms mostly operate with out staff, and wage savings flow down to consumers in the form of cheaper membership prices.
So far, 98 Gyms has survived Covid lockdowns and their focus is very different to the 24/7 ethos. it’s all spelt out on the website:
“At 98 we always want more from our performance, both physically and mentally. We know that the way we approach our time in the gym will translate to the way we approach every aspect of our lives. Under pressure, we’ll only ever be as good as our training. That’s why we train so hard. We build resilience.”
Currently there’s two 98 Gyms, the original in 98 Riley Street in Sydney’s Darlinghurst and another in Bondi. In the next few months there will be a 98 Newcastle with perhaps Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne also on the drawing board.
There’s a certain kudos in training at 98 Gym. It’s almost like a sacred brotherhood/sisterhood of pain and gain with members following programs that will really test their limits.
“Our gym is based around performance and being fit and strong. The primary focus is executing the programs and the resulting aesthetics is a by product of that,” says Feather, who once played rugby league for Leeds and Bradford in the UK. “Our trainers are ex-professional athletes or ex-Special Forces military,” he adds. “We’ve done that type of training in a high performance environment so we know that it works.”
And while there’s a certain novelty in visiting a 24/7 gym whenever the mood takes you, Feather believes the key to the longevity of the business is in the trainers.
“Gyms need to have substance,” he says. “People are not just turning up to use the equipment but for the community and the camaraderie. It’s the coaching aspect. They want their trainer to explain why they’re doing what they’re doing,” he comments.
It doesn’t come cheap to be a part of the action at 98 Gyms. A 10 class pass is $300 with class membership at $79 a week, plus there’s plenty of brand merchandise, brimming with street cred.
Feather is often being approached now to franchise 98 Gyms but he’s not interested in losing control of them.
"The biggest thing for us is that we don’t want to dilute the product,” he says. "We’re only interested in working with people we know, who have followed our programs and share our fitness philosophy.”
Meanwhile he spends most of the week in 98 Riley Street and 98 Bondi, actively training his clients and joining in challenges. These exercises build on legendary feats that inform the brand’s social media following.
And it’s social media which provides a boost to the fitness industry, according to Fitness Australian Chief Executive, Bill Moore. He believes that it’s ``the fitspo generation” of Instagram Influencers and celebrities has many more people interested in the "physicality of exercise."
However ultimately it all comes down to the way you want to train. Those solitary sessions in the early hours of the morning at a 24/7 gym, can feel just as empowering as being around like minded souls and sweating it out. Who can say which works best.
ABOUT THE WRITER Ros Reines is a Sydney journalist and the author of four books. She is currently penning her fifth - a memoir of a life in the media.
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BusinessRenting Or Buying? The Big Housing QuestionDoes it make better economic sense to buy or rent a property now? According to Curtin University’s property guru, senior property lecturer Dr J-Han Ho, it’s an issue which requires careful research and consideration. "Housing is the goto investment for many people," he says."But unfortunately that well known saying 'as safe as houses' is not exactly correct. "Houses don’t always increase in value. Some property in this current economic period has gone down in value. So, many people would be in negative equity right now because they put all their assets into their home. But it could be just a case of the wrong time and in the wrong location." While Dr Ho acknowledges that interest rates have rarely been lower since the Reserve Bank Of Australia pruned the official cash rate to 0.1% with the promise that they will not rise greatly for at least the next three to five years, he believes there’s many other factors to consider. "There’s still a lot of uncertainty around employment and the economy particularly in New South Wales, Victoria and now possibly South Australia with a recent Covid outbreak there," he explains. "And at the same time the cost of housing is just way more expensive especially in NSW and Victoria, so the risk of defaulting is higher." Meanwhile, according to a 2019 study by EY (formerly Ernest & Young) those who rent properties may be better off than buyers. This is especially pertinent at the moment with rents falling in Sydney and Melbourne through less demand, especially from international students and also those who have found it safest to return to their family homes amid Covid. In a detailed analysis on renting versus buying, EY reached a conclusion that, over a 10-year period, the renter comes out better off with more disposable income available. And for the young, who wish to benefit from government initiatives including the First Home Buyers Grants, there’s plenty of risks in buying a property at this time, according to Dr Ho. "Whenever we have job losses, the younger people with less experience and training are the ones in the firing line. Instead it’s the Goldilocks zones - those between 30 and 40 with at least 10 years job experience and training, who have a better chance of staying employed," he says. Dr Ho further argues that millennials often go into the housing market blindly without thinking about their future mobility. "They may consider moving interstate or overseas, he explains. "And their needs might also be very different as they mature, so they’re no longer interested in the ultimate bachelor pad but somewhere to bring up a family close to child care, shops, transport and schools." And while lenders are currently more flexible when it comes to deposits, which helps to attract new borrowers, Dr Ho is also not convinced that this is a good thing. "In their golden era, the banks preferred a deposit of 20%. This was not just about creating a good buffer against defaults but it indicated that the person applying for that loan had the financial control to manage their funds and save for that deposit. By these implications, they would also be good at paying off their mortgage," he says. On the other hand, those hoping to take advantage of low interest rates with an investment property are also advised to spend time on research, according to Dr Ho. "There’s a big difference in housing investments and other investments." he explains. "If you are clear about investing in the share market versus investing in houses, I would say invest in the share market because it’s what you understand Housing is the investment that most people will go into without doing as much homework. For example, before someone puts in $10,000 to buy BHP shares, they would put in 50 hours of research in understanding how to invest money in shares," he says. "But those same people might just spend a few hours looking for houses which are a much greater investment. It just doesn’t make any sense." Dr Ho finally cautions that there’s no easy prescription to renting or buying in this climate with so many different factors involved. "The best advice," he says, "is just not to rush into anything." ABOUT THE WRITER Ros Reines is a Sydney journalist and the author of four books. She is currently penning her fifth - a memoir of a life in the me -
Australian Life, StyledAnyone Home? The Art Of Unexpected EntertainingHow to embrace the simple joy of having people over again? Forget fancy dinner parties and celebrity-inspired entertaining, humble is the new black in hospitality. During the peak of Covid lockdowns, the art of “popping in” on someone had become as redundant as hotel buffets; a seemingly lost social relic of the past.. Our innocence, along with a decent dose of spontaneity was lost this past year, but as we slowly return to our regular programming, I for one am desperate to reengage with an in-person chinwag over a cuppa, rather than a fuzzy FaceTime call.. And as we approach longer days and warmer nights, the call of the cicadas and waft of mosquito repellent is finally luring us back into the habit of “having people over.”. That’s right, not “hosting” or even “entertaining”, just the simple joy of having your neighbour unexpectedly pop in; or inviting a colleague over after work without even being sure if last night’s dishes are still stacked in the sink; or catching up with some friends for a quick afternoon drink only to fire up the barbecue hours later for dinner. This new era of entertaining isn’t about creating the most Instagram worthy-dinner party with seven courses, matched wines, layered crockery and handmade linen napkins. This is about blissfully informal fare, enjoying the company of others and using paper towel in lieu of napkins. Because the best part is, it’s not planned for. Even as a child I remember our family calling into friend’s houses for a “quick visit” only for all the kids to be sprawled on the loungeroom carpet four hours later watching Hey Hey its Saturday while the parents sat at the kitchen table talking and laughing. They were not fancy nights. They weren’t for the benefit of posting about it to social media. No one had dressed up. In all honesty, the most decadent thing we would have eaten was a supermarket vol-au-vent. For the most part it would have been chips and dips. Of course, there are some key products that allow us to accommodate friends and family in an unfussy, laidback way such as local wines, spirits and mixers, grab-and-go snack selections and an aromatic tea or coffee on constant standby; as well as homewares that create a cosy environment such as large platters and ottomans that double as a side table or extra seating. It is undeniable that there is something particularly Australian about hearty and generous hospitality — even when it’s not planned for. It’s in our DNA to make people feel at home; to always have enough to share among an unexpected guest or two. And it’s a gesture that is universally appreciated for the privilege that it is: an open invitation to be treated as part of the family. Shop the trend: Instant Entertaining ABOUT THE WRITER Anna Byrne grew up in Bendigo in regional Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she enjoyed a decade-long career as a columnist for the Herald Sun, becoming one of Australia’s most recognised lifestyle voices. Renowned for her insightful and humorous musings on the world of fashion and beyond, her take on style is both witty and refreshingly non-elitist. Anna loves musicals, McLaren Vale Chardonnay, the Melbourne footy club and can quote Muriel’s Wedding, verbatim. A passionate campaigner for small business, Anna is excited to join Buy Aussie Now as a freelance contributor.
