Brand Stories

Location.  Location.  Location

From working up a sweat on a spin bike to rebalancing mind and body in a yoga studio, the gym is the place to be for the health—conscious and urban hotspot Taipei has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

Location.  Location.  Location

From working up a sweat on a spin bike to rebalancing mind and body in a yoga studio, the gym is the place to be for the health—conscious and urban hotspot Taipei has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

Nestled alongside trendy shops, independent fashion stores, bakeries and coffee shops you will find the über cool Taipei gym XareFit. We gave you a sneak peek, pre—opening, back in December 2018, but since that time the tech—savvy club now boasts a second location and is gearing up for a third!

XareFit is not alone in its choice of trendy metropolitan locations, it joins the growing number of small, independent or boutique gyms who select sites in busy locations close to popular retail and urban residential areas, however, the challenge is the more central the locale, the more difficult it is to find the ideal spot either due to high rents or smaller square footage.  Floorplanning is very important, designing for a small gym can be a planning puzzle, where space is tight and studio, lockers and reception all reign equally important to clients and staff.

Space—wise, generally (urban) gyms need high ceilings, multi—functional open floor areas, good air ventilation systems and a highly visible frontage to energise the entrance and show what actually goes on inside, so achieving the right balance is key to success.  XareFit’s compact locations hit the nail on its head through its smart blueprint and multiple options for working out.  With copious amounts of natural light and a stellar view, the Intenza cardio lineup is front and centre at Xarefit’s Neihu branch whose floor planning follows the Rule of Quarters.

As a rule of thumb, it’s usual to allot one quarter of the total floor space for each of the major categories: cardio space with treadmills, ellipticals and indoor bikes placed toward the front of the facility, ideally where the windows are to take advantage of the view.  In the middle, selectorised equipment such as multi—gyms and cable machines that form an easy—flow workout circuit for specialised muscle groups; and towards the back big iron: plate—loaded weight training equipment complete with racks and accessories.  The last quarter is usually reserved for fitness mats, stability balls and dumbbells. Traditionally mixed with big iron, facilities now often separate these areas for reasons of space efficiency or gender comfort.

The New Happy Hour

The fitness market is evolving at an incredible pace, with new business models, training concepts and trends emerging constantly.  The gym has emerged as the new place in which to gather, even replacing the pub or nightclub for many young urbanites.  According to the second edition of the IHRSA Asia—Pacific Health Club Report (in collaboration with Deloitte) more than 25,000 health clubs, gyms and studios serve the Asia—Pacific fitness industry which is now worth USD 16.8 billion.  This demonstrates that the health and fitness industry in the APAC region is in good shape; fueled by growing economies with significant potential for continued growth.  And furthermore according to Alan MacCharles, partner at Deloitte China: “overall market penetration is on an upward trajectory, reflecting an increasing awareness of health and club memberships.” The health club industry in the region is robust and with the next horizon for fitness being the ability to be “well” anywhere, anytime and, of course, trackable, independent clubs such as XareFit, with their in—house progress monitoring app, will become the new norm.

“Wellth” Investment

As fitness centres become a city centre staple other retail businesses looking to capitalise on the steady foot traffic offer a myriad of shopping opportunities.  Modern gym—goers are obsessed about researching everything from their nutrition and dietary needs, to the efficacy of the latest workout or sportswear.  A health—and—wellness craze is creating clusters of juice bars, spas and similar retailers around popular fitness centres energising urban retail locations; and with health and wellbeing now firmly entrenched as part of 21st century living, today’s “wellth” conscious consumer now places greater value on health and wellness over material goods. #howfitnessshouldfeel