KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 ― Imagine waking up at the crack of dawn to head to some padang so you can flip heavy truck tyres, do squats, push-ups and run up a hill with a 10 kilogramme sandbag for the next hour together with a bunch of other huffing and puffing adults.

When fitness bootcamps first appeared on the scene here in 2010, many people thought they would die a natural death once the hype was over. After all, these almost military-style fitness group classes were pretty gruelling. 

Coach Faizal showing how to flip a truck tyre as part of the bootcamp training. ― Picture courtesy of OBC

Five years on, fitness bootcamps are not only still around... they are proving to be quite the money maker with owners earning RM20,000 upwards a month.

Unlike traditional gyms where heavy and expensive machines are necessary purchases, the equipment needed to start a bootcamp are just a few old tyres, sandbags, medicine balls, ropes and steel bars to make a pull-up station.

Because these are relatively cheap, the start-up cost of a bootcamp can be as low as RM5,000. Of course this can rise to between RM30,000 and RM40,000 depending on the number of locations and coaches hired.

Senior coaches are paid about RM4,000 while junior and part timers earn close to RM2,000 a month. Field rentals range between RM50 and RM100 a month.

OBC members stretching out after a one hour of gruelling workout. ― Picture courtesy of OBC

A check on several top bootcamps in the Klang Valley showed that the average monthly enrolment fee is about RM300 per person and members can also purchase daily passes for about RM30 each.

With most bootcamp operators having an average of about 150 members on any given month, this is definitely a lucrative business to get into.

There are about 10 major fitness bootcamp operators in the Klang Valley with a few other smaller ones operating at some small padangs here and there.

Managing Director, MCX Fitness Sdn Bhd, Daing Danial Fitri speaks to Malay Mail Online during an interview in Petaling Jaya. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

MetconX managing director and head coach Daing Daniel Fitri said he saw a return on his investment within a year after kicking off at several locations.

“The number of members just started flowing since we initiated MetconX in 2010 and I managed to get back what I invested in about four months,” he said, adding that all five of his trainers are senior and qualified coaches.

Coach Dixon from MetconX showing some of the exercises performed during a bootcamp session. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

With just about 80 members when MetconX first started, Daing said they now have about 150 members.

Original Bootcamp (OBC) co-founder Faizal Ariff said the way to sustain the business is to ensure the intake of members does not dwindle.

“This is not hard to achieve as bootcamp is a family and members who join us tend to feel that sense of belonging after just a month. You wouldn't want to leave your 'family' after a month, would you?” said the former gym trainer.

“You become friends after a month because the programme forces you to interact with one another during the workout session. And after each sessions, they go for breakfast together and I sometimes join them,” he said, adding that bootcampers also arrange hikes and runs over the weekend.

Suresh Supramaniam, 46, is one such member. He has been with OBC for over two years and finds bootcamp suits him better than traditional gyms. He used to hate doing pull-ups and would struggle to do even one. “Now with the motivation I get from my peers and the coaches, I can do about five reps and probably two sets of that.”

MetconX participants stretching out after a gruelling workout. ― Picture courtesy of MetconX

Bootcamp has also helped Suresh build his stamina. “Today not only can I run 10 kilometres in about an hour or so, I have also completed several full marathons last year and the year before,” he said.

Like Suresh, I too have benefited from bootcamp. After six months, I lost five kilogrammes of fat and gained four kilogrammes of lean mass. I don't think I would have been able to push myself to such limits if not for the coaches and the training regime.

OBC's Faizal said that another reason why members enjoy bootcamp is the coaches.

He said OBC coaches are there to mentor and assist bootcampers in every high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout session. Then there are the programmes which are always different.

“This way you will not be bored and trainees see results quicker doing what they enjoy doing,” he said.

Two participants flipping a truck tyre while being watched by OBC trainer Faizal. ― Picture courtesy of OBC

On whether members leave after some months, Faizal said this does occur but pointed out that a majority of them stayed.

At the moment, OBC has two full-time coaches, including Faizal, and seven part-time trainers.

Several big multi-nationals like Air Asia, Shell and Hewlett Packard (HP) have also turned to bootcamps as alternatives to the conventional team building programmes. This has given the industry an additional boost.

Not only does bootcamp help the staff of these companies bond with each other, there is the additional benefit of helping them lose weight.

Daing said his team takes up at least three offers each year to train corporate employees.

“We have conducted a 90-day body transformation programme for employees in Shell and they have seen some good results since,” he said.

Coach Dixon from MetconX showing an exercise performed during a bootcamp session. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Daing said he gave corporate companies a discount of between 30 and 40 per cent, explaining that corporate trainings are cheaper because modules are designed for trainees to use fewer equipment.

Apart from MetconX, Original Bootcamp has also conducted a bootcamp session with AirAsia Asia founder Tony Fernandes and some of his staff.

Rebel Bootcamp founder Shamil Tan Kwang Loong said bootcamp may have reached a matured level here but does not think the industry will take a downward turn.

“It is highly unlikely that the industry would shift downwards because members keep coming back and that is the trend we have been seeing since April 2010,” he said.

Rebel Bootcamp founder Shamil Tan monitoring some young participants during a tug of war session. ― Picture courtesy of Rebel Bootcamp

Although the monthly fee for bootcamps are slightly more expensive than a gym membership, Tan said people still preferred bootcamp as it has the “personal touch” between a member and a coach.

“At a gym, you work out alone and some are not quite sure what they are doing but at a bootcamp, coaches are constantly there guiding you during that one hour of training,” he said.

Managing Director of MCX Fitness Sdn Bhd, Daing Danial Fitri (right) and Operating Manager of MCX Fitness Sdn Bhd, Regina Ho. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

MetconX operations manager Regina Ho said a thesis she did some years ago showed that fitness enthusiasts preferred outdoor workouts than indoor gyms.

“This shows that bootcamp is a thriving industry and people will constantly want to become part of this 'movement' to adopt a healthier lifestyle.” she said.