Jayachandran Tamilarasan, content creator, fitness coach and founder of The Crew Fitness Chennai, has sparked an online conversation after releasing a series of videos advising aspiring entrepreneurs to avoid doing gym business in Chennai. Also read | Chennai Construction Worker Builds Ripped Abs with Carbs and 5 Days of Gym: Idli Dosa Diet without White Rice for All 3 Meals
In a candid two-part series titled ‘Don’t start a gym business in Chennai’, Jayachandran pulls back the curtain on an industry that, despite the ‘glamorous’ image projected on social media, is struggling under the weight of high costs and the mental health crisis. The Instagram videos posted on May 14th and 15th serve as a somber reminder that “full houses” isn’t always a lucrative business.
The illusion and reality of social media
Jayachandran argues that the “packed gyms” and “motivational edits” you see on Instagram are often a facade. He says digital marketing agencies often force founders to talk about squatting and losing weight, but ignore the overall business failures that are happening behind the scenes.
“If you look at social media, elite transformations, packed gyms, communities, random events, clubs, 99 percent of it is fake,” Jayachandran warns. “No one talks about the one thing that is actually true: rents, low profit margins, burnout, the mental stress experienced by owners, fear of losing coaches, fear of losing customers,” he added.
The financial and mental burden of running a gym
Jayachandran says the industry is currently in a state of quiet collapse, with many gyms being put up for sale in Chennai alone. The main problem, according to the gym founder, is that most gym owners enter the field driven by passion rather than business acumen. This creates a disconnect between “thriving” floors and failing bank accounts.
“Most of the gym owners are experiencing panic attacks, stress levels and debt problems. No one talks about this,” he says, adding, “Society thinks gym business is attractive because gyms are coming and business is flourishing… 99 per cent of gyms are suffering, except for a few brands in Chennai who can actually rotate funds from other sources.”
Jayachandran highlights key challenges such as high rent and operating costs and low profit margins, a constant “fear of losing coaches” to competitors, high pressure to maintain “retention” in a saturated market, and lack of business training. He said gym owners are often “former trainers, athletes or coaches,” who may lack expertise in capital investments and marketing campaigns.
Advice for fitness enthusiasts
Jayachandran clarified that his warning was not to hinder fitness, but to prevent financial ruin for his “brethren” in the coaching community. He suggests that if a passion for fitness is your main driver, there are more sustainable ways to monetize your fitness without incurring the overhead of a physical facility.
“If you want to start a gym in Chennai, passion alone is not enough. You need a basic understanding of how cash flow works,” he explains, adding, “My advice is to become a personal trainer or start an online training community. There are plenty of weekend clubs. Try starting something like that.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified or endorses this claim.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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