People who work out at the gym all night in Saigon

At 11:30 p.m., after finishing his coffee date with a friend, Huy Hau drove to the gym in Go Vap district to start his two-hour workout as he has been doing for the past four months.

The 28-year-old man put on his headphones and jogged to warm up while about 10 others were diligently practicing. After midnight, covered in sweat, Hau returned to his home 10 km away.

"I work out late at night so the room is empty so I don't have to wait for the exercise machine, the space is quiet," Hau said. "I also don't like talking to strangers because it's easy to lose focus."

The young man works in the media industry, so his schedule is irregular, making it difficult to arrange workout sessions during the day. From 6-9pm, Hau usually spends time with friends and family, then has time for himself. Since finding a 24/7 gym in Go Vap, his late-night gym sessions have made him feel less guilty about missing a workout.

Gym goers at a gym in Go Vap district, Ho Chi Minh City at 10:45 p.m. on March 11. Photo: Ngoc Ngan

Pham Thanh Luong, 32, is a regular customer at the gym in District 10, with hours from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Luong works in the auto industry, working 8-hour shifts every day but with no fixed hours, often with unexpected work.

He said he was "addicted" to the feeling of working out after 7 years of pursuing bodybuilding (gym). Before that, Luong could not arrange a time to work out during the day, so he often went to the park with street workout groups at night. For the past six months, he has joined a gym with 24/7 service.

"I feel comfortable with the flexible schedule," Luong said. "There was a day when I got home from work at 1 a.m. and couldn't exercise, so I was restless."

A quick survey by VnExpress shows that Ho Chi Minh City currently has about 15 gyms operating 24/7, concentrated in Districts 3, 10, Go Vap and Binh Thanh.

A representative of a gym chain in Go Vap district said that the peak number of customers usually falls between 5-9pm. However, the system switched to a 24/7 model from 2021 due to customers' time demands. The number of customers who work out after midnight accounts for 5-10%, mainly introverts or busy people.

The gym system in District 10 said that the number of customers working out at night (after 11pm) has been increasing since July 2023, with an average of 20-30 customers per night, mainly office workers and celebrities with busy schedules. The service support unit for customers working out at night includes increased lighting, air conditioning, security staff and personal trainers (PT).

Gym goers at a gym in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 11pm on March 12. Photo: Ngoc Ngan

Mr. Nguyen The Thanh Tung, member of the Ho Chi Minh City Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Federation and CEO of CyberFit, said the trend of working out after 11 p.m. started to appear in 2018.

Mr. Tung believes that people in big cities like Ho Chi Minh City have busy lives, high work demands and limited exercise time with gyms closing before 10 p.m. 24/7 gyms were born in that context, aiming to expand the customer base that likes to exercise late.

Experts analyze the human body's mechanism, which is to work during the day and rest at night to restore both physical and mental health. However, when there is no other choice, people can personalize their exercise time according to their biological clock. "People who work and work at night can also exercise at night," said Mr. Tung.

He noted that nighttime workouts should be light exercises such as yoga, stretching, swimming, cycling, and moderate weight training with a maximum heart rate of no more than 60%. On the other hand, heavy and high-intensity workouts before bed can easily cause feelings of nervousness and difficulty sleeping.

"Exercise is good but you need to choose the right one," said Mr. Tung. "Exercisers need to learn carefully and get advice from experts and experienced trainers."

Nam Phuong, 27 years old, has been passionate about the gym for 5 years, with his favorite time being noon and afternoon. However, the schedule of the young man who creates content on social networks is quite tight, from 7am to 5pm every day.

He works out at the gym in District 10 several days a week because there are not many other options. At first, he felt sleepy, but he gradually got used to it and was satisfied. The empty gym made Phuong feel comfortable, not having to wait in line for the exercise machines like during rush hour.

"At least I disciplined myself and tried not to miss any gym sessions," Phuong said.

Ngoc Ngan

Source: https://vnexpress.net/nhung-nguoi-tap-gym-xuyen-dem-o-sai-gon-4721480.html