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 accustomed to for the past four months.
The 28-year-old man put on his headphones and jogged to warm up while about ten others worked hard. After midnight, covered in sweat, Hau returned home 10 kilometers 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 guy who works in the media industry has an irregular schedule, 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, 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., March 11. Photo: Ngoc Ngan
Pham Thanh Luong, 32, is a regular at the gym in District 10, with hours from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Luong works in the auto engineering industry, working 8-hour shifts every day but not 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."
According to a quick survey by VnExpress , Ho Chi Minh City currently has about 15 gyms operating 24/7, concentrated in District 3, District 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 working 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. Support units for customers working out at night include increased lighting, air conditioning, security staff and personal trainers (PT).
Gym goers at a gym in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 11pm, 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 going to the gym after 11 p.m. started to appear in 2018.
Mr. Tung said that people in big cities like Ho Chi Minh City have busy lives, high work demands and limited exercise time with gyms closing before 10pm. 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 recover physically and mentally. However, when there is no other choice, people can personalize their exercise time according to their biological clock. "People who work and are active at night can also exercise at night," said Mr. Tung.
He noted that nighttime exercise 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 exercise before bed can easily cause feelings of anxiety 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 slots being noon and afternoon. However, the schedule of this 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 aren’t many options. At first, he felt sleepy, but he got used to it and was satisfied. The empty gym made Phuong feel comfortable, and he didn’t have 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
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