Bhubaneswar, Feb. 6: Six-packs, washboard abs and bulging biceps have become the order of the day. And with Bollywood hunks and divas flaunting their perfectly sculpted bodies on the silver screen, many people in the capital are realising the importance of a good physique. No one wants to sport a paunch.

While young men pump iron in gymnasiums, which have mushroomed in the past seven or eight years, well-heeled older health-freaks sweat it out at air-conditioned health clubs.

Bhubaneswar, where the fitness culture gained momentum after 2005, has 70 gyms, most of them claiming to have state-of-the-art equipment.

The city also has two government-run gymnasiums at Kalamandap Yogic Centre and Baulagada, Old Town, managed by the state directorate of sports and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, respectively. There is a proposal to set up another facility at Unit-I indoor hall by the directorate of sports.

“There is no doubt that the gym culture has gained popularity with more and more youngsters willing to work out for hours. All of them want a well-toned body,” said Hari Prasad Patnaik, who owns nine gyms in the city and has been training people for 40 years.

A well-equipped gym, often referred to as multigym, requires an investment of around Rs 10 lakh, including air-conditioning. Such facilities have hydraulic equipment. Considering the investment, monthly charges between Rs 200 and Rs 1,000 a month appear to be quite cheap. Some of the owners have even bought franchises of popular health clubs.

“With this kind of investment, along with other monthly expenses such as electricity charges and remuneration of the trainers, we have to ensure that we recover our money. But the charge is less as compared to other cities,” said the owner of a gym at Saheed Nagar.

A large number of people in their fifties are also joining gyms. If they can’t lift weights, they engage in lighter exercises such as cycling, rowing and walking on the treadmill.

As for the youth, most appear to have been influenced by film and television, where heroes and villains drop shirts at the slightest provocation to flash their well-toned bodies. The internet, too, exerts considerable influence in this regard. “Good physique really matters. And with playgrounds slowly disappearing from the city, the youth find gyms the best way to remain fit and look good,” said Satyajit Swain, a student who spends nearly two hours at the gym everyday.

The taboo on girls visiting gyms is passé and they can be seen doing aerobics at many of these facilities across the city. “Everybody wants to look pretty and slim. Rather than walking up early, it is better to visit the gym,” said Sravani, who visits a multi gym on regular basis.

Gym-owners expect booming business in the coming days. “During the next five years, more gyms will come up because the craze is growing. People are also willing to take up jobs of gym trainers as a serious career option,” said Hari Patnaik.