A second-hand Maruti Eeco has become an unexpected part of apartment fitness in Bengaluru. Loaded with dumbbells, kettlebells, slam balls, battle ropes and resistance bands, it carries the equipment trainers Rithwik Radhakrishnan and Bhoomika Jayanna need to bring group workouts closer to residents’ homes.
Their venture, Unleash 45, grew from a practical challenge they encountered while conducting sessions in residential communities. According to The Economic Times, some residents objected to outside trainers using their apartment gyms and equipment. The pair needed a way to continue coaching without depending on those facilities.
Both brought different experiences to the venture. Rithwik had spent more than a decade in competitive wrestling before becoming a physical education teacher. However, the job offered fewer opportunities to coach students in sports than he had hoped, encouraging him to pursue his interest in training.
Bhoomika had been dancing since she was five. Working as a dance instructor at a Bengaluru fitness chain helped her develop her understanding of movement, body mechanics and exercise, eventually drawing her further into fitness.
The two met while coaching at the same fitness centre. By 2024, they had moved into freelance training and were conducting group workouts at apartment complexes across the city.
When access to community equipment became a challenge, they explored carrying their own. Rithwik had seen examples of mobile gyms in Europe, giving them a starting point for a Bengaluru version.
They bought a used Maruti Eeco and removed seating to make room for the equipment. Custom plywood boxes fitted in the rear serve two purposes: storing dumbbells during travel and functioning as plyometric boxes during workouts.
The van, modifications and equipment together cost approximately ₹4–5 lakh. The trainers funded the venture themselves, without outside investors.
The resulting setup allows them to transport their own workout equipment between apartment communities. What began as a restriction at existing sessions became the basis for a mobile fitness service built around the places where residents already live.
GoodHood Take: Bringing equipment into a community offers one practical way to make organised fitness available closer to home. Unleash 45’s story shows how paying attention to everyday challenges within apartment life can inspire a useful local service.
Source: The Economic Times, ET Online