The real difference between being fit and being gym strong
As Nigeria’s gym culture explodes, many chase the look of fitness without building the strength, stamina, and balance that real health demands.
Gyming has become so popular in Nigeria that everyone wants to register. Just recently, someone tweeted that the gym is always full, and other gym goers confirmed. Truth is, people have different reasons for visiting the gym.
Some might be there to get that snatched body, some to stay fit, and maybe for some, it is just to join the bandwagon. Whatever the reason, there is a difference between being gym strong and actually being fit.
The rise is not just online hype. Nigeria currently has over one thousand three hundred and ninety-four registered gyms as of mid-2025, up by about four percent from 2023, according to recent market data. The local fitness industry is valued at over US$85 million and projected to cross US$95 million in 2025, with Lagos leading the gym expansion boom.
From i-Fitness outlets springing up in malls to new boutique gyms across Abuja and Port Harcourt, fitness has moved from being a niche luxury to a lifestyle. But in that rush for toned bodies and protein shakes, the question remains: how many of these gym lovers are actually fit?
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Looking strong is not the same as being healthy. A lot of people can lift heavy weights but cannot jog for five minutes without running out of breath. They can squat a barbell but struggle to take the stairs. It is the difference between building muscles and building endurance.
According to Lagos-based fitness coach Tunde Bello, “Most people train to look good, not to feel good. They forget that the heart and lungs are part of fitness too.” Research backs this: a recent meta-analysis published on PubMed found that while resistance training improves lean body mass, aerobic training has a stronger effect on cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂ max) in adults.
Being fit is about balance, stamina, flexibility, and recovery. It is how your body handles stress, not just how it fills out a shirt. Gym strength is about control and form; fitness is about function and performance. All over social media, people post perfect mirror selfies after a session but skip stretching, cardio, or rest days.
The gym has become a place to build aesthetics instead of strength that lasts. Sometimes, real fitness does not always have abs or bulging arms. It shows in your energy, your sleep, and your ability to move without pain. Gym strength may win the mirror, but fitness wins life.
Staying gym fit while building that snatched body
While you are trying to get that fine, sculpted body, it does not mean losing real fitness in the process. The key is balance. Add movement that builds endurance, not just muscle mass, things like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling. Strength training is important, but so are rest and mobility exercises. A systematic review published in Frontiers in Physiology found that combining resistance and aerobic training produces better improvements in both strength and cardiorespiratory fitness than either alone.
Eat well too. Muscles do not grow on vibes and protein shakes alone. Hydration, sleep, and a balanced diet are part of the process. And do not skip cardio; your heart deserves training as much as your biceps.
As sports physiotherapist Dr Chika Nwosu points out, “A body built for the mirror alone will struggle when real life demands motion beyond the gym.” Because the real goal should be to look good and feel good. Because the real flex is not how much you can lift, it is how long your body can keep showing up for you.
