The fitness journey has taken on a global perspective for Sandra, a Ukrainian content creator who recently shared an honest look at the cultural shock of switching from a European to an Indian gym environment. Also read | MS Dhoni-backed Bengaluru start-up Tagda Raho is turning Indian gada into a workout for Gen Z and even 70-year-olds
Sandra, born in 1998, and her husband Sangy, born in 1996, have built an Instagram following by documenting their intercontinental love story and daily lives – they married in 2025. The couple, who met on Tinder in Poland, represent ‘two different worlds’ joined by a ‘single destiny’.
Warm welcomes vs quiet focus
In a May 18 Instagram post titled ‘Pov (point of view): the difference between Indian gyms and European gyms,’ Sandra broke down the social atmosphere. While European gyms are known for a ‘mind your own business’ etiquette, India offers a different vibe entirely, she highlighted.
“When you walk into an Indian gym, it honestly feels like people are genuinely happy you came,” Sandra shared. “Everyone’s super warm, friendly, and always ready to help. In European gyms, people are usually more in their own world: nobody bothers you, nobody talks to you, everyone does their workout and leaves,” she added.
‘Free assistants’ at Indian gyms
Perhaps the most jarring difference for Sandra was the sheer volume of staff and the proactive nature of Indian trainers. Before transitioning into full-time content creation, Sandra worked as a graphic designer. Her eye for detail was evident as she noted the specific roles within Indian fitness centres.
“But the craziest part for me was the amount of staff in Indian gyms,” she noted. “One person is responsible only for cleaning the bathrooms. Another one cleans the gym floor. Then there’s basically your free gym assistant — a guy constantly watching your workout, ready to help you the second you need anything,” Sandra added.
She further highlighted the contrast in professional services, noting that Indian trainers often offer help without a sales pitch. “The most surprising thing: the trainers actually come up to you themselves. If your exercise is wrong, they’ll correct you for free, give you tips, explain the exercise — without trying to sell you a personal training package first. In Europe? First pay for 10 personal training sessions… then maybe you can ask a question,” Sandra shared.
Overcoming the ‘intimidation’ factor
Despite the hospitality, Sandra admitted that the gender demographics in Indian gyms can be a hurdle for female expats. In Europe, Sandra described the ratio as ‘pretty balanced — like 50/50’. Whereas in India, she noted that most gyms are ‘mostly men’.
“As a foreign girl, it felt pretty intimidating at first,” Sandra confessed regarding the male-dominated spaces, adding, “But honestly, once you find a good gym, you stop caring about it pretty quickly. Basically, Indian gyms surprised me in a good way.”
Today, Sandra continues to use her platform — her Instagram bio aptly describes her as a ‘Ukrainian noticing things in India’ — to bridge cultural gaps, one workout at a time.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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