When Kiyoshi Kimura started leaving his condominium at 5:30 every morning, rumor had it that the widower had found himself a girlfriend.

“;They said nobody leaves at 5:30 in the morning for nothing,”; Kimura said with a twinkle in his eye.

But the 85-year-old really had a date with his gym, Club 50 Fitness, where he exercises six days a week.

“;Fitness is more important to me than when I was a younger man. I didn't think about exercising, well at least not seriously, until after my wife died and I had nothing to do,”; Kimura said.

Club 50, a national franchise that Dr. Richard Ridao brought to Honolulu in 2006, caters to the over-40 crowd and supplies most of Kimura's fellowship and fitness needs. It's also representative of a growing trend in the $19.1 billion U.S. fitness industry for those types of businesses to get more fit themselves by investing in niche markets, new programs and infrastructure.

Despite the recent recession, the latest survey from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association said attendance at 70 percent of the clubs was equal to or higher than the year prior.

Exercise will continue to be essential in maintaining health and warding off illness long after the recession ends, said Rosemary Lavery, IHRSA's public relations manager.

“;Health clubs serve as one of the greatest investments that you can make, an investment in your health,”; Lavery said. “;Rates of overweight and obesity have never been higher - our nation is in need of a collective workout.”;

As the global economy looks to rebound following the recession, the health club industry expects to see growth due to increased revenue numbers on non-dues services and the burgeoning role of prevention in health care reform, she said. But for now, the push is on to retain members and recruit new ones, said Keoni Subiono, who opened the Hawaii Fitness Together franchise in 2005.

“;Right after New Year's is our biggest time of the year,”; Subiono said. “;This is our Black Friday.”;

Fitness clubs all over Hawaii are offering special rates and value-added incentives to join, he said.

But without a personal trainer, most new members will break their resolutions by February, Subiono said.

By Blue Monday, which falls on Jan. 25, most new fitness recruits will be depressed about breaking their resolutions, said Carissa Lowe, a personal trainer at Fitness Together.

“;That's why we offer one-on-one consultations,”; Subiono said. “;It makes people more accountable.”;

Ridao, a Honolulu internist with hospital privileges at Straub, Pali Momi and St. Francis, said he keeps clients coming by encouraging them to stay healthy.

“;Exercise is medicine,”; Ridao said, quoting the slogan of the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine.

Although Ridao has long seen the health benefits of an active lifestyle, in recent months insurance carriers have gotten on the bandwagon, too. Club 50 Fitness recently qualified as a provider for the Silver & Fit and the SilverSneakers insurance programs. Qualifying Kaiser, Humana or AARP/Secure Horizons members can enjoy unlimited club visits each month, at little or no cost, Ridao said.

Qualifying HMSA and HMA/Summerlin members are eligible for 50 percent off their enrollment fees. Kimura doesn't qualify for the discounts, but he said he still considers his membership a good value.

“;Many of our members have thanked me for opening Club 50 Fitness because they had tried other gyms but did not feel comfortable in environments that were loud and overly intimidating,”; Ridao said. “;Bringing exercise to seniors has become my passion.”;

Honolulu Club members Tanya and Constantin Pertzoff don't have to be convinced that fitness is paramount. The husband and wife work out so much that other members jokingly refer to them as “;team married.”;

Since September, the couple lost a combined 34 pounds and dropped their body fat ratios into the teens. They work out together up to two hours a day. The club accommodates their desire for space to work out to their P90X and Insanity video workouts, and offers access to personal trainers and 86 exercise classes a week ranging from aerobics and cycling to dancing and jiu jitsu.

“;We're exercising, eating well together and crashing out at the same time, said Tanya Pertzoff. “;It makes our day so nice.”;

Constantin Pertzoff said that he feels so good that he's considering signing up for the Honolulu Club's corporate discount program, which would allow employees to purchase memberships at subsidized rates.

Eric Rosso, president of DiGuilio Advertising Public Relations and Marketing, said he began subsidizing employee memberships at the club in 2006. Rosso will put money toward employee memberships as long as they use it at least five times a month, he said.

“;After I work out and go back to work I feel so much better,”; Rosso said. “;I know it's good for morale and health.”;

And from a business standpoint, Rosso said club memberships for employees is something that “;just works out.”;

“;I believe in the whole healthy body, healthy mind concept,”; he said.

The Honolulu Club's corporate memberships grew to 10 percent last year, helping to offset a drop in individual memberships related to the economy, said general manager Rey Ronquilio, who was Mr. USA Lightweight Champion in 2003.

“;We've concentrated more on the corporate memberships,”; Ronquilio said. “;It's a growing market for us with plenty of room to grow.”;

The club is about to complete a $1 million renovation and has positioned itself as a destination, he said. In addition to weights, fitness machines and classes, the club also offers a lounge, food, spa and grooming services such as waxing, manicures and pedicures, Ronquilio said.

“;Even though we've been losing some people to layoffs and furloughs, we've been gaining a lot, too,”; Ronquilio said, adding that the club offered temporary freezes or discount memberships to those employees affected by the Aloha Airlines shutdown.

“;In this economy, you may not be working, but if you can afford a fitness membership you should do it because you still have to take care of your health.”;

Subiono said the economy caused about a 25 percent drop-off in his business between 2008 and 2009.

“;Some clients dropped out entirely; others downsized to fewer workouts per week,”; Subiono said.

The core business of Fitness Together is individualized personal fitness training and consultation; however, Subiono offset economic losses by offering group training three times a week. Typical individual training packages range from $60 to $80 a session; however, the price drops down to $15 for a group session with anywhere from four to 20 people, he said.

“;Group training represented a major diversification in our business, but it helped people to not have to quit,”; Subiono said. “;We still offer them customization, but in a group setting.”;

Subiono also turned to social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter to help cut marketing costs, he said. The results, which were comparable to direct mail, were free.

“;A lot of Fitness Together franchises have had to shut down, including my friend's club in Hermosa Beach,”; Subiono said. “;But, we are doing OK.”;