Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Latihan kebugaran intensif membantu menjaga berat badan saya. - Intensive fitness training helps maintain my body weight.

It’s not a strict idiom, but it is a very natural, common collocation in Indonesian for things like workouts, gym routines, and general fitness training.

Why is intensif placed after latihan kebugaran, not before it like in English?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually come after the noun, unlike English.

English: intensive fitness training (adjective before noun)
Indonesian: latihan kebugaran intensif (noun phrase + adjective)

So the pattern is:

latihan (training)
kebugaran (fitness – describes what kind of training)
intensif (intensive – describes the style/degree of that training)

Can I change the order to latihan intensif kebugaran?

That order sounds unnatural and confusing.

latihan kebugaran intensif is the normal and clear order:
- main noun: latihan
- what kind of training: kebugaran (fitness)
- description: intensif

If you put intensif in the middle (latihan intensif kebugaran), it breaks up the natural pairing of latihan kebugaran and can be harder to process for native speakers. Stick to latihan kebugaran intensif.

What is the difference between membantu and menolong? Could I use menolong here?

Both can translate as to help, but:

membantu is more general and is often used for helping a process or result.
menolong has a stronger nuance of rescuing or helping a person in need.

In this sentence, we are talking about an activity (intensive fitness training) helping to maintain body weight. That’s a process, not a rescue situation.

So membantu is natural here; menolong would sound odd.

Correct:

Latihan kebugaran intensif membantu menjaga berat badan saya.

Why are there two verbs together: membantu menjaga? How does that work?

This is a very common structure in Indonesian:

membantu = to help
menjaga = to maintain / to keep / to guard

The pattern is: [verb 1] + [verb 2], where verb 1 describes helping, wanting, starting, etc., and verb 2 is the actual action:

membantu menjaga = help (to) maintain
ingin belajar = want (to) study
mulai bekerja = start (to) work

You can often translate it into English with “to” between the verbs, but Indonesian doesn’t need an extra word like “to”:

membantu menjaga = helps to maintain

Could I say membantu untuk menjaga instead of membantu menjaga?

Yes, membantu untuk menjaga is grammatically acceptable, and you will see it.

However, in modern, natural Indonesian, untuk is usually dropped in this pattern unless there is a special emphasis.

So:

More natural and concise: membantu menjaga
Also possible but a bit heavier: membantu untuk menjaga

What does menjaga literally mean here? Is it like “guard”?

Yes, the core meaning of menjaga is to guard / to look after / to keep.

In this context, menjaga berat badan means to keep (your) weight in a desired range, or simply to maintain your weight.

So:

menjaga rumah = to guard/look after the house
menjaga anak = to look after a child
menjaga kesehatan = to maintain health
menjaga berat badan = to maintain body weight

Why is it berat badan saya and not saya before the noun, like in English “my body weight”?

Indonesian uses a noun + possessor order:

berat badan saya
- berat badan = body weight
- saya = my

So the pattern is:

English: my body weight (possessor before noun)
Indonesian: berat badan saya (noun followed by possessor)

Other examples:

rumah saya = my house
mobil dia = his/her car
nama mereka = their name

Could I use the suffix -ku instead of saya, like berat badanku?

Yes:

berat badan saya and berat badanku both mean my body weight / my weight.

Differences:

saya is neutral–formal, very widely usable.
-ku is more informal and personal, often in speech, texting, or creative writing.

In a neutral sentence like this, berat badan saya is the safest and most standard choice.

Is kebugaran the same as kesehatan? Can I say latihan kesehatan?

They are related but not the same:

kebugaran = fitness (physical condition, stamina, being in shape)
kesehatan = health (overall health, medical condition)

You wouldn’t normally say latihan kesehatan; it sounds strange. You can say:

latihan kebugaran = fitness training / workout
menjaga kesehatan = to maintain health

So this sentence is specifically about fitness training, not general health training.

Is berat badan just weight, or must I always say both words?

Literally, berat = weight, badan = body. Together:

berat badan = body weight

In everyday health/fitness contexts, berat badan is the usual phrase for weight (in the sense of body weight).

People might also just say berat if the context is clear, but berat badan is the normal, clear expression when talking about someone’s weight:

Berat badan saya turun. = My weight went down.
Berat badan saya naik. = My weight went up.

Could I drop saya and just say Latihan kebugaran intensif membantu menjaga berat badan?

Yes, grammatically you can, and it would then mean “Intensive fitness training helps maintain body weight (in general).”

The difference:

berat badan saya = specifically my weight
berat badan = body weight in general / people’s body weight

So if you are talking about yourself, keep saya; if you’re making a general statement, you can omit it.

What is the overall word order pattern in this sentence?

The basic structure is:

Latihan kebugaran intensif – subject noun phrase
membantu menjaga – verb phrase (helps to maintain)
berat badan saya – object noun phrase

So in order:

Subject: Latihan kebugaran intensif
Verb: membantu
- another verb menjaga
Object: berat badan saya

This follows the common Indonesian pattern: S–V–O (Subject–Verb–Object).