Weightlifting
The buzz: This underground gym caters to powerlifters, Olympic weightlifters and crossfitters.
What it offers: The gym is essentially a warehouse—don’t expect fancy lights or air-conditioning. With Olympic bars and weight plates littering the space, it’s every serious weightlifter’s dream. To switch-up your training routine, try out the battle ropes, prowlers and giant tyres. According to owner Lewis Chua, Solitude of Strength is a community of “strength enthusiasts”, where patrons can exchange training tips.
How much: Entry passes are $10 a pop, so it’s more economical to sign up for a monthly pass at $100. Senior national athletes get to train for half the price.
Martial Arts
The buzz: This Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym conducts age and skill specific classes to ensure everyone learns at their ideal pace.
What it offers: The spacious gym is sleek, modern and temperature-controlled, with multiple Taekwondo and BJJ training areas. Various sessions are conducted daily, from beginners’ classes to more advanced ones for competition. Class sizes are intimate and the instructors are friendly.
How much: Sign up for day passes (from $50) or monthly membership (from $255)—rates that are lower than most other martial arts gyms in town.
Pilates
The buzz: The only boutique studio in Singapore to apply Pilates techniques to functional training.
What if offers: This small studio space is polished, yet homely. The star is without doubt the Total Gym Incline GRAVITYSystem, a training machine that harnesses your body weight as resistance, as you lie on an adjustable, inclined rolling glide board, while executing moves such as pull ups and squats. Most of the studio’s programmes revolve around this piece of kit. Classes have no more than six participants, so there’s plenty of student-trainer interaction.
How much: The starter package for first-time customers starts from $200 for 4 sessions. Customers can sign up for group ($250 for five) or private ($1100 for 10) sessions thereafter.
Indoor Surfing
The buzz: Singapore’s first Surfset studio enables you to mimic a surf workout, without getting wet.
What it offers: The studio is compact with cool, surf-inspired wall motifs to help you find your element. Each 45-minute class is conducted on custom-made unstable surf boards, and combines elements of balance, aerobic exercise and core training. Try the beginner-level Balance class, or torch some calories at the Sweat class, which includes high-intensity intervals. Whatever you pick, you’re in for a total body toning workout.
How much: A single class costs $35, while a package of five costs $165—cheaper than flying to Bali.
Now there’s no excuse not to work out, with even more fitness spaces popping up across the island.
