Great for: Street fighter wannabes. It’s the only gym in Singapore to subscribe to the Training for Warriors (TFW) system, a physical and mental training program originally created for MMA fighters.
What it offers: There are four classes—strength, power, hurricane day (metabolic conditioning) and active recovery, each involving circuit-based workouts. Expect kettlebell deadlifts, squat jumps, tricep pushups, suspended rows and medicine ball slams.
Rave: They adapt moves to suit your weak points. Plus, each class is capped at four, for maximum guidance.
Rant: The place is bare-bones—no cushy facilities or shiny new equipment here, just a litter of kettlebells, barbells, trap bars and battle ropes.
How much: $120 for a set of four sessions to $230 for unlimited classes (valid for a month). A personal training session costs $90, and 10 sessions will set you back $800.
Great for: Those who need cash incentives. They give you $30 for every percent of body fat lost. The catch: the incentive is only for overweight clients. How responsible!
What it offers: The gym is essentially a spartan, white-washed room with training equipment like a power rack, dumbbells and rope ladders. Each personal training session is of course customized to your physical condition and fitness goals—you might start off working some cardio or mobility work, or delving straight into strength training. Group sessions usually involve HIIT-style circuits.
Rave: We like that there’s no membership fee here—just pay for your sessions.
Rant: No state-of-the-art equipment or spa-esque shower facilities here. You’ll either love it or hate it.
How much: 10 personal training sessions are about $1,000 (with a free fitness and body assessment thrown in). Group classes are $140 a month for four classes.
Great for: Calorie-counting clubbers. Not only does this cool boutique cycling studio conduct all classes with dim lights and high-tempo music, your performance is tracked by wattage consoles and heart rate monitors.
What it offers: The 4,000 square feet facility has a 36-bike amphitheater-style studio, with a high-tech sound system and programmable LEDs. Classes are usually intense, 45-minute rhythm-based rides set to compelling soundstracks.
Rave: The showers have nice toiletries from John Masters Organics, and there’s an on-site organic cold-pressed juice bar run by local juice company hic’Juice.
Rant: If you hate clubbing, you won’t enjoy the party vibe of this place.
How much: No monthly dues. Classes are sold individually for $45 or in bundles of up to 50 classes (going as low as $29 a class). You can also purchase a one-week unlimited trial for $49.
Great for: Weight training without the weights. This studio is the first in Singapore with eight Kinesis machines (a cool 3D pulley system, allowing for 360-degree tri-dimensional movements). Plus, it is run by the island’s only two Technogym Master Trainers, who were both specially trained in Italy.
What if offers: At this futuristic-looking studio, you can sign up for group classes use the Kinesis machine for moves like squats, lunges and chest presses. Exercises are easily adapted for the unfit or injured. There’s also ARKE training, which uses BOSU and medicine ball-lookalikes to work your core. And then there are your usual Zumba, Body Combat and Body Balance classes.
Rave: The Kinesis machines sure are effective. Even the gym bunnies among us were sore the next day.
Rant: The gym is rather inaccessible if you don’t drive—The Grandstand’s quite a walk in from the main road. Also, prices are a tad steep—see below.
How much: 12 sessions work out to$75 per class, 24 sessions work out to $70 per class and 36 sessions work out to $65 per class. Ask them about other options.
