JUST because you’re on holiday doesn’t give you an excuse to skimp on your fitness. You might already have a membership to one of the many fitness centres in Singapore, and registering for one overseas seems may seem like a hassle. There’s also the off chance that your hotel’s gym doesn’t have the equipment you usually use in your training routine.
We get it, it can be quite daunting entering a new gym for the first time. But those excuses you make for yourself make it easy to get lazy. Thankfully most fitness clubs around the world make it a painless process as possible to transition between countries. They might offer free trial passes so you can get a quick pump in between your sightseeing. Who knows – your membership to your local fitness club in Singapore might even entitle you to visit one of their global franchises.
It’s time to get up and get your blood flowing.
Fitness First
There’s a high chance you’re a member of one of Singapore’s largest fitness franchises, Fitness First. If you’re on their Platinum Passport membership, you get 30 complimentary visits every year to any of the Fitness First clubs in 13 countries, including those in Australia, the UAE, and all regions in Southeast Asia. It’s perfect for the frequent flier that often has to jet between these countries.
If you’re not a member of Fitness First, but you want to check out their facilities, the clubs all have varying free trial agreements (Australia gives you a three-day pass, while Hong Kong is limited to a single visit).
GuavaPass
In case you’ve never heard of GuavaPass, the platform is a collective of premium fitness studios that lets you book classes ranging from HIIT to meditation to callisthenics. The Singapore startup that was founded in 2015 has since expanded its reach to 12 other cities, including Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur with a combined count of over 2,500 studio partnerships.
To book a class in one of the participating studios outside of Singapore, you’d have to be on their Unlimited Classes membership which starts at S$179 per month
Virgin Active
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin conglomerate also has a foot in the fitness industry with Virgin Active Health Clubs. In Singapore alone, they are slowly but surely making their mark with five locations scattered around the CBD. But members who are a part of Virgin Active’s Collection Club also have access to VA’s clubs around the world, including Australia, Thailand, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Italy, and the United Kingdom (the last location has some exclusions).
Memberships at Virgin Active Singapore start at S$49 per week (excl. GST) for a 12-month contract.
Pure Fitness
If you’re a member of Pure Fitness, it’s hard to find another gym elsewhere that comes close to its lustre. Thankfully, the fitness group also has swanky outposts in Hong Kong and Shanghai, plus yoga centres in Beijing and Taipei as well. You can expect the same treatment in the other sites with racks upon racks of premium equipment and the signature classes, including the world’s first 270° Immersive Fitness studio in the California Tower location in Hong Kong.
To gain access to the international clubs of Pure Fitness, you’d need to be on the “All Asia Contract”, and memberships start at S$170 per month.
Barry’s Bootcamp
Wanna workout like a celebrity? Barry’s Bootcamp is the fitness studio that has made high-intensity interval training a ritual for the likes of David Beckham, Harry Styles, and the Kardashians. Just imagine you’re working out in a nightclub to the swishest beats. A typical class at Barry’s signature Red Room is split into 25 minutes of strength training and another 25 minutes of interval-based cardio.
Barry’s is located at over 24 cities, including major USA cities, London, Toronto, Dubai, Milan, and Sydney. For city hoppers, you can always just get a few classes at the cities you frequent from US$28/AUS$36 for a single class.
Equinox
People that frequent Equinox often say that Equinox is more than a gym—it’s a church. That’s how seriously the regulars there take their fitness, thanks to the ultra-luxurious setting that drives you to pump harder. Their towels are cold, fresh, and scented with eucalyptus. The showers are stocked with Kiehl’s hair and body products. The members are all striving hard, working on their fitness goals at one of the many group fitness classes.
Equinox has over 90 clubs in over 13 cities in the USA, Canada, and the U.K., and you can gain access to all of them with an E by Equinox membership.