It’s the new year, and the gyms are full once again. The regulars will tell you balance will be restored by March, when those who don’t have enough conviction to stick to their resolutions give up. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been there before. A couple of years ago I signed up to a gym late in the year, and told myself I’d have a six-pack by the next year. The only six-pack I had twelve months later was chilling in my fridge. Many people aren’t able to accomplish their fitness goals on their own, so we decided to chat with Reagan Kang, one of the founders of Haus Athletics, to find out how his gym can help people like me.
AM: Tell us more about yourself and how you got into the business.
RK: I was born and bred in Penang, Malaysia and have been calling Singapore home for the past 4 years. After my undergrad studies I taught group fitness to as a means to pay off my school fees. I was in the corporate line for a bit after, but felt like the trainer life was a better fit for me. I’ve gone from a trainer to an international fitness presenter and now finally an owner of Haus Athletics.
AM: What was the inspiration behind Haus Athletics?
RK: The inspiration behind Haus Athletics was the power to change people’s lives through fitness. The idea that everyone has the power to positively change their lives no matter to what degree. Bill Bowerman once said, ‘If you have a body, you’re an athlete.’
AM: How does Haus Athletics stand out from the new gyms that keep popping up everywhere?
RK: Most of the fitness chains here in Singapore typically the big commercial brands will sell you a membership that offers the latest equipment, lots of group fitness class offerings, massive rest and relaxation areas like saunas, ice rooms and etc.
We proudly say that we are in the business of experience and motivation. When we talk about experience, we mean all our trainers are masters of their craft, which is delivering safe and effective workouts. We carefully curate the workouts and movements to our clients, the style and rhythm of music that motivates a person throughout the workout, the dark room that removes the stigma and intimidation of a bright studio, and moving together in a group to resemble the team training environment. In this era, exercise cannot be just exercise anymore. There must be the element of bringing things alive, not unlike a dining experience at Din Tai Fung vs a Michelin star restaurant.
AM: Who would you say Haus Athletics is ideal for?
RK: The workouts here have been created to suit all fitness levels. It’s a workout that will ignite the love of exercise for beginners and also challenges the athletes on a regular basis. What’s important is the team spirit that everyone supports one another throughout this journey.
AM: How can someone who doesn’t know the first thing about fitness get started on this journey?
RK: ‘I’m not fit enough to do this.’ This is what we hear all the time despite the nature of the workout. Start easy. Take one step at a time and set realistic goals. Don’t get too caught up in achieving too much too soon or compare yourself to someone who has been doing it for a long time. Commit consistently to your schedule and without knowing it, you’ll be shifting your fitness in a short amount of time.
AM: What is a typical session like at Haus Athletics?
RK: It’s a 45-minute athletic based group fitness workout. We start off by doing some mobility exercises, followed by speed drills to help improve agility and footwork. This gradually lifts the body’s temperature up so it’s ready to hit the big chunk of the workout with full capacity. Then we include various movements and combinations of intervals involving plyometric training, muscular endurance training, and more speed work to challenge the body to move.
Both our in house programs MELTDOWN (cardio based workout designed to give you the fitness of an athlete) and LEANOUT (strength based workout designed to give you the look of an athlete). The best part is that the workouts are paired with music that specifically gives you the beats and rhythm to workout too. We are not just interested in improving physical health but also the emotional and mental benefits you get from working out to your favourite tracks.
Challenge yourself today. Sign up at hausathletics.com.sg
