Best boutique gyms in Singapore to have fun working out

1. Ritual Gym

Credit: Ritual Gym

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Got a hectic work schedule with only 30 minutes to spare? Well, that’s not an excuse to miss a gym session. At Ritual, from 6am till closing, there’s a class running every 30 minutes, seven days a week. This means never having to plan your life around your fitness regime. Instead, you go whenever your schedule frees up.

Ritual Gym offers HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) based classes, so expect movements like squats, push-ups, pull-ups, deadlifts and the like. Similar to a high-end conventional gym, they provide everything you need for a good sweat – which also means fewer excuses to not turn up for class. Think along the lines of towels, exercise outfits, shower facilities and personal care products like deodorant, make-up remover, facial soap, and even hair gel.

You can find Ritual Gym at three locations, two of which are around the CBD (East-West Line, Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar MRT station) and the other towards the western part of the island, at Holland Village (Circle Line, Holland Village MRT station).

Type of exercise: HIIT
Main gym’s address: Holland Village, 17b Lorong Liput, #02-01, Singapore 277747
Total no. of outlets: Three
Trial: Unlimited classes for seven days at $59, or 14 days at $99
Membership types: Unlimited and pay-per-class
Prices: $20 to $35 per class, or $198 per month for an off-peak membership (12-month contract)

2. Mobilus

Credit: Crossfit Mobilus

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If getting stronger is something you want to achieve in 2020, consider giving CrossFit a try. A sport that is gaining momentum in Singapore, CrossFit combines weightlifting, callisthenics, HIIT, endurance and functional exercises, all rolled into one.

Mobilus segments their classes based on the type of workout and level of fitness. This ensures that there’s a class for everyone regardless of your fitness level. They currently offer eight different training programmes, namely Basics, CrossFit, Engine, Row, Strong, Lift, Yoga and Compete (for those looking to get serious and take part in competitions).

Classes run for an hour and start from 6.30am and end at 9pm daily with open gyms during late mornings and after lunch. It currently has two outlets, Clarke Quay and Chinatown, both of which are conveniently located near bus stops and train stations (North-East Line, Chinatown and Clarke Quay MRT station).

Type of exercise: CrossFit
Main gym’s address: The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Rd #B1-10/16, Singapore 058416
Total no. of outlets: Two
Trial: First class is free
Membership types: Unlimited and pay-per-class
Prices: $25 (members) to $38 (non-members) per class, or $290 for a one-month unlimited membership

3. Barry's Bootcamp

Credit: Barry's Bootcamp

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Think darkly lit rooms with a reddish glow accompanied by loud music and an instructor encouraging you to “hang in there, just 10 seconds to go”. A combination of weight training and cardiovascular movements with bursts of anaerobic exercises to keep your heart thumping and fats crying, Barry’s Bootcamp is serious about getting you in shape.

Promising to burn up to 1,000 calories in just one 50-minute class, this international gym that has a presence in 25 countries is open seven days a week and conducts an average of four classes a day. Classes change every day with each focusing on a different muscle group, from abs and arms day to chest, back and abs.

All you need are your workout clothes, sports shoes and the willingness to sweat it all out. There’s currently only one Barry’s Bootcamp in Singapore that’s located within the CBD and near Tanjong Pagar MRT station (East-West Line).

Type of exercise: Weight training and cardiovascular
Main gym’s address: 18 Robinson Road #03-03, Singapore 048547
Total no. of outlets: One
Trial: Three Classes for $89
Membership types: Monthly and pay-per-class
Prices: $40 to $46 per class, or $480 for 12 classes ($40 per class) to be consumed within a month

4. Orangetheory Fitness

Credit: Orangetheory Fitness

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Orangetheory Fitness prides itself as a science-based, full-body workout that mixes strength and cardiovascular exercises together in a 60-minute group class.

The aim of each class is to raise your heart rate to the point where it beats between 84% to 91% of your unique heart rate maximum for at least 12 minutes. Orangetheory Fitness believes that by doing so, a single class will keep your body burning calories for the next 36 hours and increase your overall metabolism rate.

Expect exercises like rowing, running and weighted movements during classes that change daily. While it may be a group class where everyone does the same exercise together, there are variations available for each and every exercise to suit each person’s unique abilities. Conveniently located at Robertson Quay (Downtown Line, Fort Canning MRT station) and Tanjong Pagar (East-West Line, Tanjong Pagar MRT station), they are open seven days a week and offer an average of five classes a day.

Type of exercise: Strength and cardiovascular
Main gym’s address: 38A Martin Road #02-01, Singapore 239059
Total no. of outlets: Two
Trial: First class is free
Membership types: Pay-per-class
Prices: $37 to $40 per class

5. 9Round

Credit: 9Round

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In and out within 45 minutes, including wrapping of gloves and changing up. 9Round is a kickboxing-themed gym that incorporates functional, interval, cardiovascular, and circuit training movements into its classes.

During each class, you will go through a total of nine stations (each targets a different muscle group) and spend a “short” three minutes exercising at each station. Once you are done with all nine stations, you are done with your workout. You can expect exercises like skipping, bag-work, push-ups, sit-ups and weighted squats.

All 9Round gyms are open seven days a week and with classes running throughout the day until closing, all you need are your workout clothes and shoes to get kicking.

Type of exercise: Kickboxing and strength
Main gym’s address: 131 East Coast Road #02-01, Singapore 428816
Total no. of outlets: Eight
Trial: First class is free or $25 for a seven-day unlimited trial
Membership types: Unlimited and pay-per-class
Prices: From $196 for a one-month unlimited membership, or $599 for a 20 class bundle

6. F45

Credit: F45

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You may have noticed this red, white and blue gym around your office or home, with more popping up islandwide. This Australia-based fitness centre offers group classes that are a mix of circuit and functional training movements that includes exercises like pull-ups, box jumps, lunges, bench press, rope-work, sleigh and TRX during a 45-minute class.

With thousands of movements in their bank, classes at F45 change daily and you will never do the same exercise twice. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are cardiovascular-based classes, Tuesdays and Thursdays are resistance-based classes, while Saturdays are hybrid classes aimed at recovery – so pick your exercise days wisely.

All F45 gyms are open daily, and offer classes mainly in the morning and evenings on weekdays, and morning and early afternoon classes on weekends with an average of five classes a day.

Type of exercise: HIIT and circuit
Gym’s address: 1 Goldhill Plaza, #03-09, Singapore 308899
Total no. of outlets: 21 and counting
Trial: Depending on which outlet, either $49 or $0 for a two-week unlimited pass
Membership types: Unlimited, short-term and pay-per-class
Prices: From $244 for a one-month unlimited membership, or $85 for a one-week unlimited pass, or $350 for a 10 class bundle

This article was first published in Singsaver. 

Haus Athletics

Credit: 7. Haus Athletics

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Booming music – specially curated to pair with the workout of the day – and a stylishly darkened room makes this local studio feel like a cool club. It’s just as well because you’ll surely be kept hot on your toes with an immersive 45-minute workout driven by two trainers who watch over a maximum of 20 participants. Choose from two workouts: Meltdown features conditioning drills with each session differing from the other to constantly keep your body guessing, while Leanout focuses on total body strength with bursts of cardio.

Type of exercise: HIIT
Main gym’s address: #02-03, OUE Downtown Gallery tower 1, 6A Shenton Way, Singapore 068815
Total no. of outlets: 1
Trial: -
Membership types: Pay-per-class
Prices: Starting from $45 for a single class to $2,600 for 100 classes.

8. GRITYARD

Credit: Cheryl Tay

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Founded by three former Team Singapore athletes – Lim Yao Xiang (water polo, swimming), Lim Yao Peng (athletics) and Teh Chong Nyen (water polo) – this HIIT gym stands out for its emphasis on functional fitness. Specifically, the founders don’t want you to simply work out to burn off calories from what you ate, tone certain body parts (though we can’t deny that’s part of fitness motivation) or work out for sweat’s sake. Rather, think of workouts as something that helps you move better, get stronger for everyday tasks, and improve your immunity, among other health benefits. Classes at Grityard are designed with five pillars of fitness in mind – strength, power, agility, core and endurance – with each day of classes focusing on a different pillar. Classes are 30 (lunchtime) or 45 minutes long.

Type of exercise: HIIT
Main gym’s address: 2 College Rd, Singapore 169850
Total no. of outlets: 1
Trial: $35 1 week unlimited
Membership types: Weekly, monthly, pay-per-class
Prices: $85 for unlimited weekly, $290 unlimited monthly, $250 for 10 sessions