It’s been a few months since we’ve wrapped up all the celebratory feasting and drinking (think New Year’s, Chinese New Years, Valentine’s Day). Many of us probably started off the year with the goal to hit the gym and join a variety of fitness classes, but it’s easy to get a bit side-tracked and lose momentum.
Here’s your motivation to get back in the healthy-lifestyle grind: besides working out at the gym, there are more exciting ways to burn off the excess calories, and keep up with your New Year resolutions you wrote down at the start of 2022.
Yoga
There are loads of benefits when it comes to actively practising yoga. In the hustle and bustle of Singapore’s city life, it is always important to find inner peace, enlightenment, and channel your inner zen. Yoga is perfect if you prefer slower-paced workouts compared to high intensity ones such as HIIT or spin. Time to slow down, breathe, and relax with beginner classes either on land or on water.
Recommended classes for beginners: FloatFit Yoga or The Senses Therapy
Indoor Cycling
Popular amongst the millennials and Gen Z’ers, indoor cycling — or spin classes, rather — have taken Singapore by storm. Sometimes, you can even burn up to 800 calories per session if you push yourself hard enough. Ready to break a sweat? Spin is the best option for you, if it seems like there's never enough time in the day. With classes being generally short and beginner-friendly, it is time to take on the challenge alongside good music and rhythm.
Recommended classes for beginners: Sync Cycle
HIIT
High intensity interval training, also more commonly known as HIIT, makes sure your body works hard in brief bursts of intense exercises with minimal recovery periods. Usually, these exercises will raise your metabolism for around 48 hours. HIIT exercises include pull-ups, jumping jacks, squats, burpees, and many more. A perfect workout if you don’t have much time to exercise thanks to your busy schedule.
Recommended classes for beginners: Tapout Fitness
Pilates
With a primary focus on core and back strength, pilates is more of a low-impact exercise that conditions your body and relies on the connection between your body and mind. Beginners usually confuse pilates with yoga as they reap similar benefits, but unlike yoga, pilates does not focus too much on meditation and complex poses. Instead, this is an exercise that improves your flexibility and corrects your posture.
Recommended classes for beginners: Pilates Fitness
Where to book: Pilates Fitness
Barre
Barre (pronounced “bar”) is gaining popularity in Singapore as this low-impact, dance-based workout combines various elements of ballet, yoga, and pilates. However, unlike dance, barre classes emphasise on stretching your muscles, cardio, and strength training rather than perfecting a particular dance technique. Be sure to do ample stretching beforehand to avoid post-workout soreness afterwards, because you’ll definitely work out every muscle in your body.
Recommended classes for beginners: Barre 2 Barre
Where to book: Barre 2 Barre
MMA
Maybe you’re a fan of Manny Pacquiao, Mike Tyson, or Muhammad Ali; maybe you’ve just finished binging season 4 of Cobra Kai on Netflix and you’re looking to immerse yourself in the world of martial arts and boxing. MMA combines a variety of fighting styles such as jiu jitsu, judo, kickboxing, and wrestling. Not to mention it’s a great way to learn various forms of self-defence as well.
This form of exercise is not for the faint of heart, but it is the best way to get your adrenaline pumping for the adventure-seekers!
Recommended classes for beginners: Evolve MMA
Where to book: Evolve MMA
Bootcamp
If you’re looking for something more outdoors-focused instead of being cooped up in indoor gyms, bootcamps may be just your thing. Inspired by full-body drills exercised in military training camps, each bootcamp session lasts around an hour. Its usage of strength and speed training, and aerobic exercises make bootcamp workouts the perfect way to build endurance, strength, and agility.
Recommended classes for beginners: R10T
Where to book: Classpass
