With the beginnings of a beer belly, slightly pudgier cheeks and the tell-tale droop of a second chin, it looks like Bangkok has slightly overdone it on the eating front this festive season.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone: who’s able to resist those pan-dripping roast potatoes, thick gravy and mountains of profiteroles seemingly on offer in every restaurant?
Don’t even get me started on those BAKE cheese tarts.
If the vague notion of ‘getting in shape’ is the top of your New Year’s resolution list this year, then look no further – we’ve got you covered.
Gyms proliferate down Sukhumvit at a cantering pace but we’ve picked out the best of the best when it comes to conditioning your body and having a good time in the process.
Take it away…
Flow House
Soi 26, Phrom Phong
Flowhouse certainly isn’t your average fitness pursuit and there’s no way you’ll be getting bored doing burpees here.
It’s a huge artificial wave that enables you to surf right here in the middle of the city, working your core, glutes and getting that heart rate right up as you improve your cardiovascular health.
Burning serious calories while having a ball? Count us in!
Yoga Fly
Interchange Building, Asok
Otherwise known as anti-gravity yoga, Yoga Fly is a revolutionary practice involving classic yoga poses while suspended in hammocks.
Sounds a little crazy, sure, and certainly looks bonkers but you can enjoy a full body workout incorporating the benefits of callisthenics, aerial acrobatics, pilates and – of course – yoga, while you’re finding your spiritual centre.
WE Fitness Society
Top of Soi 63, Ekkamai
WE Fitness is a serious gym where you’ll have access to the best equipment and studios to help you achieve that Adonis level body.
There’s a free weights zone, kickboxing cage, steam rooms, juice bar, Pilates studio, Powerplate training, infrared Yoga and spinning studios on the premises. If you’re able to commit to regular workouts, there’s nothing you stopping transforming your body.
Bangkok Golf Center
Soi 31, Phrom Phong
For those after a slightly more relaxed pace, the Bangkok Golf Center allows you to hone your links performance with a Tour proven coaching system and advanced analysis.
You may not be burning quite as many calories as those attempting plyometrics, but golf is a low-impact sport perfect for burning calories with low risk of injury as well as reducing stress and conditioning your quadriceps.
Urban Playground
Soi 49, Thonglor
If you prefer a little more adventure with your calorie burning, rock climbing should be top of your agenda.
Urban Playground offers 7,000 square feet of indoor climbing facilities including a bouldering wall and cave, top rope climbing and lead climbing. There’s also options to enroll in a climbing school program.
As well as developing an interesting hobby, rock climbers will benefit from both a strength and cardio workout, increased flexibility, and some serious calorie burn.
CFBK Crossfit
Asok BTS station
As Bangkok’s first crossfit affiliate, CFBK should be your first port of call if you fancy diving in at the deep end with your fitness.
Crossfit certainly has its haters – and it’s likely not for the injury-prone – but there’s no doubt that it’s a killer workout. CFBK tailor their WODs (Workout of the Day) to your fitness level and you can expect varying combinations of body weight and free weight exercises.
It’s time to get your squat on…
Rajadamnern Singha Muay Thai Academy
Thonglor 13, Thonglor
As the only Muay Thai academy officially certified by the Rajadamnern Stadium, the RSM Academy is pretty hardcore when it comes to fighting.
They offer classes from beginner to advanced, for kids, for pros, in private sessions or in groups, and even specially tailored programmes for High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). As well as being a total body workout that will sharpen your reflexes and improve your focus, you can expect a host of other mental and physical benefits from regular martial arts practice.
The Lab
Soi 31, Phrom Phong
Regularly cited as one of Bangkok’s best gyms, you’ll enjoy a royal ass-kicking when you sign up to The Lab, who offer both group fitness and personal training programmes.
Their class schedule is packed and varied, including such fitness delights as Tabata, TRX Strength, Power Hour and the somewhat hilariously named, Simply Shredded (Ed: …Wheat?).
The Lab is proudly intense and focus on your health and strength above all else. As they say, a great looking body is just a bi-product of their system.
Tony’s Fitness
Soi 19, Asok
Tony’s is undoubtedly the choice for those on a budget – it’s just ฿69 per visit or ฿2,900 for the year.
It’s cheap and cheerful; there’s no air-con, group classes or fancy add-ons and as far as we can tell, doesn’t even have a website. But what you see is what you get and it’s got all the cardio machines and free weights you’ll need to hone dat booty. If you’re feeling the pinch this New Year, Tony’s is a no-brainer.
Ener8ie Studio
Soi 55, Thonglor
Led by renowned Pilates guru Varavich Jaruekslip, Ener8ie is the perfect place to hone that core and achieve that lithe Pilates body envied up and down the land.
As well as yoga, mat classes, cardio-intense sessions and ‘Six Pack 101’, they also have reformers, stability chairs and silk suspensions for those who are eager to take their fitness and bodies to the next level.
Max Fit
Soi 31, Phrom Phong
Offering perhaps the fastest way to get in shape on Sukhumvit is Max Fit, with their tailored bootcamp workouts.
There’s no flashy gimmicks – or even any exercise machines – here. They get right back down to basics with bodyweight training, interval training, games and weight training to get you to your peak physical condition. Promising to change your body within 2 to 4 weeks, MaxFit have a slew of success stories and glowing testimonials on their website.
With a one week free trial on offer, you know what to do…
GuavaPass
Bangkok wide
If you’re someone who thrives on novelty and mixing things up, gets bored easily and quits their gym membership come February every year, you need to get yourself a GuavaPass membership.
Instead of committing to just one gym, GuavaPass allows you to attend a huge number of varied classes and workouts at a wide breadth of gyms all over the city. From yoga to HIIT to surfing to boxing to crossfit to wakeboarding, you are guaranteed to find something that tickles your pickle.
How will you be getting in shape this year?
Featured image is via fitocracy.com
