5 Places To Inspire Regular Exercise

Getting started on your fitness journey can be daunting, but the benefits are worth it

Text: Shin Yee Koh

Exercising boasts a ton of health benefits. Yet many of us encounter a mental block when we try to take the first step. But it doesn't have to be such an enormous hurdle to overcome. Beginning your fitness journey can be daunting – from deciding to join a gym, hiring a trainer or simply choosing the right class for you. If you are not sure where to get started, here are 5 ideas to inspire you to move.

1. Fitness First

Fitness First offers unlimited access to the gym of your choice and classes for different types of workouts. Their plans are fully customisable and begin with selecting your home gym - the gym you frequent the most - followed by add-ons for different types of classes. They offer unlimited mind and body classes, which gives you access to yoga classes, perfect for those looking for some zen-like tranquillity amid a hectic day, to unlimited HIIT classes that pack on more intensity to your workout plan. It is worth noting that the Unlimited Group Fitness class offers full access to their signature programmes such as ProCycling, Flow Yoga series, and Zumba. For an extra fee of SGD 18 per month, you can also opt for the platinum pass, which grants you passage to all the Fitness First clubs island-wide.

HIIT classes at Fitness First

2. Virgin Active

Now here's one for the true first-timers. Virgin Active recently rolled out new membership options that provide more flexibility to different lifestyles. For people just looking to get a taste of what it's like to work out in a gym, their Once-A-Weeker plan is the most beginner-friendly option. For SGD 30 a week, and a commitment period of only 14 days, you get access to any Virgin Active club in Singapore once a week. You also receive a complimentary coaching session with their in-house personal trainers to define your goals or work on perfecting your form with a professional. Plus, you can even access the hundreds of recorded workouts they provide on-demand whenever and wherever you are.

One-on-one session with a personal trainer

3. Ritual Gym

Pressed for time? Or do you simply not want to dedicate a full hour to attend a lacklustre session that just doesn't have the right kick? Ritual Gym specialises in snappy 20 minute HIIT workouts that help you lose fat at a faster rate than traditional cardio. This one's for those who can commit to working out every day for one week, though it's SGD 49 for a 7-day unlimited pass, which means carving out time for one session each day of the week, and a 7-day suspension in case your body needs time to heal. For the sceptics, Ritual Gym is backed up by science, proving that it's not about the number of hours you spend at the gym; it's about the quality of the workout you get.

Lung-busting sessions at Ritual Gym

4. Aaptiv

Aaptiv was founded to make personalised fitness instruction available to everyone, not just the few who can afford their own trainer. Their team created a new way to work out to achieve this goal - using audio-based training to guide you through every step. For just SGD 20.35 a month, you get unlimited access to thousands of workouts and programs created and directed by Aaptiv's world-class certified trainers. This allows every user to enjoy a fully customisable workout plan tailored for their individual fitness goals. Aaptiv is perfect for those who feel more comfortable exercising at home or people looking for a 'running buddy' to coach them through a particularly exhaustive run.

Introvert-friendly Aaptive sessions

5. ClassPass

ClassPass operates on a subscription-based system that allocates you a predetermined number of credits every month. You can book at thousands of studios, gyms, salons and spas, with the number of credits needed varying by reservation type, location, popularity & time. You can use them however you like to create a personalised fitness and wellness routine perfect for you and your lifestyle. This system encourages users to begin or end their fitness journey with no judgment and try out different forms of exercise - such as spinning, yoga or even barre movement. Their flexible plans begin at SGD 19 every month for 8 credits, with the option for unused credits to roll over to the next month with no additional fees.

Get adventurous with Classpass

And if you are a lunchtime workout bunny, hit these gyms up to squeeze in a 45-minute quickie. Happy sweating!

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