Gyms And Fitness Centers

[Amyji]

I would like to get an idea what sorts of gym facilities Bangkok expats are joining.

What are the facilities like and are you satisfied with what you get for your membership?

I would like to hear not only from centrally located expats, but especially those in outer Bangkok.

Your feedback is appreciated!

Amyji

[kiakaha]

I use a combo of Lumpini park(running, press ups ,crunches, pull ups,various ab exercises, various other strength exercises using my own body weight) , some free weights(curls, bench press etc...) in my apartment, swimming and a few other sports thrown into the mix.

Used to go to a a couple of gyms here(Wow, Fitness First), but don't really like the Thai gym culture, atmosphere or gym staff(in general)

[Noodles]

whats the one called at the top of siam paragon?

[Amyji]

Kiakaha

What about the gym culture did you not like? What was the atmosphere like and how did the staff behave that you found to be off putting? Just curious...

[MMR]

California gets a lot of bad press here. I have a membership there and mostly enjoy it. the 'pushy' salespeople can be annoying, but are really not that bad. Every time they get going, a firm and polite 'get lost' usually sorts it out.

Only biggie.... It gets dam_n busy starting around 4pm.

[Goinghomesoon]

Fitness First Q House - cos it's near my work and I get 3 hrs free parking. Means I can exercise & have a meal afterwards. Also it's near Lumpini where my partner goes to exercise, so it's convenient for him too.

[mmushr00m]

True Fitness @ Zen in Central World.

Its clean, the music isnt too loud and they have a nice range of equipment.

[kiakaha]

Kiakaha

What about the gym culture did you not like? What was the atmosphere like and how did the staff behave that you found to be off putting? Just curious...

Part of my stance is pure opinion...the rest is factual, based on observation(been living here 12 years and working out that whole time).....

1) i dont like the fancy new equipment in thai gyms that encourage a lazy and laxidasical approach to exercising..i am old school..free weights and busting your ass..drop and give me 60 press ups...ya know !!

2) i have observed that thais in gyms prefer to look pretty, socialize, talk, chat, fiddle with their phones and not exert themselves in the slightest manner whatsoever...hence completely defeating the purpose of even going to the gym

3) the male gym assistants primary purpose is to make sure their hair is as boofy and japanese pop star like as is possible at all times....their secondary purpose is too annoy you right in the middle of your most strenuous moment in your set...their tertiary purpose is to sit around and use the gym gear exactly at the time when you need it...oh....and you know the saying..."never trust a skinny chef"....why are all thai male gym staff built like pre pubescent teenage girls with anorexia ?

4) you can rarely find someone who can spot you

5) apparently sweating when you exercise is seen as something rather disgusting...hahaha

6) i dont need a gay backpack with my gym membership

7) i dont like the snide thai comments(dont thai people realize that some foreigners are fluent in thai) when i bench or curl more than their bodyweight....chang noi ma laeo...blah blah blah

god...i could go on forever..this is too easy..but i cant be arsed.....

later.

[Ulysses G.]

This fellow sounds like someone who has to GRUNT real loud after every repetition and drop the whole set of weights from his waist after a set trying to impress everyone with the loud noise. I think that I prefer the skinny little Thai phoofs!

[kiakaha]

This fellow sounds like someone who has to GRUNT real loud after every repetition and drop the whole set of weights from his waist after a set trying to impress everyone with the loud noise. I think that I prefer the skinny little Thai phoofs!

Cute guess...but... no, i have educated work out habits...i dont lift so much that i need to grunt and i dont drop weights, i place them , because i lift within my limits not at my limit.

[Captain Chaos]

This is an interesting thread to me, and sorry to take it slightly off-topic...

Here in Singapore, I've worked out at True Fitness for the last 6 months or so - unfortunately they have decided to close their one and only gym here (they have several yoga studio / spa type places) and are refusing to refund membership fees so far - as you can imagine, there's a lot of unhappy punters out there! However, I was very satisfied with the quality of the facility and the personal training I got. There's certainly a bit of the 'gym posing' culture but nothing like as much as we've heard suggested in this thread.

I really rate my personal trainer but he has now switched to California. After some deliberation, mainly coz Cali Thailand seem to get trashed here on TV on a fairly regular basis, I have decided to join him there - starting next week. Let's see...

Also interested in Kiakaha's comments about training use body weight resistance - to my surprise my PT makes me do a lot of push ups, pull ups etc as well as supporting my body weight in tricky balance positions and other similar exercises, as well as using free weights and machines - and some of them are REALLY effective (ie. difficult!) Suppose I could save a heap of $$$ doing my own work-out on this basis but I don't seem to have the same motivation in my 30's as I did in my 20's!

CC

[kiakaha]

This is an interesting thread to me, and sorry to take it slightly off-topic...

Here in Singapore, I've worked out at True Fitness for the last 6 months or so - unfortunately they have decided to close their one and only gym here (they have several yoga studio / spa type places) and are refusing to refund membership fees so far - as you can imagine, there's a lot of unhappy punters out there! However, I was very satisfied with the quality of the facility and the personal training I got. There's certainly a bit of the 'gym posing' culture but nothing like as much as we've heard suggested in this thread.

I really rate my personal trainer but he has now switched to California. After some deliberation, mainly coz Cali Thailand seem to get trashed here on TV on a fairly regular basis, I have decided to join him there - starting next week. Let's see...

Also interested in Kiakaha's comments about training use body weight resistance - to my surprise my PT makes me do a lot of push ups, pull ups etc as well as supporting my body weight in tricky balance positions and other similar exercises, as well as using free weights and machines - and some of them are REALLY effective (ie. difficult!) Suppose I could save a heap of $$$ doing my own work-out on this basis but I don't seem to have the same motivation in my 30's as I did in my 20's!

CC

i do more body weight centric exercises than anything else...what is the point of power without control and endurance right.

i do loads of press ups in various hand positions, pull ups, chin ups, dips etc... all stuff you can do in a park or in your hotel room if you travel alot etc....

i also do some gymnastic type exercises for strength and balance, although as I get older, these are becoming a tad more difficult.

full range ab exercises can be done pretty much anywhere too.

i do weights. but nothing too heavy..50 pound dumbells in each hand for hammer curls and dumbell curls 3 sets of 10 , 200 pounds bench press 3 sets of 10 etc.... got hold of a cheap set of weights and put it in my spare room.

gyms not my thing...dont need them...but understandably for other peoples workout needs they may suit well.

[Siam_superfly]

Kiakaha

What about the gym culture did you not like? What was the atmosphere like and how did the staff behave that you found to be off putting? Just curious...

Part of my stance is pure opinion...the rest is factual, based on observation(been living here 12 years and working out that whole time).....

1) i dont like the fancy new equipment in thai gyms that encourage a lazy and laxidasical approach to exercising..i am old school..free weights and busting your ass..drop and give me 60 press ups...ya know !!

2) i have observed that thais in gyms prefer to look pretty, socialize, talk, chat, fiddle with their phones and not exert themselves in the slightest manner whatsoever...hence completely defeating the purpose of even going to the gym

3) the male gym assistants primary purpose is to make sure their hair is as boofy and japanese pop star like as is possible at all times....their secondary purpose is too annoy you right in the middle of your most strenuous moment in your set...their tertiary purpose is to sit around and use the gym gear exactly at the time when you need it...oh....and you know the saying..."never trust a skinny chef"....why are all thai male gym staff built like pre pubescent teenage girls with anorexia ?

4) you can rarely find someone who can spot you

5) apparently sweating when you exercise is seen as something rather disgusting...hahaha

6) i dont need a gay backpack with my gym membership

7) i dont like the snide thai comments(dont thai people realize that some foreigners are fluent in thai) when i bench or curl more than their bodyweight....chang noi ma laeo...blah blah blah

god...i could go on forever..this is too easy..but i cant be arsed.....

later.

...lol... No 2 & No 3 are soooo 100% true ... No 7 is a fair call....

I train at F First and if there is one thing about them it's their total lack of any weight lifting knowledge.. ( Im no expert either, know a little )...

Will say that the gym is well equipped for lifting....all the machines work good and lots of free weights....

Edited May 8, 2008 by Siam_superfly

[kiakaha]

Kiakaha

What about the gym culture did you not like? What was the atmosphere like and how did the staff behave that you found to be off putting? Just curious...

Part of my stance is pure opinion...the rest is factual, based on observation(been living here 12 years and working out that whole time).....

1) i dont like the fancy new equipment in thai gyms that encourage a lazy and laxidasical approach to exercising..i am old school..free weights and busting your ass..drop and give me 60 press ups...ya know !!

2) i have observed that thais in gyms prefer to look pretty, socialize, talk, chat, fiddle with their phones and not exert themselves in the slightest manner whatsoever...hence completely defeating the purpose of even going to the gym

3) the male gym assistants primary purpose is to make sure their hair is as boofy and japanese pop star like as is possible at all times....their secondary purpose is too annoy you right in the middle of your most strenuous moment in your set...their tertiary purpose is to sit around and use the gym gear exactly at the time when you need it...oh....and you know the saying..."never trust a skinny chef"....why are all thai male gym staff built like pre pubescent teenage girls with anorexia ?

4) you can rarely find someone who can spot you

5) apparently sweating when you exercise is seen as something rather disgusting...hahaha

6) i dont need a gay backpack with my gym membership

7) i dont like the snide thai comments(dont thai people realize that some foreigners are fluent in thai) when i bench or curl more than their bodyweight....chang noi ma laeo...blah blah blah

god...i could go on forever..this is too easy..but i cant be arsed.....

later.

...lol... No 2 & No 3 are soooo 100% true ... No 7 is a fair call....

I train at F First and if there is one thing about them it's their total lack of any weight lifting knowledge.. ( Im no expert either, know a little )...

Will say that the gym is well equipped for lifting....all the machines work good and lots of free weights....

hey, what about point 6 !!

[Spit the Dog]

2) i have observed that thais in gyms prefer to look pretty, socialize, talk, chat, fiddle with their phones and not exert themselves in the slightest manner whatsoever...hence completely defeating the purpose of even going to the gym

Yes this is so true.

I didn't renew the membership at my Sports Club this year because I got sick and tired of having to suffer Thai soap operas being blasted across the gym at full blast. It was so loud that I had to turn my MP3 up to the max volume just to drown out the noise.

[girlx]

the best example of the thais' duplicitious natures i have ever seen was today at california wow fitness in paragon. i just happened to be walking by there on my way down from the theaters so out of curiosity i figured i would ask about their yoga and pilates classes and see if i could pay one class per time. i have no interest in their gym equipment, saunas, etc... it's much too lacking in privacy for me, like a meat market. so the girl started up with her sales pitch and i sighed and followed her around to be polite as she showed me the entire place instead of just answering my question. 20 minutes later she takes me into a private room and starts the hard sell. 28000b down for a minimum 12 month contract. and no you can not try it out and see if you like it first. so i ask again, can i just take the individual pilates and yoga classes without all this hoo-ha? she gets her manager. again i ask, is it possible to just come to the yoga and pilates classes and that is it? "no ma'am you must be a full member to go to those classes". "ok, well i am not interested in paying 12 months up front for a membership- i am only interested in the classes". all the sudden the attitudes completely change. before i was "suay" and they were all smiles. now i am "fat" (i can not be called fat by any stretch of the imagination) and i really need to join the gym, and there are no more smiles from the two girls. they go and get another manager. she starts yelling at me! why you only want classes!... i said "never mind- i can go to the pilates studio in ploenchit and pay for individual classes one at a time, thank you". "we have better classes, and cheaper!". "erm, no you don't, you want 28000b up front from me and that doesn't even include the classes i want, i am not interested today thank you". i was holding class schedules and brochures in my hand and she snatched them away from me. i said "can't i keep those and think about it later?" and she said "no, cannot". ha! funny to see how their heads started spinning exorcist-style as soon as they realized they weren't going to get an easy sale! usually i would be quite angry at the way they acted but it was so shocking i was actually quite amused!... anyway, i would never give my business to people like this and i don't suggest anyone else does either... i am sure there are small, independent gyms with nice people and without all the high pressure sales tactics somewhere in bangkok.

[fr33space]

I've also been debating whether or not to join a gym since the new apartment (excuse me, "condo") I'm moving into doesnt have a fitness center.

Given the above replies, I'd much rather buy my own equipment than put up with those annoyances on a daily basis.

So, if anyone knows a decent place to buy some free weights here in Bangkok, the info would be much appreciated

[girlx]

siam paragon has a sporting goods section in their department store which has free weights, though i didn't pay too much attention to their selection when i was there. i have also seen them at big C.

[BigSnake]

I would like to get an idea what sorts of gym facilities Bangkok expats are joining.

What are the facilities like and are you satisfied with what you get for your membership?

I would like to hear not only from centrally located expats, but especially those in outer Bangkok.

Your feedback is appreciated!

Amyji

Why, waste your time and MONEY, just go for a brisk walk/jog around the nearby Park; it's for sure better for your health, for don't have to worry about all those sweat germs/bacteira(ecoli)floating around the gym. Just a Thought.(MY)

[Sabum]

the best example of the thais' duplicitious natures i have ever seen was today at california wow fitness in paragon. i just happened to be walking by there on my way down from the theaters so out of curiosity i figured i would ask about their yoga and pilates classes and see if i could pay one class per time. i have no interest in their gym equipment, saunas, etc... it's much too lacking in privacy for me, like a meat market. so the girl started up with her sales pitch and i sighed and followed her around to be polite as she showed me the entire place instead of just answering my question. 20 minutes later she takes me into a private room and starts the hard sell. 28000b down for a minimum 12 month contract. and no you can not try it out and see if you like it first. so i ask again, can i just take the individual pilates and yoga classes without all this hoo-ha? she gets her manager. again i ask, is it possible to just come to the yoga and pilates classes and that is it? "no ma'am you must be a full member to go to those classes". "ok, well i am not interested in paying 12 months up front for a membership- i am only interested in the classes". all the sudden the attitudes completely change. before i was "suay" and they were all smiles. now i am "fat" (i can not be called fat by any stretch of the imagination) and i really need to join the gym, and there are no more smiles from the two girls. they go and get another manager. she starts yelling at me! why you only want classes!... i said "never mind- i can go to the pilates studio in ploenchit and pay for individual classes one at a time, thank you". "we have better classes, and cheaper!". "erm, no you don't, you want 28000b up front from me and that doesn't even include the classes i want, i am not interested today thank you". i was holding class schedules and brochures in my hand and she snatched them away from me. i said "can't i keep those and think about it later?" and she said "no, cannot". ha! funny to see how their heads started spinning exorcist-style as soon as they realized they weren't going to get an easy sale! usually i would be quite angry at the way they acted but it was so shocking i was actually quite amused!... anyway, i would never give my business to people like this and i don't suggest anyone else does either... i am sure there are small, independent gyms with nice people and without all the high pressure sales tactics somewhere in bangkok.

Haha I suspected as much, let me tell you, those paragon wow people are dipsticks all of em. BUT I'M THERE ALL THE TIME! I got a lifetime membership for 15,000 baht so... the price is right and they are opening a branch close to my house so it doesnt get much better than that. I hate the staff though, totally unfriendly and they do NOTHING! But its ok, I walk up already scowling and give them my card and they scowl at me back, then I do my workout just ignoring all the nitwits and I never have any problems, not even when I start training inside their little "ring" they use to do personal kickboxing training, I see the staff look at me like they want to tell me to get out but I just keep scowling... and punching and kicking.... f' em all

[Sabum]

Why, waste your time and MONEY, just go for a brisk walk/jog around the nearby Park; it's for sure better for your health, for don't have to worry about all those sweat germs/bacteira(ecoli)floating around the gym. Just a Thought.(MY)

Erm.. ya ok hippie! I'm just joking, I just always find it funny when people totally not interested in real training advise others to do the same...... or when vegetarians talk about how healthy they are while weighing all of 100 pounds and looking sickly, I dont want to be THAT kind of healthy thanks.

[onnut]

I have just taken a 3 year membership at California WOW and hope to start my first sesion on Tuesday. I will just put my ipod on full volume and do my stuff while ignoring all the poofs walking around with there big hair.

Im not looking forward to it, but do need to do something about my beer belly.

[t.s]

This is an interesting thread to me, and sorry to take it slightly off-topic...

Here in Singapore, I've worked out at True Fitness for the last 6 months or so - unfortunately they have decided to close their one and only gym here (they have several yoga studio / spa type places) and are refusing to refund membership fees so far - as you can imagine, there's a lot of unhappy punters out there! However, I was very satisfied with the quality of the facility and the personal training I got. There's certainly a bit of the 'gym posing' culture but nothing like as much as we've heard suggested in this thread.

I really rate my personal trainer but he has now switched to California. After some deliberation, mainly coz Cali Thailand seem to get trashed here on TV on a fairly regular basis, I have decided to join him there - starting next week. Let's see...

Also interested in Kiakaha's comments about training use body weight resistance - to my surprise my PT makes me do a lot of push ups, pull ups etc as well as supporting my body weight in tricky balance positions and other similar exercises, as well as using free weights and machines - and some of them are REALLY effective (ie. difficult!) Suppose I could save a heap of $$$ doing my own work-out on this basis but I don't seem to have the same motivation in my 30's as I did in my 20's!

CC

thank you for that report on the gym culture in singapore

[Doza]

I use Cal Wow Sukhumvit 23 and pay 900 / month no contract so I really cant complain at that price. But I agree totally with Kiakaha - Thais' gym etiquette is terrible and makes using the gym a bit of a pain.

I have seen people do a set then start reading the newspaper while remaining on the bench/machine for a good 3 minutes or so before the next set. This is freakin rude since at peak times there isn't enough to go around. I must say though that when I politely ask someone if I can do a set while they rest they are always obliging.

I have seen a guy in there in Doc Martins up to his shins, and boxer short. Yes, tight boxer shorts - not gym pants, you could see the band around the waist with the brand. He was being over doing row. Not nice.

I dont appreciate being stared at / perved on when using the shower or getting changed.

It annoys me watching trainers talking on their phones / doing their hair in the mirror while their client rests in between sets.

I have seen people sleeping in the upstairs stretch area. They had to put up a sign to say no sleeping - <deleted>??!!

Thais never use the towel on the equipment to stop sweat (yes Thais sweat). They seem to try to avoid getting their towel sweaty - this is the point of the towel!!!

Just generally watching the Thais do as little as possible in the gym and waste their time and someone elses chance to use the equipment.

There are a few weird farangs in their too occasionally who annoy me it must be said.

But I am over it now and usually manage to just get in, put the head down, and go for it and not get too annoyed - more amused these days you could say.

[TenDreams]

Kiakaha

What about the gym culture did you not like? What was the atmosphere like and how did the staff behave that you found to be off putting? Just curious...

Part of my stance is pure opinion...the rest is factual, based on observation(been living here 12 years and working out that whole time).....

1) i dont like the fancy new equipment in thai gyms that encourage a lazy and laxidasical approach to exercising..i am old school..free weights and busting your ass..drop and give me 60 press ups...ya know !!

2) i have observed that thais in gyms prefer to look pretty, socialize, talk, chat, fiddle with their phones and not exert themselves in the slightest manner whatsoever...hence completely defeating the purpose of even going to the gym

3) the male gym assistants primary purpose is to make sure their hair is as boofy and japanese pop star like as is possible at all times....their secondary purpose is too annoy you right in the middle of your most strenuous moment in your set...their tertiary purpose is to sit around and use the gym gear exactly at the time when you need it...oh....and you know the saying..."never trust a skinny chef"....why are all thai male gym staff built like pre pubescent teenage girls with anorexia ?

4) you can rarely find someone who can spot you

5) apparently sweating when you exercise is seen as something rather disgusting...hahaha

6) i dont need a gay backpack with my gym membership

7) i dont like the snide thai comments(dont thai people realize that some foreigners are fluent in thai) when i bench or curl more than their bodyweight....chang noi ma laeo...blah blah blah

god...i could go on forever..this is too easy..but i cant be arsed.....

later.

HAH HAH HAH! that was almost the exact post i was gonna write today after my gym session, before i even saw this thread...

was wondering if 'fitness centre' / 'gym' translates to 'place to go to talk on the phone, watch TV, do your hair and generally relax' in Thai.

Spot on post mate!

...off the topic a bit...but i am getting worried about the level of ...um, anger (?) i feel about dopes at the gym who sit there with their phones laid out across a bench made for lifting weights, while watching tv or looking at themselves in the mirror and occasionally doing the odd rep, makes me feel. i am a very chilled out person, nothing winds me up this much! i need to sort this out before i became a real a-hole. I could go on too, but ICBA either...

[teej]

Sports City Prachacheun.

I love it!

It really is a sports "city." Huge area, golf driving range, putting green, a few different restaurants, Starbucks, Villa at the end of the complex, nicely equipped and clean gym area, competent and real trainers, basketball courts/ badminton courts, yoga studio, other studios for dance/aerobics/etc. Nice showering and sauna facility. Tennis courts also.

Not packed with people and they don't blast stupid music. I think it's a class joint.

Tons of parking also.... and I heard they were going to make a soccer/football pitch but that hasn't happened for a couple of years now.

And you can relax looking across the canal at some really beautiful houses. It's all in all a great atmosphere.

Gets my vote.

[Hawkup2000]

Din daeng sports club. 40 bath/year (yes, fouty bath per year ). Good hardhore gym, I think it is the hangout for most thai bodybuilders in Bangkok. Not "thai cartoon hero" as far as the eye can see . There is also a nice track for running as well.

Edited July 28, 2008 by Hawkup2000

[girlx]

I got a lifetime membership for 15,000 baht (at California Wow)

how did you manage that?

[Sabum]

I got a lifetime membership for 15,000 baht (at California Wow)

how did you manage that?

Dealt with someone I know at head office, but it was a promo they were capable of offering a couple months ago. It went up, last I heard it was 20,000 for lifetime. You have to understand, the sales people arent going to offer them to falangs much since they probably dont get a good comission on them. Want me to find out if there is still a lifetime available? I think the trick is... if you do not RENEW one month in advance (yes you have to manually renew with 100 baht EVERY year) they cancel the lifetime.... pretty sneaky trick... but this IS Cal Wow we are talking about. So I gave them 500 baht and paid upfront for the first 5 years, If I'm still in Thailand in 4 years I'll give them another 500 baht for the next 5 years.

[Insight]

Found the trick to getting a good rate at one of the more mainstream gyms is to know somebody who had a similar offer and use them as a reference. From then on you've already set the bar of what to expect and may even walk away with a lower price once you strip out all the crappy extras you're never likely to use.

I got a really good deal for 15 months membership at True this way (below 10,000k). Mainly do the spinning courses as I can't be fecked waiting for <bad-day-sarcasm>people taking a millennium to do 3 sets of 10 reps at 10kg</bad-day-sarcasm>.