A Good Gym?

[nephilim]

Hi all,

I'd like to join a gym here in Bangkok. Ideally it would be close to Asok BTS - but I've seen the Sheraton and the Westin and wasn't impressed with either. I've seen the Olympic at MBK / Patumnam and *was* impressed - I just would rather one closer to home.

Does anyone have any tips?

Many thanks

Neph

[Axel]

A bit farer. Try Capitol Club, 99 Sukhumvit Soi 24.

That's oposite of the new Davies Hotel at the corner where Soi 22 meets with 24.

[Richard Hall]

Hi all,

I'd like to join a gym here in Bangkok. Ideally it would be close to Asok BTS - but I've seen the Sheraton and the Westin and wasn't impressed with either. I've seen the Olympic at MBK / Patumnam and *was* impressed - I just would rather one closer to home.

Does anyone have any tips?

Many thanks

Neph

Have been using Silom Fitness (now City Fitness) on Rama 4 right beside Dusit Thani Hotel. Equipment is quite good even suitable for heavy duty work outs. They are flexibel and you can give it a try with paying the one day admission fee, buy the cheaper 10 time voucher and/or become a short time (1 - 3 months) or annual member.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

yes, silom city fitness, very good gym, 1800 a month.

open daily 6-11 (10 on week end)

[superdupont]

Is that all for the Gyms near Phrom pong and Tong Lor ?

Yes, Silom City is cheap and friendly, a bit busy during the peak hours and you have to deal with the bad music but I guess it's everywhere the same. There's not much women there but the gay hunks are harmless for your virginity and polite as Thais can be.

[randyksf]

Being a gym rat for the last 15 years... I can give you the skinny on some of the gyms here.

Silom Fit=

cost = 1800

Pros , nice people, friendly staff, close to Lumpine to do a run.

Cons = Older equipment, good walk form BTS.

California Fitness = New equipment, lots of different classes, something for everyone.

Pros = New equipment, Lots of classes, Some good trainers, tons of equipment. Something also they are a part of 24 hour Fitness in the USA. Membership will work there to. Also they have clubs in Sing, Hong Kong and other places. They are also going to open two more clubs this year in BKK...

Close to Silom BTS 3 min walk.

Lots of girls in tight fitting cloths running around.

Cons = peek hours way to many people, nothing for free.

Cost = 1400 month to month less with year contracts. Talk to Pu (She is a nice girl and speaks good English.)

Olympic at MBK / Patumnam

Pros = Huge space, lots of equipment, Nice people, more affluent membership. Great pool and other facilities.

Cons = Most expensive, equipment is a little older. Layout could be better.

Cost = 27,000 a year

I have worked out at most of these places and have found CFC is the best place mainly because I pay so little. If you do a lot of traveling then it will work great. I also don't go during the peak hours.

If money is not a major issues I would go to the Olympic club. The members are more professional and its more like a club then a weight gym.

With that said I might change to the Olympic Club in a few months. Better for networking contacts and during the heat the pool will be nice.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

.....and what do you think about INSTRUCTORS / STAFF in these clubs?

do they need any certificate / diploma to become instructor?

Because most of the time I've seen that what they explain is really shit... And they really don't care about the way you exercice. Better not to ask their help it seems.

[NedKelly]

Yeah you have to be careful with gym staff if you dont know what u are doing. This goes for anywhere in the world but I think what I have seen here is very questionable in the extreme. For example, a person arrives at the gym and forgets to bring thier shoes....ok fair enough, gym rules, no shoes no entry as it is deemed unsafe. But when I am using the gym on the same day I see staff sitting around talking and watching the music videos while next to me is an older guy who is doing an extremely dangerous thing as he tries to do what he thinks is correct.

I suggest to him that he ask an attendant. He does this and the staff guy comes over and instructs him to do something completely dangerous, then walks away back to his conversation and tv watching. So I decide to intervene and discover that this old guy has a history of heart trouble and had made his own decision to try and improve his health so came to the gym alone. NO-ONE checked this with him. I only discovered this as I had intervened to instruct him in the exercise he was doing incorrectly and dangerously.

So be careful if you do not know what u are doing.

[randyksf]

I have found in most gyms have one of two promotions one like CFC you have to pay for a trainer. I believe at the Olympic club they will help for free. Not sure on this, only went there a few times to check the place out.

As to the personal trainers. It is a mixed bag all over the world. But I have to agree it seems a lot of them don't really know what?s going on. At the bigger places most of them have a degree. I know at CFC the all have one and have a CFC certification.

One of the problems or benefits is most of the men are former Thai fighters and what they were thought by their old coaches has been proven wrong years ago. Or what they were thought is to brutal and hard for the normal person. (Personally I like that to keep me on my toes.)

Back home I always had to giggle when I saw a fat instructor telling someone how to lose weight. Being an axx that I can be sometimes. I would wait until they were done with the customer and ask them why they were showing someone something wrong and dangerous. The answers I got were funny to pathetic.

I know a lot of the trainers at CFC I can tell you who is good for what. Some are better with the ladies, some normal guys, and some rats like my self. BTW I am not a huge hulk 178 cm 78 kgs 14% body fat. Not a huge guy rather someone who is active with sports and is always the last to tire.

If you PM me or post what kind of results you are looking for I can give you a name at CFC for a trainer. Or point you in a direction of the type of program that might be best for you.

I used one for a little while at CFC helped break a few bad habits formed over the years. One of the benefits of paying for one is you develop a program for you. As you body changes your program needs to.

[Felt 35]

Fitness First, Landmark Hotel, Sukhumvit.

Great place, and my personal impression is that the instructors correct you if they see you doing an exercise wrong.

[Felt 35]

BTW, "Fitness First 39" is probably more in your direction. Before the name was Spa 39. This is also Sukhumvit, soi 39)

They also have personal trainers.

[haha]

I have the "diamond" membership plan with CFC. I paid up front for the 8 year plan. the cost averages out to be about 10 us dollars a year. when the 8 years is up, I was told that I could renew for 5000 baht a year.

CFC allows you to use their facilities in other countries no questions asked. just present your card. so far, I've done this in singapore, and at several 24 hour fitness gyms in different sections of san francisco.

the CFC on silom just recently remodeled a little. they now have a steam room, and birayam yoga classes.

I've been a member of several other gyms around the city over the years including the gyms at windsor suites hotel, patuwam princess, and the sheraton. have also attended for brief periods of time, the gym at landmark, and ambassador.

for the price, you can't beat CFC.

..and I'm not getting a commission for saying this.

[haha]

yeah. I know. I meant to say 100 us dollars a year. I tried to edit my previous post, but for some reason, I can't edit anything I've posted. I keep getting this "index.php" file popping up to be saved on my pc.

anyone know how to stop this? thanks.

[nephilim]

I ended up joining the Olympic at Patunwam Princess - 23000B for 1 year. I must say, am very happy there. I go most days between 8 and 10am and it's pretty empty. The facilities are great, loads of machines, TVs on most of the cardio machines. Staff are helpful - if they see you doing something blatently wrong, they'll help you out and are always happy to help when asked.

You get towels, a locker, great changing facilities and so on.

All in all, very nice indeed. Puts places like the marriot, westin and sheraton to utter shame

thanks for all the replies

Neph

[Orion76]

nevermind

[chonabot]

Cracking good album that....

[Dradam]

I have the "diamond" membership plan with CFC. I paid up front for the 8 year plan. the cost averages out to be about 10 us dollars a year. when the 8 years is up, I was told that I could renew for 5000 baht a year.

$10 per year? I think your math is wrong. That is 390 Baht/year or 3120 Baht for 8 years. Renew for 5000/year? Why not just pay for 8 more years if it is only 3120.

Maybe you meant $10/month.

I am a member at CFC. I paid 20,000 Baht upfront for a 30 month membership.

I go after work so it is pretty crowded. It is open late though which is good for when I have late meetings. If you are going to meet girls I expect you to be disappointed though. Most gyms in Thailand are filled with gay men.

CFC is the same way. Go to work out and not to meet girls.

It does not have a pool, tennis courts, jacuzzi, or sports of any type.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

I ended up joining the Olympic at Patunwam Princess - 23000B for 1 year. I must say, am very happy there. I go most days between 8 and 10am and it's pretty empty. The facilities are great, loads of machines, TVs on most of the cardio machines. Staff are helpful - if they see you doing something blatently wrong, they'll help you out and are always happy to help when asked.

You get towels, a locker, great changing facilities and so on.

All in all, very nice indeed. Puts places like the marriot, westin and sheraton to utter shame

thanks for all the replies

Neph

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23000 for a year? not so much. still going and still happy? the club closes at what time?

thanks.

[motif]

Is it the same gym as the one at the princess hotel at mbk.

I'm interested in the salt water pool there?

Does anyone else know of a gym with a salt water pool.

[Peter Phuket]

Can anyone tell me which gym has the largest free weight area? I am not interested in machines at all since I train for pure strength. Preferably, I'd like to train at a gym where other powerlifters train.

Thanks.

[pitrevie]

I have just reached my 60th birthday and I would like to find some gym where I could do a daily workout nothing strenuous just enough to keep myself in reasonable condition. I will probably need some sort of advice regarding my training program but I don't envisage anything more complex than using a running machine. I live near Phaya Thai BTS which is near Siam City Hotel. Any suggestions please.

[psychosid10]

i would like to know , is there a gym around Thonglo soi 25 and if there is , what are the expenses ?

[endlessnights]

I know the fitness first sukhumwit location has an outdoor salt water swimming pool (www.fitnessfirst.co.th).. though i haven't been there myself. if you don't use the "plus" stuff regularly you can pay 50% of the visitor's fee (I think the visitor's fee is 500Bt) to use the plus stuff (ie: pool).

Is it the same gym as the one at the  princess hotel at mbk.

I'm interested in the salt water pool there?

Does anyone else know of a gym with a salt water pool.

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