With references to these 3 posts, I am finally able to proudly announce the start of my GYM ADVENTURES posts! Hurrah! About time, I know, I know.
Anyhow, the first gym which I tried is Fitness First Ang Mo Kio outlet.
53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3
#B1-36
AMK Hub
Singapore 569933
Located right inside AMK hub, I felt that it’s rather big considering that it’s based in a shopping center.
Since, Fitness First only offers 1 day guests passes, this review would be written on the service which I’ve received from the time I’ve registered my one day trail to the time the trail ends.
Noticed the words: “…from the time I’ve registered my one day trail…” instead of “during the one day trail”? There’s actually a simple reason for that. Read on. Trust me, you’ll love it if you are looking to try out gyms.
Before I go on about the Gym’s atmosphere. Let me elaborate on what happened during the time I registered my trail to the day I actually go for my trail. Basically the procedure of trail registering is like that:
- You, a consumer, register on the gyms’ website to have a trail run in their gym before joining their membership.
- The admin in their site got your form and you will be assigned to one of their gym facilitators.
- The gym facilitators will contact you and you’ll book an appointment with them.
- When that day comes, you’ll meet with your assigned gym facilitators, you’ll exchange your identification for a guest pass and towels.Depending on your gym facilitators, they may or may not show you around the gym.
- Explore the gym by yourselves
- After the day ends and it’s time for you to go, the front desk will ask you to hold on so that your gym facilitator can discuss with you the benefits, packages and promotion if you join the gym then.
Of course, you can choose reject and think it over first or you can grab the deal immediately. The choice is yours.
This is a standard procedure which one would go through if they register for a trail at any gym in Singapore. However, for me, I have to go through an extra step between 3 & 4 and that step is called : IGNORE ALL CALLS.
I mean, I appreciate that my gym facilitator called to inform me about their roadshow promotion and confirm with me my appointment, but calling me EVERY SINGLE DAY to inform me about the SAME roadshow was a huge NO. Let’s just say, I kind of turned into Joe from Family Guy:
Taken from: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYrm3qAYQWs
If not for my persistence in getting this post up, I would have already blocked that number and just move onto the next gym.
Just to be clear, for those who feel that Fitness First is a hard selling gym, it’s not. It actually depends on the gym facilitator you were assigned to. Like for my friend who accompanied me on this gym adventures, she actually got a facilitator which was quite soft selling and only contact her using SMSes. He didn’t contact her until the day before to remind her about her appointment.
I guess you can say, for this situation, you are to count on your luck.
Anyway, the day of the trail finally came and I can finally block the person’s number. Upon entering the gym, we filled in our names on the guests’ boards and exchanged our identity cards for guest passes, locker keys, 2 huge towels and 2 small towel for wiping our sweat.
Being a real newbie to gyms and their procedures, I asked my gym facilitator to give us a tour of the gym. She was a little shocked but still she agreed. With that said, the so-called “tour” sounded like that, OK imagine you are walking in a fast pace with your belongings in your hands while following a person in a blazer going like this: “Here’s the machines.” *Silence* “and here’s the locker room. Here are your lockers. Put the card like that and when you are ready to check out please return this card to get your IC back.”
After placing our belongings in the lockers, we look up to find my facilitator vanished into thin air. Unsure of what to do or where everything was, we did a little exploring of our own.
Here’s the result. As seen from above, the locker room definitely have ample space for one to move about and to pick their desired lockers.
There was a row of shower cubicles at the back and at one corner sits a sauna. Since, we ran out of time, we didn’t get to try out their sauna. There were only 3 toilet cubicles in the locker room and quite a hand full of changing rooms. Since the locker room was also a place for ladies to freshen up after a workout, there are plenty of mirrors with necessities from hair dryer to cotton buds to tissues for the ladies to use. There were even a built-in station for one to dispose of their used towels.
Enough about the locker room, time to describe about the stations in the gym. Located right outside the locker room was a water fountain station which provides both cold and warm water. Right in front of that, there’s a stretching area where one can do their stretches before heading off for a more intense workout. Items like yoga ball mats and such are provided.
Subsequently after our stretching session, we decided to test out the machines provided. As mentioned above, being a rookie we have no clue on how to use the machines. So, we decided to get help. After approaching their front desk looking for someone to assist us. We waited, and waited, and STILL continue to wait. However, it seems that everyone was busy at that time and we were clearly disregarded. Therefore, we decided to test out the machines by ourselves.
After a few click on the machines, we got the hang of it and at last we started out workout. Noticed from the picture above, we decided to try the treadmill first! What I like about the treadmill was that they provide a row of Television with channels like Discovery Home & Health, MTV and many more for one to watch while running. This way, one can work out and not miss their favorite shows!
Subsequent to our running session, we decided to try out their gym bikes. Located at the left of the treadmills, we are able to ride the bikes and not miss our shows at the same time. Nonetheless, if you would like to listen to play your own media, you can pluck in your phone and earpiece to the screen provide above.
Apart from playing your own media, the screen also allows you to track your distance, speed and how many calories you are burning. If you like to feel like you are cycling up a steep slope, you are able to adjust the bikes’ setting to your preferences.
Soon, we got bored of the bike and went around trying the varieties of machines available in the gym.
When it was finally, time for a break, there are plenty of refreshments provided, from tea to coffee to energy drinks to soft drinks!
Near the refreshments there’s also a huge notice board to keep members up to date about the recent gym activities. Magazines and newspapers were place at their sitting area their members to browse. What really came to my attention was that they also provide DVD rentals for their members. Gosh, they really do pamper their members don’t they?
Anyhow,after taking a short break to restore our spirits, we walked out and immediately, notice this Body Composition Analysis Machine. As expected, we decided to give it a go. After inputting our necessary information in the machine, a paper printed out our body composition.
If you want to test out your blood pressure, there’s a blood pressure machine at the side for you to use.
Thereafter, we proceed to check out the classes that they offer.
There are 2 boards, 1 located outside the Group Exercise Studio and one located outside the yoga studio. The group exercise studio were mainly for classes which are more vigorous like Zumba and SHbam. While, the yoga studio are for classes which can calm your mind and soul like Yoga and Pilates.
Since, they finished all the classes in the yoga studio for the day, we decided to try out their Zumba class.
In case, you have no idea what is Zumba let me try to elaborate to you in the fastest way possible: Zumba is a class which allows you to work out via dancing in a fast-paced. Since the dance is quite freestyle, no memorization of dance movements is required. What really matters is that you dance your heart out to be fit!
In the process of waiting our turn, we saw the previous class doing this in the group exercise studio.
Soon, that class was over and it’s time for an hour of dancing! Overall, I felt that the class was quite fun. There’s no need for one to care about whether he or she is doing the correct movement or not for almost everyone is new and are making mistakes. The instructor is quite engaging; Dancing & guiding with the audience, allowing everyone to relax and have fun.
After the class was over, it’s finally time to leave the gym, get some food in our belly and not forgetting to block the gym facilitators’ number. The gym facilitators go through with us the discounted prices and return our identification cards back.
With that, let’s end with the outfit I wore for my first gym adventures!
If you like to know more about Fitness First and join their 1 day trail, check out their website here: www.fitnessfirst.com.sg
If you like to know how to block callers on Android click HERE and for apple users, click HERE
Good luck and Be Fit!
~Next Gym to review: True fitness~
If you have any questions, comment below. PS. Don’t ask me about the prices as they have long slipped my mind.