10 Fun Exercises To Try In Singapore Besides Good Ol’ Running & Gymming

Working out doesn’t have to be all torture and no fun — you just have to find a routine that suits you! Sometimes it gets a little dull to just run and gym so we’ve come up with a list of 10 alternative workouts that are fun and cater to a wide range of fitness levels and budgets!

1. Group Workouts With ActiveSG

Group exercise classes are ace because the peer pressure makes it harder for you to slack off. Also, there are tons of classes to try, such as Pilates, Cardiobox, Kickbox and more.

A hack I’ve discovered recently is that you can use your free ActiveSG credits to offset up to 30% of your class fees. Each lesson works out to be approximately S$4+, which is really affordable.

Personally, I highly recommend Pound, a rhythmic workout with lightweight drumsticks. It’s so fun that even though I’m aching all over by the time the session ends, I still want to go for another round!

ActiveSG Workout Classes: Various Outlets | Website | Facebook

2. Dance Classes For Both Dancers & Non-Dancers

This one’s for those with decent hand-eye coordination and who are looking for a workout that’s equal parts fun and torturous.

Options range from packages offered by studios like Converge Studios and O School, suitable for dancers, to Zumba classes under ActiveSG for non-dancers.

With Zumba, you should still be able to get by even if you have two left feet. However, if you’re as hopeless at dancing as I am (the only dance I can do is line dance), then probably skip this. Otherwise, you’ll end up spending more time trying to catch the moves than actually working out.

ActiveSG Zumba Classes: Various Outlets | Website | Facebook

Converge Studios: 137 Cecil St, #02-01, Singapore 069537 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Fri) 5pm – 10.30pm, (Sat) 12.30pm – 5pm, (Sun) 8.30am – 4pm | Website | Facebook 

O School: 2 Orchard Link, #04–04 *SCAPE, Singapore 237978 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Fri) 5pm – 9.30pm, (Sat) 10.30am – 4pm | Website | Facebook

3. Short But Intense HIIT Workouts At Ritual Gym

Ritual Gym‘s routines are designed to cater to the time-starved individuals who find it difficult to fit a workout into their already packed schedule.

The sessions aim to deliver a complete workout in under 30 minutes. 20 minutes will be spent in the most intense session your body can handle, with 10 minutes set aside for you to shower and leave.

The HIIT sessions are customised based on an individual’s fitness level, with three levels to choose from. The different levels mean varying the amount of weights used and the way each move is to be carried out.

Participants are required to master nine basic moves and each workout will require you to go through at least five of them.

Ritual Gym: Various Outlets | Opening hours: (Mon to Fri) 6.30am – 9pm, (Sat) 9am – 3pm | Website | Facebook 

4. Ride And Rumble Classes In A Neon Gym — Ground Zero

Ground Zero is a neon gym offering adrenaline-pumping classes that are guaranteed to be anything but dull. The boutique gym offers 45-minute workout sessions with two main routines to choose from.

The first routine, Ride, is a rhythmic spin class that’ll put you through sprints, climbs, jogs and pushups. The workout is centred around a fast-paced, heart-thumping electronic dance music soundtrack that’ll keep you pumped to keep hustling.

Rumble, on the other hand, combines all the jabs and punches of boxing basics with strength training exercises. Personally this sounds incredibly exciting — I’d love to unleash some aggression through the boxing movements. All in the name of a good workout, of course.

Ground Zero: 38 Carpenter Street, Level 3, Singapore 059917 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Fri) 6am – 9.30pm, (Sat & Sun) 7.30am – 6.30pm | Website | Facebook

5. Sweat-Free Exercises At Aqua Groove

There are two types of people — those who love working up a good sweat with a satisfying workout and those who want a toned body but aren’t too keen on the perspiration. Aqua Groove is the perfect workout for those in the latter group.

Held at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, participants have to get into the swimming pool and go through a set of dance and aerobics movements to the beat of Latin and international music. Being in the water hampers one’s coordination and adds a little challenge to the routine.

Each sessions starts off with basic movements like lifting your arms and pushing them to the left and right. It’s all fun and games until the instructor decides to introduce pool noodles. These act as a resistance rod and before you know it, the little ache signifying a good workout will start creeping in.

Singapore Sports Hub – Aquatic Fitness: 7 Stadium Drive, OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore 397632 | Website

6. Bungee Workouts At Dancevault Studios

There are several classes under The Bungee Workout Series at Dancevault Studios but beginners are encouraged to opt for the introductory class, the Bungee Workout. This combines dance and fitness training and it’s unique because it engages muscles that people don’t use on a day-to-day basis.

Before the session begins, participants are strapped into a hip harness which is then hooked to a bungee cord. The cords serve as resistance training tools and they’re particularly effective for the waistline.

Not only is it a completely novel kind of workout, the jumps, which work-in bits of cardio, strength training, abs workout and balance training, will have you aching all over in a good way. The heart-pumping tunes also help in keeping your spirits up!

Bungee Workout by D: Various Outlets | Class Schedule | Website | Facebook

7. Ballet-Inspired Workouts At WeBarre

8. Yoga Classes On Water With The Fitness Project

The Fitness Project offers two types of HydroFit sessions (which means workouts on water), the HydroFit Zen and HydroFit Pump.

HydroFit Zen involves an hour of meditative yoga poses while balancing on the floating mats. The poses are simple but the challenge is maintaining one’s balance on the wobbly mats. It’s a little hard to be zen while attempting twisty yoga moves as your mats threaten to shrug you off and into the pool.

HydroFit Pump is a more intense workout comprising bodyweight calisthenics exercises like squats and sit-ups. A fun way to destress, HydroFit Pump is also great for people recovering from injuries. The movements are low-impact but the high-resistance means that you’re really toning up your physique.

HydroFit: The Fitness Project, Chinese Swimming Club, 21/34 Amber Road, Singapore 439870 | Class Schedule | Website | Facebook

9. Virtual Reality Cycling Experience At Pure Fitness

Disclaimer: I’m referring to the Pure Fitness gym at Ngee Ann City, which is the only outlet that offers a virtual reality (VR) cycling experience.

Workouts are now ten times the fun (but still equally painful) as the high intensity cycling is paired with cinematic visuals on a wide screen. The process is easy — simply don the VR headgear as you would with other VR machines, but, the experience is like no other. Tone your legs while virtually driving a tank, riding a horse or even sailing a boat.

Go forth and pedal away!

Pure Fitness Singapore: Ngee Ann City Podium Block, Level 8, 391 Orchard Road, Singapore 238872 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Sat) 6am – 12am, (Sun & PH) 8am – 10pm | Website

10. DIY Workouts With YouTube Videos

For those who don’t feel like socialising or for the days when you don’t want to leave your house just to get a workout in, just search for a suitable fitness class to follow from the plethora of options available on YouTube. Some of my favourites include Blogilates and POPSUGAR Fitness.

The only downside is that when you’re working out alone, it takes a great deal of discipline to not slack off. This is when the vivacious energy of the instructors help — they seem to know exactly when I’m starting to tire and shout “Don’t stop! Just a few more minutes!” 

Ok, you got me, I ain’t stopping!

Recommended YouTube Workouts: Blogilates | POPSUGAR Fitness

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With so many workout options to choose from, there’s really no excuse for lazing away. Don your workout gear and werk it! Which of the workouts above are on your to-try list?