Desperately need to hit the gym but dreading the monotonous workout routine and its inevitable drain? Like many others, I’m starting to develop something of a phobia for working out.
Let’s face it – it’s hard to get all pumped up about draining every last ounce of energy leftover after an already hectic day.
But what if we could change that and give ourselves a reason to partake in this strenuous activity of keeping fit and go about slaying the world with our fab bod?
Welcome to the ultimate workout of 2018. Ground Zero is the latest neon gym located just round the corner of Boat Quay offering adrenaline-pumping gym classes that are anything but dull and mundane.
This one-of-a-kind boutique gym offers 45-minute workout sessions of varying intensity and you’ll definitely find one that suits your fitness capacity. You’ll get to choose from two routines targeted at different areas of your body.
Go for ‘Ride’ and immerse yourself in a rhythmic spin class that’ll let you sweat it out through sprints, climbs, jogs and pushups as you gym to heart-thumping electronic dance music.
Otherwise, have a go at ‘Rumble’, which combines all the jabs and punches of boxing basics coupled with some strength training exercises.
We signed ourselves up for a trial of both of these workouts. We were pumped for a good gym session in this aesthetically-pleasing establishment – the space is decked out in flickering neon lights, and we felt like we were stepping onto a science fiction movie set, with our bad-ass cleats.
First up was the ‘Ride’ session.
For those who haven’t been to a spin class before, like myself, you best prepare yourself to be pushed beyond your limits. I thought that spin classes were simply intense sessions of cycling but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The class started off on a pretty fast pace, although I would say that it was fairly manageable, at least for the front part. You’ll mostly be engaging your core, thighs and rear muscles. Exercises involve regular pedalling, sprinting, lifts and tap backs at different speeds and intensity.
Doesn’t sound so bad does it? That’s what I thought until I got down to doing it.
The session was very much about endurance and coordination for me.
My thighs, in particular, were literally getting ripped throughout the workout. Any sets that involved lifting my bum up from the seat was a torture for me. I’ve got to admit, my legs just aren’t my strongest feature.
Enduring body aches and pushing pass personal limits was one thing, coordinating my movements to the music was another. Let me emphasise that this workout is heavily centred around fast-paced music. You’re expected to be able to feel that tempo and execute the exercises accordingly.
Me being someone with poor body coordination, this workout was a disaster in the making; I was pretty much off-beat the whole time.
Our instructor, Jeong, was kind enough to attempt steering me back in the right direction. Several times.
The only part that was slightly more doable for me in the entire session was the pushups, crunches and hand-weight exercises. These exercises were a breeze for me in comparison to those involving my legs.
‘Ride’ did prove to be quite a challenge for me. Despite my poor performance at keeping up with the class, it was still a decent workout. This is something you should definitely sign up for if you’re pressed for time but are still looking for a full-on intense workout.
Also can I just say, curating the neon lights to match the pace of the music was simply dope. The fancy lights did distract me from my physical inabilities for a moment there.
If cycling isn’t the thing for you, you might want to put on your boxing gloves and bring out the fighter in you instead at ‘Rumble’. Honestly, how hard can throwing a few punches be?
The class started out with rhythmic sequences of jabs, crosses, upper cuts and hooks paired with some simple footwork. You’ll feel the grind as the pace of the class starts to stealthily pick up, but it’s nothing you can’t manage.
Punch away at the aqua bags and release your inner fury into each movement with pulsating beats in the background. This will certainly send you into a state of euphoria fuelled by adrenaline. Now, that’s one heck of a workout!
About halfway into the session, I could barely feel my arms any longer but that wasn’t about to stop me from giving that punching bag a trashing. Although I’m far from being an MMA sportsperson, could this be what it feels like to be in a sparring match?
Following that intensive routine, we got started on some floor work. We did a combination of burpees, squats, lunges, crunches, planks and pushups. All this might sound a tad intimidating, but they’re really just regular cardio exercises.
Looking for a full body workout to tone up those flabs? ‘Rumble’ might just be the one for you. This is one workout that will put every last inch of your body to use.
Perhaps you’re wondering how the neon lights come into play in any of these workout sessions. The curated light patterns and the heightened tempo of the music will set the mood for some fat-burning. Talk about putting the atmosphere to good use.
What’s more, you can even stage your very own mini photoshoot and pimp up your Instagram with those fancy lights when you’re done with your gym session. Go on, you’ve earned it.
A good ol’ workout with that aesthetics game going on, now that’s something that will get you moving.