Step into a big commercial gym in Singapore and you might be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped into a pool of sharks. Salespeople masquerading as customer service officers eye you hungrily, waiting for the moment when they can swoop down and sell you overpriced packages that will have you spending the next two years paying for a gym you’ll use only sparingly.
Still, if you’re fighting the battle of the bulge and going to the fitness classes is the only way you know how to do it, here are some ways to check in to a buffet of classes and gym facilities without actually becoming a member.
Rely on free passes and credit cards
If you’re not a Muscle Mary who needs your two hours a day at the gym to stop yourself from withering and dying, you can probably get by for quite a few months on free passes and credit cards. Almost all gyms give out free passes that last anything from one day to a week. Just contact them directly and ask for one, or get a friend with an existing membership to snag the passes for you.
Signing up for a credit card that gives you gym access a few times a month is also a great idea. For instance, the CIMB Visa Signature gives you 2 free visits to True Fitness and True Yoga each month. Consider the fact that many paying customers at gyms can barely find the time to go even twice a month.
We’ve already covered ways to use the gym for free elsewhere on MoneySmart, so follow the link if you believe a fit body shouldn’t come at a price.
Subscribe to a fitness app
If you’re the sort of person who scoffs at the guy who queues up at the exact same food court stall every day at lunch, it’s understandable if you have commitment phobia when it comes to signing up for a membership.
That’s where you can take advantage of the new subscription model for fitness classes that looks set to become all the rage when the four (yes, four!) startups catering to this market launch later this year. For a monthly fee of between $99 and $159, you get to enjoy classes from a variety of gyms and studios. Everything from yoga and dance to crossfit and rock climbing can be found. It’s a good idea to browse the various providers and see which has the most classes you’re interested in.
Get fitness deals on Groupon
Groupon occasionally carries sports and fitness coupons that can save you a lot of money. A cursory look at Groupon today shows the following offers:
- 4 x 1 hour boot camp sessions for $19, which works out to less than $5 per session.
- 4 x 1 hour yoga classes for $20, which works out to $5 per class.
- 6 gym passes and 3 x 30 min personal training for $28
- 1 month California Fitness gym access and training for $39.90
Get one for one classes with The Entertainer app
Those of you who are familiar with The Entertainer app will know that it gets you one-for-one restaurant mains. But there’s also a fitness section that gets you one-for-one classes or sessions, meaning if you bring along a friend both of you get to pay half price. Here are some of the deals on the app.
- 1-for-1 trial drop-in classes at Impakt Singapore
- 1-for-1 x 5 yoga sessions at True Yoga
- 1-for-1 10 class memberships at Yoga Inc
- 1-for-1 personal training sessions at Ufit
You also get a 10% discount on the yearly subscription if you sign up through this site.
How do you subscribe to fitness classes? Tell us in the comments!