… gyms and fitness centres are bright, modern, and welcoming…

Technology, robots, and automated machines in the workplace are increasingly taking over from the physical efforts of the human workforce. On a bus, on a train, in a car, people are forever staring into a smartphone screen. We are becoming sedentary, lazy … and obesity is a growing problem, even in the developing countries of Southeast Asia. Only 20 years ago you would have found it difficult in Thailand to spot people carrying around more kilos on their bodies than was healthy for them.

But as people have become more overweight, they have also found that they have more free time, and many are looking for ways to use this free time to counter the problem of their obesity or lack of fitness. They are looking for a fun and enjoyable way in which to do it, and gyms, fitness centres, yoga classes, and Zumba high energy dance workouts provide the answer. Globally, gym and fitness culture is on the rise, and Bangkok is no exception to this trend.

The old days of seedy, sweaty, somewhat run-down gyms – such as those depicted in the ‘Rocky’ movies -are a thing of the past. Today, fitness gyms and private health clubs are bright, techy, and welcoming. They are a huge global business and Bangkok and other urban centres in Thailand have plenty for you to pick from, with international chains such as Fitness First, Clark Hatch, Virgin Active, Crossfit, WE Fitness Society, or True Fitness all having a presence here.

Memberships can be weekly, monthly or yearly, and if you just want to check out if they will be good for what you are looking for most of them offer a free trial. If they don’t, ask for one …more than likely they will agree. There are private sports clubs available too,as well as the gyms or fitness centres in most 4 and 5 star hotels, which are free for guests. You can also chooseto have your fitness programme tailor made for you by working with a personal trainer.

There are, naturally, still gyms around that cater to those who are looking for competitive training programmes in sports such as boxing, judo, Muay Thai here in Thailand, or bodybuilding. But the modern day gym or fitness centre caters much more to the mindset of the ‘fitness culture’ that has been developing around the world over the last decade or so. People of all ages and classes are drawn to fitness centres to participate in yoga classes, Tai Chi, jog along on a treadmill, or just Zumba away to hi cardio dance routines, accompanied by the booming beat of the most popular tunes of the day.

The equipment available to you will vary from place to place, but apart from the ubiquitous weights found everywhere, it can include treadmills, rowing machines or static bicycles, many of which are electronically metered. On a fitness centre bicycle you can choose to pedal along a flat road, or struggle to climb up a mountain track. You can see your speed and distance travelled on a digital readout in front of you, and you can maybe imagine yourself competing in the Tour de France against champions such as Bernard Wiggins or Chris Froome.

But perhaps the main driver powering interest in personal fitness nowadays is the popularity of wearable tech. Fitness trackers and smart watches have been sought after gifts over the last few years, and this trend is continuing its increase in 2017, with healthy sales figures from the industry leaders like Garmin, Apple, and Fitbit, which continue to post a high growth rate in sales.

The problems previously experienced regarding the accuracy of the trackers has been addressed by
the developers and their tech wizards, and the precision of the monitoring is now pretty much guaranteed by all of the leading players in the wearables game. The trackers will monitor your heartbeat, steps made in one day, distance travelled, will store a log of your achievements, as well as help you stick to a healthy diet by keeping a count of your calories.

However, it is what you actually get up to in the gym that really counts, and you have a wide choice of activities to choose from. In 2017 one of the most popular exercise regimes is HIIT (high-intensity interval training). HIIT helps you to burn calories quickly, by alternating rapid bursts of powered-up exercise with short rest periods … you give all out, one hundred percent effort through speedy, intense bursts of exercise followed by a short, sometimes active, recovery time.

This type of training gets your heart rate up, and keeps it there, burning more fat in less time. It is the current darling of people who want to change their lifestyle and get fit. It’s popular because there is no equipment needed, as the workouts generally use only your own body weight – with sit ups, jump squats, press ups, split jumps, tricep dips, and planks. You really do need an instructor to start you off on this regime, though, or to learn about body weight training.

Apart from the gym chains that some people find a little too businesslike, there are also several independent gyms and fitness centres around Bangkok, where the service is more personal and friendly. We went along to check one out Sammakorn Fitness (www.sammakornfitness.com) in Ramkamhaeng district, where we met the owner, fitness professional and personal trainer, expat Brit James O’Callaghan.

James said, ‘At Sammakorn Fitness we have everything that the corporate gyms have, when you look at the quality and range of our equipment, and the programmes put on, but it’s all at a lower price. And we give our members something more; we are a part of the community, and the people who come here become part of a family’.

When I visited the gym in Sammakorn Village (Baan Sammakorn) I saw this for myself first hand. At 10.30 on a Tuesday morning there were 20 people lining up for a circuit training session, from the local area, and further afield. They were Thai and farang (non￾Thai westerners) and they came from all age ranges. To the encouragement of James they gave their all, in 20 different exercise routines, using different pieces of equipment, where they work – hard – for 30 seconds, before moving on to the next activity, until all 20 have been completed. Then they do it all over again! By the end they were exhausted, but elated at their achievement, and pleased with the praise and encouragement from James.

At the spacious Sammakorn Fitness, which has taken over the premises of a primary school, the prices are so much more reasonable than the corporate gym chains, but with the same top-notch equipment and well-trained staff. I live a fair distance from the gym myself, but after my tour around the place, and talking to the guys and girls who are members there I am seriously considering signing up myself. There are weight machines, free weights, static bicycles, cross trainers, rowing machines, treadmills … there is boxing and Muay Thai training, yoga classes, Zumba dance exercise, HIIT, body weight training, and even table tennis. And over 60s can attend the yoga classes for free.

This writer – who spends most of his time on a computer – has had his eyes opened after working on this story. I visited both the corporate gyms and the independents, but everywhere I went I was taken by the enthusiasm of the members of the gyms and fitness centres. They are not fanatics trying to turn themselves into muscle￾bound superheroes. Rather, they are people just like you and me, who have realised that it was about time they did something about their lazy lifestyle. And to a man (and woman) they look and feel better about themselves. I think it’s about time I joined them. You?

Robin Westley Martin is a journalist who has lived in Thailand for almost 30 years, and has contributed his experience as a writer and editor to many magazines. His first position was as news editor at Business in Thailand, after which he moved on to Hotel and Travel and Kinnaree, where he was assistant editor. His work has been published in newspapers in Thailand and overseas, such as The Nation and The Sunday Times. Robin currently works on a freelance basis, covering a wide range of genres. Email – [email protected] Line – robinsiam555 Facebook – Robin Westley Martin