GET IN SURFER SHAPE
TRY:SURFSET
Surfers are known for their lean yet muscular form, strong back and legs, pectoral and abdominal muscles, well-defined triceps and overall cardiovascular fitness.
But you don’t need to be a water baby get a super-toned, surfer-like physique. With Surfset, you won’t even be getting wet. The exercises, which are done on a custom-made surfboard that wobbles as you move, are designed to engage your core and stabiliser muscles to help sculpt your body, as well challenge it in new ways.
Once you’re on the wobbly board, your main challenge is keeping your balance – this requires focus and control. You’ll be working your upper and lower abs, and back. The different high-intensity exercises are carried out at intervals to help you build your endurance, rev up your metabolism and shed body fat.
WHERE TO TRY IT: Surfset Singapore, Level 3, 454B Joo Chiat Road, tel: 9751-0793
PRICE: $35 per class, $33 a class for five classes, or $31 a class for 10 classes
CONTACT: info@surfset.sg; www.surfset.sg
JUST HIT IT
TRY: SPEEDMINTON
Speedminton is a racket workout from Germany that combines badminton, tennis and squash. It’s not only fun, but you can play it anywhere outdoors – at the beach or park, or on the football field.
You don’t need a net, and the shuttlecocks, called Speeders, are designed to fly accurately outdoors so you can still play regardless of the wind conditions. You can even play at night using the glow-in-the-dark Night Speeders.
What you will need is a partner to play against (it can also be played as a doubles game). The aim of the game is to score points. The first player to achieve 16 points wins. Other very basic rules are fast and easy to pick up once you start playing.
It’s a good activity for beginners as it’s easy to learn, and the large-headed rackets give you control – you don’t need racket-sport experience to get Speedminton moves right. In addition to boosting your cardiovascular fitness, it will also help develop your hand-eye coordination.
WHERE TO TRY IT: Singapore Sports Hub, 2 Stadium Walk, on Saturdays, 10am-2pm
PRICE: $120 an hour for a group tryout (maximum of 10 people)
CONTACT: Donald Koh, tel: 9126-0938, e-mail equiphaus@yahoo.com.sg, or go to www.speedminton.com.sg
FEEL THE BURN
TRY: FREESTYLE GROUP TRAINING
If you love working out in groups of up to 12 people, Freestyle Group Training is for you. This is the perfect blend of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, designed around the body’s natural movements, and is proven to be at least 50 per cent more effective than fixed machine training for strength, speed, endurance and flexibility.
Each workout combines squat, lunge, bend, push, pull, and twist movements. The 30-minute class is delivered by a certified coach, and includes a warm-up, a main workout, and a two-minute continuous workout to finish.
There are three types of workouts: In the H.I.I.T. programme, expect fast-paced, high-intensity moves, with equal bursts of 30-second work-and-rest intervals. It works your core and elevates your heart rate with your body weight and Freestyle equipment.
In the Power programme, you’ll learn explosive and progressive fast-paced power movements with heavy resistance, and maximise your body power with jumps, press-ups and burpees. This workout tones your whole body.
The Strength programme builds total body strength and muscle endurance, and promotes lean muscle mass. You’ll work for 45 seconds and rest for 15 seconds, and use the bosu ball (an inflatable rubber dome fixed to a platform), dumbbells, TRX and body weight exercises.
WHERE TO TRY IT: Available in Fitness First clubs, including those at Market Street and The Metropolis.
PRICE: First-time visitors can fill up the club's online one-day trial form for a free trial. Otherwise, the fee is $50 a class, which also gives you a one-day pass for the gym facilities and equipment, and other classes.
CONTACT:www.fitnessfirst.com.sg
SUPERCHARGE YOUR WORKOUT
TRY: ALTITUDE TRAINING
Elite athletes use altitude training to enhance their endurance, power and speed to levels not attainable with s normal training regimen. Now you can do the same.
Altitude is Singapore’s first simulated altitude-training facility. Its purpose-built altitude room is equipped like a normal gym but features a state-of-the-art compressor system that can simulate any altitude up to 4,500m.
When training at altitude, the body triggers the production of erythropoietin, which makes your oxygen-carrying and utilisation systems more efficient. This increases the performance of your muscles, allowing you to go longer, harder and/or faster.
Choose from cardio and circuits, yoga, physical training and combat. Depending on what you do, you’ll notice improved strength, or a better core and stability.
WHERE TO TRY IT: Altitude, 11 Jalan Bingka, off Rifle Range Rd, tel: 9373-9034
PRICE: You’ll have to sign up for membership; monthly membership fees start from $130.
CONTACT: info@altitude.sg; www.altitude.sg
This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.