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New gyms and studios are springing up all over the city: working out is officially the new going out, just check your sneaker collection. And while we are all for unisex fitness, sometimes a woman-only space is de rigueur. We have rounded up the best spots to workout with your fellow ladies from pregnancy-tailored sessions to women-only gyms and mom-friendly classes. Ladies-only workouts offer extremely supportive communities and are ideal for time fitness starters who may find large gyms somewhat intimidating. Sometimes you need a safe space where you don’t have to worry about what you are wearing or the fact that you have know idea how to do a bicep curl. Another bonus? You get to make new friends. Getting your sweat-on with a bunch of motivated gals is a great way to connect with like-minded sistahs!
Mom In Balance
Mom In Balance was started in The Netherlands in 2008 by mother of four Esther van Diepen. Inspired by her own journey into motherhood and her desire to empower women, she developed this program to create an in-built community for moms and moms-to-be to be able to stay fit and work out together. The Mom In Balance group meet for morning sessions that take place on various parks and beaches throughout Hong Kong. Mom In Balance is there for you at every stage of motherhood. They offer pregnancy-specific workouts for expecting moms to help regulate energy levels and blood flow to the placenta. They have specially-designed programs for new moms looking to get back in shape and then they have their ‘all women’ programs to help moms stay active while balancing motherhood. Because the group is exclusive to moms, it’s a great place for moms and moms-to-be to share experiences with one another. Membership packages start at HKD 890 monthly, or you can do a trial class for HKD 150.
Various locations. Contact them at petra@mominbalance.com.
Curves
September 2016 Update: Curves Hong Kong has closed down.
Curves may just be the world’s largest ladies-only fitness franchise with over 10, 000 locations all over and counting. Curves is credited with being the pioneer of women-only fitness, inspiring busy ladies and moms everywhere to get fit in a supportive environment. They are especially well-known for their welcoming vibe and super-friendly staff, and are beloved by older women everywhere for their non-ageist philosophy. Curves’ special sauce is a 30-minute workout that consists of using their bespoke resistance machines, each of which is designed to work every major muscle group, to get in shape and burn at least 500 calories per workout. In between each machine move, you do a cardio recovery, thereby maximizing your workout time. So efficient! Curves ‘s Hong Kong digs are conveniently located in Central near the MTR exit. A membership starts at HKD 688 per month.
9 Chiu Lung Street, 5/F EuBank Plaza, Central; +852 2234 9000. Contact them at hkcurves@gmail.com.
Bikini Fit
January 2017 Update: Bikini Fit is no longer operational.
Founded by elite athlete coach Alex De Fina, Bikini Fit is well known for inspiring women all around Hong Kong to lift, lift again and lift heavier! Since its humble beginnings in Hong Kong Park, Bikini Fit has grown to hosting multiple sessions a day in four different locations: Victoria Park (Causeway Bay), Hong Kong Park (Central/Admiralty), Sun Yat Sen Park (Sheung Wan/Sai Ying Pun), and Kowloon Park (Tsim Sha Tsui). Each outdoor high-intensity programme runs for 12-week cycles, with limited spaces in each intake to ensure they can maintain the perfect trainer to attendee ratio. You workout for 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week and each week includes one yoga session, one boxing session and various Tabata-style sessions. Bikini Fit has extremely devoted fans due to the incredibly supportive community they foster, which includes weekly nutrition and fitness talks, private Facebook group for updates and progress sharing, one-on-one catch ups with a personally-assigned trainer and regular group activities like planned hikes. The programme costs HKD 795 per week for the duration of the cycle.
Various locations. Contact them at info@bikinifit.com.hk
Pherform
Launched by the same team that brought you Bikini Fit, Pherform is a women-specific fitness studio. Pherform is the indoor bootcamp version of Bikini Fit, albeit with heavier weights thanks to their incredibly diverse range of functional equipment. They’ve got tailor-made circuit workouts and weightlifting sessions that are specially designed for the female body and take into account hormonal responses to training. They also offer yoga classes, as well as pre and post-natal classes for mobility, stability, and flexibility. One more thing: we can’t forget to mention the gorgeous shower room! Yes to female-forward design! Unlimited membership plans starts at HKD 2, 400 a month, and personal training sessions range from HKD 700 to HKD 1, 000.
2/F Man Cheung Building, 15-17 Wyndham Street, Central; +852 2798 8824. Contact them at info@pherform.com.
Epic Body Fit
August 2017 Update: Epic MMA has closed down.
Epic Body Fit is Epic MMA & Fitness‘ women-only training program, which they offer in two locations (Epic MMA Central and Epic Performance) in 4-week and 8-week cycles. The program costs HKD 500 per week and includes 5 training sessions a week, a pass to all Epic locations, nutritional guidance including a customized meal plan and support from their in-house nutritional health coach, pre- and post-Tanita body composition scans and more. The program focuses on fat burning, muscle toning and improved cardiovascular capacaity; training encompasses Cardio, HIIT, Muay Thai and Weight Training classes.
Epic MMA Club, 1/F China Building, 29 Queen’s Road Central &Epic Performance Centre, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central; +852 2525 2833. Contact them at info@epicmma.com.
Special Mention: Nia Hong Kong
Nia, which stands for Non-Impact Aerobics, is a female-only globally-practiced body awareness movement that combines martial arts, dance arts and yoga movements to tone the body, mind, and spirit. Certified teachers have been sharing the Nia movement philosophy for over 26 years in over 42 countries. Taking over from her predecessor Tracey Fenner who introduced Nia to Hong Kong a few years ago, licensed instructor Rachelle Conradie runs Nia Hong Kong and offers classes around Hong Kong Island and in Discovery Bay.
Feb 2017 Update: get your Nia fix thanks to Nia With Leonie while Rachelle is on maternity leave.
Various locations. Contact them at niawithleonie@gmail.com
Image courtesy of: Fitness models for inspiration via Youtube (license) (lead photo); Mom In Balance, Curves, Bikini Fit, Pherform, Epic MMA & Fitness and Nia Hong Kong.
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