Powerlifting in a condo gym

[nburge]

Hi - I'm moving to Singapore next year, currently looking at condos on the east coast (cote d'azur, bayshore, mandarin gdns type place) but the information about the gym in a condo is limited online. I train the powerlifting type exercises with barbells (squat, press, deadlift) so would need Olympic barbells, a squat rack and weight plates. Do any of the condo gyms have this sort of equipment, or are they full of treadmills and Swiss balls?

If not, are there many gyms of this sort in the suburbs? I'll be working from home so don't want to travel too far to have a workout.

Thanks,

Neil.

[carteki]

Not sure what the condo gyms are like, but Cote d'azur is next to a shopping centre where there is a planet fitness - one of the gym chains around these parts. Some of the others may be too.

[nakatago]

From what I gather, condo gyms just have the minimum of equipment--some dumbbells, barbell weights, a bench and probably a stationary bike. I doubt though that there will be enough weights for powerlifting. To be sure, you'll have to check the individual condos (call if you can; as you've found out, the sites are next to useless).

You'll have better luck checking dedicated fitness clubs. Threads discussing these are searchable in the forum.

[Addadude]

If you're serious about heavy lifting - particularly deadlifts, bench presses and squats, you'll find condo gyms VERY disappointing.

Carteki's suggestion about the Planet Fitness gym is a good one - although the gym is now called True Fitness. It's right next door to Cote d'Azur in Parkway Parade shopping centre. However, if you are a chalk dust, smelling salts and yelling and screaming type of lifter, I don't think you'll be too welcome there: True Fitness is more of a yuppie, commercial gym than a hardcore place.

[nburge]

Thanks guys, as long as there's a barbell, some weight and a squat rack I'll be fine. I saw that there's a good Olympic lifting centre at the national stadium, so maybe I'll ship out my push bike and cycle there to train. I was just hoping that a condo gym might have the equipment I need to save me paying for two gyms.

[Addadude]

Thanks guys, as long as there's a barbell, some weight and a squat rack I'll be fine. I saw that there's a good Olympic lifting centre at the national stadium, so maybe I'll ship out my push bike and cycle there to train. I was just hoping that a condo gym might have the equipment I need to save me paying for two gyms.

Not at the National Stadium - that's just been torn down. The Singapore Weightlifting Federation has a training centre at 82 Jalan Benaan Kapal, which is close to where the Stadium was. Nearest condos will be in the Tanjong Rhu area.

[nburge]

Thanks, that's what I meant by the national stadium, I didn't realise it had been torn down though. I'll be moving with my wife so want to have somewhere near the east coast park, with shopping and food/drink options, hence the choice of condo. If I want to workout Further afield I guess I should do the travelling...

Reviews of true fitness aren't exactly glowing online, and their website doesn't seem to show what their facilities are. Have singaporean companies not really moved online yet?

[nakatago]

Have singaporean companies not really moved online yet?

they have...just not in the sense that counts to consumers.

[Addadude]

For what it's worth, I'm a member of True Fitness (TF), mostly because it has branches that are convenient to me. The branches that I go to, Suntec, Chevron House, Great World City and Vivocity, have all the basics - Olympic bars and weights, sturdy benches for incline and flat benching, squat rack, smith machine etc. (Of course you'll get the usual half wits doing 20lb barbell curls in the squat racks too.) If you train at off peak times (9am to 12pm, 2pm to 5pm etc) you should have no problems getting access to whatever equipment you need. If you train during peak hours, you'll get a crash course in what appears to be a cultural lack of spatial awareness on the part of many Asians. Although TF has a number of serious training members who are competitive bodybuilders (as though most of the other chain gyms - California Fitness, Fitness First...), generally the membership is comprised of ordinary citizens who just want to get in shape. The personal trainers can be a little pushy for new business at times but I solved that problem by wearing headphones.

If you are prepared to venture further afield, there is an excellent, though very small gym at Cairnhill Community Centre called Fitness Force - it's owned and run by the current Mr. Singapore, Kevin Chiak and is the 'official gym' of the Singapore Bodybuilding Federation. Even further away from East Coast, there is a community centre gym in Woodlands that is home to a lot of Singapore strong man competitors.

[nburge]

Nice one. Barbell and squat rack is all I need. I'm used to people with no spatial awareness as I live in London, where it's perfectly acceptable to wait until a man has gotten a heavy deadlift up to lockout before squeezing behind him to pick up the bosu ball.... or equally inconsiderate sh1t. Will check out your other recommendations too. Thanks.