Top Strength Training Gyms in Singapore

Remember that new year resolution you made just months ago, to be fitter and healthier? If you’re still at it, that’s amazing! However, if you’re like me, that short-lived motivation would have disappeared by the first month. Whether you’re keeping at it or wish to get back on track, why not add strength training into your routine?

What is Strength Training?

Strength training, also known as resistance training due to the resisting of forces by the muscles, can be used to describe a workout programme that involves a variety of exercises to improve your strength. An example is by incorporating weight training, either using dumbbells or one’s body weight, into your routine. Also, strength training focuses primarily on developing strength instead of building muscle mass.

The Differences Between Strength Training and Hypertrophy Training.

Although strength training (muscle strength building) and hypertrophy training (muscle mass building) are almost identical in terms of equipment and exercises, some key differences set them apart. These are the:

• Training volume
• Training intensity
• The rest period in between each set.

For hypertrophy training, you would typically:

• Increase the training volume by doing more reps and more sets
• Decrease intensity slightly
• Rest for 1 to 3 minutes between each set.

For strength training, you would typically:

• Decrease the training volume by doing fewer reps in a set
• Increase intensity slightly
• Rest for 3 to 5 minutes between each set.

Why is Strength Training so important?

Our bodies lose lean muscle over time as we age if they are not engaged and replaced, increasing the percentage of body fat. Strength training not only helps our bodies preserve and maintain our muscles but also provide a myriad of benefits! Read on to find out more!

Benefits of Strength Training

1. Improves cardiovascular health on top of strength and fitness

Apart from the obvious benefits to our strength and fitness, strength training also keep our hearts healthy. According to the U.S department of Health and Human Services, incoporating strength training twice a week helps improve blood pressure, reduce hypertension and lower risks of heart diesease.

2. Protects bone health

In October 2017, an issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, a study found that 30-minutes of high-intensity strength training twice weekly improved bone density, structure and strength which could help slow down or even prevent osteoporosis. Many studies have also shown that strength training puts tugging and pushing stresses on the bones, activating bone-forming cells resulting in stronger and denser bones.

3. Increase metabolism even after the workout

After a good resistance training, your body requires more oxygen to recover. Also known as oxygen debt, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is the amount of oxygen your body needs to restore your metabolism back to its normal state, or homeostasis. This process will continue to activate your metabolism to work after the session and its effectiveness depends on your workout intensity. Which means, the harder you train during the workout, the more calories youl’ll burn after the workout too!

4. Develop better body mechanics

As our bodies strengthen up, our balance, body posture and coordination improve drastically as balance is dependent on the strength of the muscles that keep us on our feet. If you’re experiencing poor balance or flexibility, strength training may reduce your risk of falling by up to 40% as found in some researches.

5. Help manage chronic dieseases

There are many documented results indicating the many advantages of strength training in terms of managing chronic diseases such as arthritis and type 2 diabetes. If you suffer from arthritis and wish there was a way to manage the pain without medications, strength training has been proven to be as effective as medications. Along with other healthy lifestyle changes, strength training can aid to improve glucose control in diabetics.

6. Boosts energy levels, improves your mood and sleep!

Ever heard of endorphins? They are your natural pain-killing and pleasure-inducing hormones produced by the brain which lifts your energy levels and mood.  Strength training releases a surge of endorphins which can be a great anti-depressant, stress reliever and that morale booster to get you through your day. To top it all off, as if there wasn’t already enough benefits from strength training, it also creates Adenosine surges. Adenosine is a molecule that, if in large amounts, can improve sleep by causing drowsiness and drive to sleep.

After learning about some of the many benefits of strength training, you may be wondering how you can quickly embark on this life-changing voyage of self-improvement. Here are some of the gyms in Singapore that can help you achieve these new goals for yourself.  Many of them have acquired years of experience in the field of physical training and nutrition to assist in getting you started and ensure you stay on course to see the results!

COVID-19: Due to the Safe Management Measures implemented at the time this article was written, some establishments would require appointments to be made before visiting or may have made adjustments to opening hours. Please contact the gym directly to find out more and follow the latest government-recommended procedures and practices.

What do I have to bring for a strength training class?

Most gyms and studios would only require you to bring your own water bottle, a set of comfortable sports attire and a sturdy pair of trainers as they provide almost everything else you may need like:

• Lockers
• Toilets that are fully equipped with changing rooms, showers and in some cases, saunas.
• Towels
• Hairdryer
• Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body wash)

However, there are gyms that provide you with absolutely everything and which makes it extremely convenient to pop in for a quick workout between appointments, meetings or before a late start at work. That’s one less excuse for not going to the gym.

What can I expect from a typical strength training session?

Sweat

You know it was all worth it if you end a session with beads of sweat rolling off your forehead and as many coaches and trainers may put it, sweat is the essence of progress.

Mental Clarity

As endorphins start rushing, the brain fog caused by stress may begin to clear up. Your mood may lift and you may experience a more positive outlook, ready to take on any challenges that you encounter.

Meeting Like-Minded People

Training in a gym can also expose you to people from all walks of life coming together with the common goal of self-improvement. Share experiences, learn tips to improve your form or even receive encouragement to stick to your goals.

Improved Quality of Life

Say good-bye to aching backs you used to get after staying sedentary for extended hours or the popping in your knee joints from squatting down to pick up the stack of documents you carelessly scattered across the floor as you lost balance. No matter the task, your body would perform it effortlessly and your future self would thank you for it.

Editor’s Note:

While every precaution has been made to ensure the accuracy and fairness of this listing, we acknowledge that they may be inaccuracies. Therefore, we urge you to contact the service provider above for the correct information and/or contact us with the correct information.

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