Admit it: Whether you’re at the gym to tone up or build strength, fat-burning is always on your mind.
There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. When you lose fat, you not only become leaner, but your muscles also get more definition. Your flabby bits shrink, and you’ll look shapely – in a very good way. Who doesn’t want that?
But burning fat is easier said than done. When you do the same workout repeatedly – for instance, running at the same pace – your body adapts quickly and becomes more efficient at doing it. As long as you’re trying to lose weight, being efficient is not a great thing; your body uses less and less energy to perform the task. And that means fewer calories get burned. Over time, you’ll hit a plateau. That’s when you stop seeing results, and may even lose the fitness motivation.
Photo: WeBarre
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Which is why the Shape team went around the island sussing out group exercise classes that will keep your flame (and fat) burning. Whether you’re a loner or social butterfly, there’s always the extra push to go further when you work out with company. Or that smokin’ hot dude to keep you on your toes.
The idea is to train at a high intensity with short rest periods, so you can reap that delicious afterburn everyone’s talking about – where your body experiences excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, causing your metabolism to spike post-workout. As your body tries to replenish the oxygen level, it burns more calories than usual, even when you’re doing nothing.
No matter where you are in your fitness journey, these classes will definitely rock your boat. They include barre, yoga, pilates and functional bodyweight moves you’ve probably never tried before – and all done at a high intensity.
The workouts are nothing short of challenging, but they will stoke your fat-burning furnace and firm you up like never before. Well worth the effort, and of course the aches.
Photo: WeBarre
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Unlike delicate barre movements, like plie and passe, this class is all about big, badass exercises, featuring ballet-inspired moves only during the warm-up. Done in a circuit, the exercises involve your body weight, free weights and tools like resistance bands and sliders to fire up your core. Everything is fast-paced to raise your heart rate and boost metabolism. The class ends with core-strengthening exercises as well as deep, calming stretches. Your most productive 40 minutes ever. Visit www.webarre.com, or sign up for a seven-day trial ($49) here.
Where: 86B Tanjong Pagar Road, Level 3 and 5A Stanley Street, Level 2
Photo: WeBarre
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This 45-minute endurance-based class is conducted in an interval and circuit training style, making you switch among cardio machines, like the rower, air bikes and ski ergs, and do sprints and bodyweight exercises as well. Throughout the workout, you’ll wear a Polar heart rate monitor on your wrist. Based on your real-time heart rate projected on a screen, the instructor will motivate you to reach the optimal fat-burning zone, which is 75 to 85 per cent of your maximum heart rate. Visit www.triple.fit.
Where: #02-63 Millenia Walk
Photo: TripleFit Singapore
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This Australian gym concept focuses on functional training movements such as lifting, squatting, pulling and pushing to sculpt lean muscles. Each class takes 45 minutes, and combines interval, cardio and strength training to leave you sore and breathless. The exercise plans are never repeated, so each workout is a surprise. Besides the instructor, video demonstrations of the exercises are shown on screen to help you along. The high energy and positive vibes will make you forget how hard you’re working. Visit www.f45training.sg.
Where: More than 15 studios islandwide
Photo: F45
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True to its name, its equipment is orange, and so are the lights. Orange light has been found to boost alertness and brain function, so you’ll be especially awake in this gym despite the dimness. As the workouts here are heart rate-based, you’ll need to wear a heart rate monitor around your chest throughout. In 60 minutes, you’ll do a mix of exercises that focus on endurance, strength and power to activate different muscle groups.
The aim is to send your heart rate into the “orange zone” (84 to 91 per cent of your maximum heart rate) for up to 20 minutes to trigger the afterburn effect. This gym offers treadmills, rowing machines, suspension training systems, free weights and benches that cater to up to 24 people at one go, and exercise demos are shown to guide newcomers. Visit www.orangetheoryfitness.com.
Where: #02-01 Robertson Quay and #01-58 Icon Village
Photo: Orangetheory Fitness
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If HIIT classes are stressful, you’ll find a good balance in this one. Still 30/30 comprises 30 minutes of HIIT, followed by 30 minutes of gentle yoga to let you cool down and stretch out sore muscles. The HIIT exercises involve various equipment, like kettlebells, TRX, battle ropes and ViPR, to keep you engaged. On weekday lunchtimes, the class is shortened to 50 minutes. Visit www.still-group.com.
Where: #B1-04/05/06 OUE Downtown Gallery
Photo: GuavaLabs
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Many time-strapped office workers rely on this high-intensity interval training class to stay in shape. The workouts are done in 20 minutes, and held every half-hourly. The class size is capped at 10, which means you get plenty of attention from the instructor who goes around checking your form. Don’t worry about not being able to keep up. The exercises come with four progression levels – there’s bound to be one that suits your needs.
We love that workout tops and bottoms are provided, and the class is done barefoot on a shock-absorbent floor (no shoes!), so all you need to bring is your sports bra. There’s also a fuel bar selling post-workout smoothies if you need a quick replenishment. Visit www.ritualgym.com.
Where: #03-01 Raffles Place, 17b Lorong Liput, #02-01, and 140 Robinson Road, #03-01
Photo: Ritual
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Pick up your heart rate as well as martial arts moves that could save your life. This hour-long high-intensity class covers strength exercises such as push-ups, squats, TRX rows and superman holds to train your core and other major muscle groups. Mixed martial arts moves like punching, kicking and grappling are introduced to improve stamina, agility and coordination. Feel like a warrior afterwards! Visit www.famafit.com.
Where: #02-03 Clarke Quay
Photo: Fama
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Designed by professional and Olympic athletes, this functional training-based class puts you through up to 10 exercise stations that target cardio fitness, strength and power. The high-intensity moves are done in bursts of 30 to 40 seconds, with brief periods of rest in between – just enough time to grab a swig of water. If you’re lucky, the instructor may add fun partner exercises to pump you up. After the 50-minute workout, you’ll be sweat-soaked and wiped out – but on a newfound exercise high. Visit www.bbouncestudio.com.
Where: #06-09 The Centrepoint
Photo: BBounce Studio
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Here’s one workout that will take you to new heights – literally. You’ll need to wear a harness around your hips and get hooked up to a bungee cord suspended from the ceiling. Then you’ll be instructed to do dance and aerobic moves to an upbeat song.
The bungee cord supports some weight, so you’ll feel lighter and especially empowered to do hops, turns, dives, star jumps and inversion poses you’ve been too scared to try before. They may look effortless, but lots of core activation is required to stay balanced. By the end of the class, you’d be able to perform a simple choreography that will have you beaming with pride. Visit www.dancevaultstudios.com.
Where: 176 East Coast Road and 48 Woodleigh Park
Photo: Tan Wei Te
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High-intensity doesn’t mean high-impact. In this express 30-minute class, you’ll do yoga-type exercises in a HIIT format – for instance, 40 seconds all-out followed by 20 seconds rest – with little or no pressure on your joints. Examples include plank with alternating arms and legs, side plank crunches and backward lunges.
Be amazed by the range of low-impact exercises you can do, using just your body weight. With its friendly, non-judgmental vibes, this class is great for anyone who’s new to HIIT or exercise. Visit www.triumfitness.com.
Where: #03-01/02 Aperia Mall
Photo: Trium Fitness
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One of Amore Fitness’ signature classes, KickBlitz is a fusion of kickboxing and HIIT exercises done to high-energy music. The kickboxing moves, like jabs, punches and kicks, will challenge your power and coordination, while the HIIT exercises will shoot your heart rate up. We were sweating within 15 minutes! Core and strength-training moves are incorporated in the last part of the 55-minute class. Visit www.amorefitness.com.
Where: Eight clubs islandwide
Photo: Amore Fitness
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From frog jumps to bear crawls and donkey kicks, you’ll be asked to do a series of animal-inspired movements that require nothing but your body weight against gravity. It’s gruelling, but also camaraderie-building as you’ll be toughing it out with 20 or more others. The exercises are intense, and torch every muscle fibre. Be prepared to leave this 30- to 45-minute class feeling completely shagged. Visit www.virginactive.com.sg.
Where: Level 6, Tower 2, One Raffles Place, #06-01 Tanjong Pagar Centre, Level 2, The Heart at Marina One, and #03-05 Raffles Holland V
Photo: Virgin Active
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Tired of standard HIIT classes? Try this one, which combines barre exercises with short cardio intervals. The isometric movements don’t look like much, but they will set your thighs and butt on fire. There’s also an upper body workout using light weights. We appreciate that the instructors are particular about form and making sure that all students know what they are doing – either through verbal instructions or physical adjustments. Expect to ache the next day! Visit www.barre2barre.com.
Where: 42 Hongkong Street
Photo: Barre 2 Barre Singapore
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Pilates is anything but slow and boring in this cardio-based class. Fast-paced exercises are done on a reformer machine to drive up your heart rate. At the same time, the movements are graceful and will make you feel like a ballerina. You’ll work on your aerobic fitness, balance, posture and core strength in this one hour. The instructor will scale the session according to your fitness level and reformer experience, so you’ll get a decent workout no matter what. Visit www.breathepilates.com.sg.
Where: #09-33 Novena Medical Centre, #13-02 Parkway Centre, #01-04 Galaxis, and #05-07 Camden Medical Centre
Photo: Breathe Pilates
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Not your usual sun salutation flow, this hour-long session takes you through lots of twisting, bending and compressing postures that will stimulate the digestive organs to aid detoxification and reduce fluid retention. Think bow pose, chair pose with twists, and revolved side angle pose. The class is conducted in a room heated at 35 to 38 deg C – a comfortable temperature that warms up muscles, elevates the heart rate and induces sweat without giddiness. Have plenty of water before and after class, as you’ll be sweating buckets and peeing more often post-yoga. Visit www.pure-yoga.com/singapore.
Where: Level 4, Chevron House, Level 18, Ngee Ann City Tower A, and #06-02 Asia Square Tower 2
Photo: Pure Yoga
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If pop music gets you groovy, you’ll enjoy this dance fitness class featuring K-pop songs and MTV-inspired moves. The instructor demonstrates them step by step on a raised platform, and lets you practise them for a few rounds before gradually introducing more steps. The beats are catchy enough to make you sway and shake along spontaneously – no awkward moments here! You’ll learn a different choreography to every track, and feel like an accomplished dancer by the end of the 60-minute class. Visit www.truefitness.com.sg.
Where: Eight gyms islandwide
Photo: True Fitness
This article was first published on Shape.
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