The problem with modern day people who dread exercise is not that they have no place to get active — they just don’t have the motivation. You can join the most extravagant gym, but without inspiration, it’s just difficult to drag yourself to the place.
This is why gyms today are offering more than just exercise equipment. Fun music, a nice environment, engaging classes and event prize redemption have all been implemented to entice gym members who lack passion for workouts.
Eakrug Sampuangboon, CEO and co-founder of Miglore Club, said there are many ways to exercise, but not all of them make you want to come back for more.
“You can run around your house, and that burns calories as well, but it’s not fun and engaging enough for you to make a habit out of it,” he said. “If you can’t commit to it long-term, you won’t see results.”
About six months ago, Eakrug introduced a new kind of fitness centre that feels more like a nightclub. Miglore Club, which labels itself has the most stylish functional training club in Thailand, brings the fun vibe of a nightclub to its workout complex. The focus is not on the calories burned or the muscle gained, but the emotion that comes from the experience.
“We call it unlocking the emotion. When you feel that it’s fun, naturally you will want to do it again,” he said.
The club’s objective is to break away from the traditional environment of redundant gyms, with boring equipment and workout patterns, which creates an emotional block that discourages people from coming back. Based on the belief that novelty and excitement are the best cure for gym boredom, Miglore Club creates a funky atmosphere that energises its members. By combining fitness, fun and fashion, the place is where you can go exercise, make new friends, or just loosen up after a hard day at work.
This is no traditional gym with rows of treadmills. The 500m² club cottons on to the functional training trend and decks its studio with fun tools like Vipr tube, TRX suspensions and sand balls. These tools can be used in countless movements, which means every session is not the same.
“The problem with traditional training is that it becomes a repetition, which in turn creates boredom. Functional training has endless possibilities — there are thousands of ways to play. Exercise is more than just relying on machines,” said the co-founder.
While the exercise methods aren’t brand new, with classes like TRX and Synrgy360, which were introduced in Thailand years ago, the atmosphere is certainly one-of-a-kind. With colourful neon lights, a chandelier and sophisticated décor, the place looks more like a party venue. That’s the objective of the place — to create a party vibe that makes people relax and enjoy their exercise experience, so that it’s easier to keep up the habit.
“In this kind of environment, you relax and make friends. With more friends, you feel a sense of belonging, and want to come back. Through exercise, you make a powerful connection with others in the same class. They can inspire you and motivate you, not just in the class, but in your life as well.”
The classes offered only allow no more than nine participants at a time to ensure that everyone is taken care of. There are four main classes; Boxing + Functional, TRX, Synrgy360 and Dance With Style, which makes you feel like you’re dancing in a party. Dance With Style is a class led by a real choreographer. It operates on the basis that when you dance in the nightclub, you do it because it’s fun, not because you want to lose weight or burn calories. The one-hour session imitates the ambience of a dance party, with colourful lights, funky music and a lot of fun.
“Naturally, I think everyone likes to dance. Some might not feel confident about dancing in a brightly-lit studio because they are embarrassed. Here, it’s only dimly lit, and no one really looks at you because everyone is too busy having fun. You can let loose and be yourself. It’s a cardio workout that takes your mind away from the fact that you are working out,” he said.
The club also offers one-on-one personal training, self defence classes for women and other tailor-made programmes for losing weight, gaining muscle or improving strength.
- Miglore Club is at Crystal Design Center on the 2nd floor above KasikornBank.
- Visit www.miglorefitness.com or call 02-102-2601.
