Working out in Chengdu (Fitness/Powergym)

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  • This topic has 134 replies, 38 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by Avatar photocoryg.
Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 135 total)
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  • #8142
    Avatar photoVincent
    Participant

    I’ve been working out for years, but the Chengdu lifestyle and nutrition definately killed my rhythm last time. I used to train at the gym in the basement of the Waterfront Complex, but it’s way too limited to keep myself motivated.

    Would be nice to have an overview of the possible options for people who want to work out. And since I’m moving back to Chengdu in September, I want to look out for a good place already 🙂

    What I’m looking for:

    -Decent powertraining equipment (enough benches, dumbells, weights and machines)

    -Some cardio equipment

    -A sauna would be awesome

    -Somewhere within a 10 minute cycling range of Tongzilin

    -I like a clean place

    -Price doesn’t matter much I guess

    If there is something comparable with EU’s Health City, that would be excellent 🙂

    I’ve only heard of 25 Hours Fitness, Warehouse Gym and Megafit but haven’t visited any of them.

    Any advice appreciated!

    #12521
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    Hey Vincent,

    We exchanged messages a while back when you were last in Chengdu.

    I was training at 25 Hours Fitness, but to be honest it’s a bit of a dump, even though the staff in there are great. I’m training at MegaFit right now, and it’s a decent, clean, well kept gym. Plenty of weight plates, dumbbells, and equipment, with both Sauna & Steam Room for members use. Current membership rate is 1899 RMB for one year. It’s located next to Times Plaza, in the Top City building, Chunxi Lu.

    Give me a shout when you’re in Chengdu.

    Less pudding, more beef!!

    😉

    #12526
    Avatar photoJerryS
    Participant

    Megafit sounds great! I def need a place with a suana/steam room. Are there mats for stretching or balance balls for ‘abs’? Any boxing bags? And final questions, a swimming pool?

    #12529
    Avatar photoVincent
    Participant

    Hey hzwerks of course I remember 🙂 I just read our conversation over again, some insane advice you gave me back then! If only I’d do something with it lol. “All the knowledge in the world is useless if you can’t get yourself to apply it.”

    What I’m reading so far sounds great. Megafit website shows some pictures from their Shanghai gym, looks neat and clean idd!

    Only con is that it’s about 8km from my future apartment. I could run, but who am I kidding. Any idea how long u have to walk if u go by metro?

    And I guess it has a couple of showers too?

    Quote:
    Give me a shout when you’re in Chengdu.

    Will do!

    #12530
    Avatar photoRay
    Participant

    I recently switched to Miracle/KG gym above the trustmart on yihuan lu. It’s decent and in the mornings not too busy. The thing i like is that they have a smaller room at the back, which is usually empty, but has all the essential stuff, so often i treat it as my private gym. One gripe, like alot of the gyms are the placement of the mirrors. For some stuff you absolutely need floor to ceiling (such as when i’m doing the plank) to check for straight or arched back. That’s kinda frustrating. If you live in Tongzilin that should be within 10 mins by bike. They have a small sauna which is often closed, but they have opened it for me when i’ve asked. Dude, if you bargain hard you can get crazy discounts. Bargaining was more exhausting than my workout….

    #12532
    Avatar photo7
    Participant

    I’ve never been into any sort of exercise & really need to start doing something to get into shape & really have no idea what to do. Are personal trainers or something like that affordable in Chengdu?

    #12534
    Avatar photoRay
    Participant

    @Novice: depends on your salary and Chinese ability. Alot of good internet resources available these days. On the other hand, a competent personal trainer can be a good investment, cos what you learn you can keep for life. Some of the guys on this forum also know their stuff and can be really helpful. A knowledgable gym buddy can also make a huge difference. Good luck and stick with it!

    #12535
    Avatar photo7
    Participant

    Unfortunately I have zero Chinese ability. LOL I guess I should be trying to get some as I’m headed there in less than 90 days. I’ll definitely try looking online & who knows, maybe when I get there I’ll meet up with some of the guys from here.

    #12537
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    @Vincent: MegaFit is just 10 minutes walk from Tinafu Sq. station. Next year there will be a station opening right on Chunxi Lu, so for future gym buffs it’ll be a cinch!

    @7: Personal Trainers would be infinitely more affordable than in the West, though that may be of little relevance if you’re earning a salary more in line with Chendu’s average incomes. The level of knowledge I’ve seen applied so far is generally limited, though there are Trainers with either dance or martial arts backgrounds who have a good understanding of posture, and are translating this to their training. Of the 8 or so Trainers in MegaFit I have seen, I would recommend just 1. That’s probably a fairly ambitious ratio generally speaking, whether here or back home. Nothing beats learning it for yourself over time.

    #12546
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    Hey Vincent,

    I live in Yulin and commute over to Chunxi Lu twice a week, I normally take the subway there and a taxi back. You’ll get off at the Tianfu Square station and from there it’s about a 15 minute walk, but I normally walk alongside the bike lane where enterprising electric scooter drivers offer me a ride for 5 yuan. That’ll reduce it to 4-5 minutes, so in total it’s maybe a 30 minute trip from Yulin.

    As far as training, it might be worth it to try using an iPhone or iPod Touch if you have one. You can spend a few bucks on an app that will have dozens of exercises in it including workout routines for different days of the week with photos and videos showing correct posture and movement, etc. It won’t be as good as having a skilled trainer but armed with that you’ll be in a decent position to get started. Also if you go to the gym on a regular basis you’ll start to meet people there and can see what more experienced people are doing, etc.

    #12563
    Avatar photoJerryS
    Participant

    Now the true questions are being missed… Do hot women go to the gym? I’m, sadly to say, a gym rat….. Work out, do my thing and look at the women and admire their beauty (since they work out, they want to be noticed). But sadly its always more dudes than not… Is it the same over there?

    #12568
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    The gym is 90% guys. If your aim is to pick up women, I’d sign up for dance or yoga classes.

    #12569
    Avatar photoJerryS
    Participant

    Thats always the case in the states as well, heh.

    #12570
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    I think that’s the case the world over, though there are exceptions. Whilst living in Sydney, I trained at Fitness First inside the Macquarie Bank building, and although it was predominantly guys there were some serious hotties in there. I’ve trained at Golds Venice for stretches having lived in LA too, and the women are a given, even the freaky balloon chested, botox faced variety!

    Unfortunately MegaFit is almost devoid of said hotties, but there are one or two. Yoga is usually a hot ticket in any gym, and don’t get me started on instructors!

    #12574
    Avatar photoRay
    Participant

    Women’s-only gym is the place for hotties….

    #12575
    Avatar photoMarco
    Member

    gym wise: megafit. I have visited most of the gyms in Chengdu and this one is the biggest, cleanest and most professional one hands down. They are flexible with their prices, so bargain hard.

    If you want some exercise tips, I can always help

    #12585
    Avatar photoVincent
    Participant

    MegaFit it is!

    Btw does anybody know if there are any decent English spoken fighting clubs in Chengdu (muay thai, kungfu, mma, whatever), apart from Jamie’s BJJ club?

    #12586
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    I don’t know but I’d love to find a place that trains muay thai.

    #12588
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    Charlie is aware of a Kung Fu Master here in Chengdu (South) who speaks fluent English, and I’m keen to check this out myself. There’s also a feature on this site on a Jujitsu instructor, I think from the UK.

    Martial Arts have always interested me, but having many friends who train at all levels, I’m well aware of the difficulty in staying injury free if training with heavy weights seriously, so Kung Fu is appealing for the discipline, rather any desire to fully engage in any contact.

    Same reason I’ve always declined offers to try out with Rugby teams.

    #12607
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    A few weeks ago I met a friend at Paname and got invited to join a rugby team. By an American who thought I was a linebacker lol. That guy was way off…

    I got the number for the Kung Fu trainer here, his name is Li Quan: 138-8173-9611

    He doesn’t speak fluent English but he speaks English. Very friendly guy and he loves to train foreigners.

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