Stephen Hatton, 128 YinD

Okay, so you like to work-out in hi-so gyms with free weights, running tracks, and resistance machines, but you chose to sign away 2 years of your life to a relatively gym-less setting in order to develop other aspects of who you are. Great! You get to your site and start bodyweight exercise and running, not to mention the biking that you may or may not do. Eventually, you realize that you don’t need to give up your personal sweat Nirvana if you put in a little work. I am here to help you with that work, so that your time spent in some of the bigger cities, where many of you spend your “decompress” days, can leave you feeling good; despite the massive burrito, greasy burger, entire jar of peanut butter, or Chaa-Yen that you just ate/inhaled.

Here are some tips, resources, and places that I have visited that may pique your interests.

1. You must be willing to pay the price. In some cities, such as Chiang-Mai, I was unable to find free or cheap options. The facility that I frequented was Total Fitness (close to Salsa Kitchen), and the entry fee for one visit was 200 baht. Sometimes, however, it’s just worth it to just get your “swoll” on.

2. You are lucky and have a “Hong-Fitnet” in an area close to you where you are able to use your cool-PCV status for a discount/ free entry. I have seen several in the central cities of some Amphurs.

3. Jackpot. You have found a free workout area. It may be crappy and cut you if you aren’t paying attention, but you can lift free-weights with your music in, run around the track for some sprints, or bust your butt with some lunges. National Stadium in Bangkok has what you need, and is my personal favorite. Another good place with a scenic track around a park in BKK is Lumphini. Although you have to pay for the free-weights because you are a Farang, it’s a lot cheaper than any indoor facility.

4. Get your indoor workout on at your Hostel, you lazy bum! If you don’t want to venture away from your Netflix and comfort food after a hard week, stay in! Tabata timer is a good interval system for the famous HIIT workouts. Simply pick a workout and do 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. It’s harder than it sounds, really. Also, the scientific 7-minute workout can be a great way to shock your body. (My record is 3 consecutive 7-minute workouts, so, yeah.)

5. You want to support those 129 weirdos that we haven’t even met yet? Send in your favorite places to workout in Thailand, with a short description on how to get there, how much you pay, and what the facility is like, and we will get a list up on the Wiki! Talk about sustainability! Also, feel free to include an example of a typical workout so it can be passed on! Where was this project when we signed on, amirite?

See the current list below. Check the wiki page for future additions.

North

Chiang Mai

• Total Fitness – located in an IT mall close to the Salsa Kitchen. They have everything, including air-con. You can also get a protein shake afterward. Volunteer rating: 5/5  /  $ = 200 baht for 1 day
• Gold’s Gym – located in a run-down mall facility close to Central World. They also have everything, excluding air-con. Their machines are a bit worse than those at Total Fitness. Volunteer rating: 4/5  /  $ = 150 baht for 1 day

Petchabun

• Future’s Gym – Lomsak, Phetchabun. It’s owned by an Australian guy named Ben. It has all the basic stuff you need and some awesome protein shakes! $ = 40 BHT/day

Nan

• Grow Fitness – Thawangpha, Nan offers muay thai training. $ =80 baht per day

Pai

• Purple Monkey Hostel – The cost of the workout facility is a bonus when you stay at the hostel. It’s a pretty good deal for those seeking to visit Pai and maintain crazy-abs in a sea of beer and foreign food. The facility features some jump ropes, boxing gloves and bags, and a single resistance machine. No free-weights. $ = 200 baht per night (hostel cost)

North-East 

Khon Kaen

• Central World – The gym looked to be pretty state-of-the-art. Expect Air-con, expensive prices.
• Hari Om Yoga studio – This is right by the big lake in Khon Kaen. First class is *free* and the instructor is a lady named Phon who leads the class bilingually when a farang shows up.

Central

Bangkok

• National Stadium – off of the National Stadium BTS stop. They have all sorts of free-weights, a running track, a pull-up bar, crappy resistance machines, and trees for shade.Volunteer rating: 4/5  /  $ = Free
• Lumphini Park – ,off of the MRT stop. The track is *free* and gorgeous, but the gym with free-weights and crappy resistance machines costs extra for foreigners. Volunteer rating: 3/5
• Yogatique Bangkok – They have some karma classes on Sunday (donation base) and the drop in price is not as high. Also, I think you get the second class *free*.
• Thai-Japan Youth Center – less than 100 baht to make an ID, then *free* after.

Eastern, Western & Southern

No entries at the time of publishing. Check the wiki for updates.