092
093
ADVERTORIAL
The Fine Art of Fitness
If you’re going to be spending time and money on a gym membership, you might as well do it in style and luxury – especially if you want to guarantee staying motivated. We checked out the crème-de-la-crème of Bangkok’s fitness scene for ourselves.
R
unning, spinning, lunging, squatthrusts, burpies and Pilates may sound like a foreign language to some, but to others it’s a labour of love (and at times hate), an addiction or a must. In today’s lifestyles of excess and indulgence, hard slog in the gym with a little time off for good detox behaviour is an essential tool in
the arsenal of how to stay young, fit, sculpted and healthy. You may just be in need of a little maintenance or a complete toning makeover, but whatever your motives, choosing the right locale for your fitness regimen is a serious business. For the serious gym-goer, accessibility, convenience, opening hours, quality of equipment and maintenance, classes offered, space, facilities and trainers all come into question. To entice the newbie or more occasional fitness seeker, the overall social experience of a health and fitness club can also be a big selling point. Overcrowded equipment, time limits and queues on machines can also be a deal breaker for the busy individual. Carving fitness into a fine art, where supply meets and exceeds demand, one particular option in the bustling CBD of Bangkok appears to dot the ‘I’ and cross the ‘T’, putting the ‘it’ factor into fitness. “We provide a diverse range of top of the line equipment, coupled with knowledgeable and friendly staff who help you attain your end goals,” explained Nick Rotheram, fitness manager and personal trainer at Cascade Fitness Club and Spa (www.cascadeclubandspa.com). Quite possibly the Ferrari of fitness clubs in Thailand’s capital, Cascade is not merely
a gym, but a comprehensive lifestyle destination for the healthfully inclined. If you are fed up of having to work out within inches of the next person, being sweated on from all sides, or working around shoddy equipment and bored with seeing ‘out of order’ signs for months on end, then it’s time to bid farewell to frustration and join the high life. Touted as ‘Bangkok’s premier health and social club’, Cascade is well within their rights to boast a little. A purpose-built club on the 6th floor of the Ascott building on Bangkok’s Sathorn Road, it is a combination of health, fitness, spa and salon, sauna, Jacuzzi and pool facilities, as well as a natural juice bar right in the middle of the gym itself and Aldo’s, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, with healthy cuisine options. Everything is within reach in one well-thought out location. Set over 3,500 square metres, Cascade benefits from the fact that they are owned by the parent company Seara, suppliers of fitness equipment, and are thus continually stocked with all the latest state-of-the-art training machines and gear – a fitness fanatic’s fantasy come true. Nick has been in the fitness industry for over eight years. “From the moment I first saw the gym, it was the single most impressive I have witnessed. I’ve been in multiple gyms in the Middle East, Europe and Australasia, and the set-up and panoramic view Cascade Fitness Club and Spa offers is second to none.” He’s not wrong – day or night, it is rather impressive. With some 110 machines, including such brands as Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and Cybex, never out of service for more than 24 hours, thanks to Seara, and rarely the need to queue for a piece of equipment, you can be as focused or as relaxed about training as you need to be.
It is also not all about cardio-machines and weight-lifting either. With a group spinning classroom and two large studios for everything from Pilates, Freemotion (not found anywhere else in Thailand gyms), Zumba, body combat and yoga, to name but a few of the classes offered, there is something to suit everyone’s tastes on their comprehensive timetable. For individual attention, you can either hire a personal fitness trainer from their squad of experts, or take oneon-one Pilates instruction in the private room. As with everything that seems to be too good to be true in life, there is a small, but reassuringly inexpensive catch. Membership does not grow on trees and as you would expect with a prestigious club it is on limited availability, to ensure that all of the above remains true. “Cascade caters to the discerning individual, who is looking to experience a luxurious, upscale environment,” to quote Nick. This, however, in no way makes it a pretentious venue. There is an informal ambience and you tend to bond quickly with your trainers and co-members. My personal top tip for Cascade would have to be their Cybex Arc Trainer, an opinion Nick shares. “High-intensity, low-impact calorie blast with a range of different functions to play with,” he says. You can also have a lot of fun with their kettlebell and VIPR collection. If you are like many out their when it comes to fitness – well intentioned, but no clue where to start – Nick recommends: “Be assessed by a professional before starting an exercise routine. Set realistic goals. Get as much information as possible to help in attaining your end goals. Without goals, your ambitions will be short lived.” Sound words of advice, indeed. 2
Shape up for Spring/Summer Your timing to embark on a fitness regimen couldn’t be better. One of the biggest fashion trends for girls this spring/summer 2012 is bare midriffs. Exposing skin is sexy again, but the key is to have the right body before baring it all. And for guys, summer is around the corner, and now is the time to start working out for a perfect beach-side physique that will have girls swooning.