Whether you love it or hate it, we all need to do some sort of exercise to stay fit. However, gone are the days when it had to be a boring circuit at the gym. These days, the city has all kinds of organized fitness, from dance classes, to spiritual yoga courses, to fun but intense HIIT regimes — there’s something for pretty much everyone.
Here, we’ve rounded up some of Yangon’s best workouts:
Yangon Yoga House
This is one of the centers of life for yogis in Myanmar’s biggest city. Beside their studio, they also have a light-filled spa, Bliss Beauty Bar, which offers organic treatments, and an uber-healthy restaurant, Nourish Cafe, that whips up vegan dishes on the daily. It’s basically a one-stop shop for all the exercise, conscious eating, and self-care you’d need to live your healthiest life in Yangon.
As far as the yoga classes, they offer flow (or vinyasa) style classes daily, Ashtanga, alignment classes, mat pilates, yin/yang yoga, restorative classes, and unusual yoga workshops on most weekends.
36 Alan Pya Pagoda St.
Open daily, Mon-Thurs: 10am-9pm, Fri-Sat: 10am-3pm, Sun: 10am-5pm
Fitness Xpress
This fitness studio offers classes of all kinds, from zumba, to old-school aerobics, to insane fat loss classes, body combat, Taekwondoe, weightlifting, and yoga.
Among their most popular offerings are zumba and calorie-torching cardio burn classes which, while only an hour long, fans say pack the punch of workouts twice as long.
Since this spot is a full service gym, not just a place to take classes, they also have all the standard gym and cardio equipment and a pool that offers classes and free swim hours.
5th Floor, Junction Maw Tin Mall
Anawrahta Rd. & Lan Thit Street
Open Daily, 6am-9pm, Sun until 8pm
Training Ground
This chain offers top-rated, highly challenging High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout classes that some compare, in spirit, to CrossFit. Advocates call it the best way to get fit, tend to plan days around workouts, and become friendly with the people in their classes. The Yangon outlet, in Botahtaung Township, has been open just over a year but already has a loyal following. If you go, expect endless lunges, burpees, mountain climbers and the like.
Urban Asia Centre, 1st Floor, Corner of Maha Bandoola Road & 48 Street
Open daily, 6am-10pm
Yangon Running Club
For runners hoping to gain stamina and skill from running as a group, or who just want to meet some new people with similar interests, hit the streets with friends from the Yangon Running Club. The club has weekly Wednesday group runs that start from the corner of University Avenue Road and Than Lwin Road. They also sign up to run longer stretches, like marathons, together. Find out more by visiting their page.
Balance Fitness
This is one of those gyms that has a little bit of everything: weight and cardio equipment, yoga, aerobics, and more. But the popular workout spot also tries some less standard classes that members review highly. Yoga combat, Muay Thai, prenatal workouts, aqua aerobics and Latin dance are some of those unusual options.
In the gym, personal trainers are always on had to answer questions, teach, and spot.
103 University Avenue Rd. & Thanlwin Street
Open daily, 6am-10pm
MYM Body Building & Fitness Centre
If deadlifts, deltoids, and getting buff are your thing, MYM is your spot. Offering all the equipment, advice, and camaraderie that members need to reach their muscliest selves, this place is English language-speaking and the instructors are said to be very patient with those new to the sport.
Ladies: Don’t feel shy to step in and grab weights or ask for a spotter here either. About half of their super fit members are female.
Hledan Road
Open daily, 9am-9pm (except Sundays)
Fight Camp Yangon
The Muay Thai-themed boot camp promises to whip butts into shape while also whipping butts. Mixing circuit training with Muay Thai sessions on alternating days is what they recommend to get students into fighting shape, literally.
Run by coaches who have over a decade of Muay Thai experience, they can also train members who actually hope to fight professionally.
103 University Avenue Rd. & Thanlwin Street
Only open for training, Mon-Friday 7-8am
Raw by Infinity
Don’t hit Raw by Infinity on a low energy day. This spot offers group fitness classes with high intensity and — fans say — great results. Kettlebells, kickbacks, and squats galore are the order of the day here.
This gym calls itself “Myanmar’s first and only fully equipped functional training fitness facility” designed to improve improve speed, agility, stamina, strength and, of course, hook up those washboard abs.
132A Inya Rd.
Open daily, 7am-10pm
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