As we dash around more than ever between home and our place of work, it becomes increasingly important to have that ‘3^rd place’ where we can not only unwind, but also have regular social interaction with like-minded people.

In a busy city like Singapore, clubs and societies offer that perfect setting by way of a welcoming, safe community. Although clubs differ in their offerings of sports facilities, dining, atmosphere, and so on, they all endeavour to host wellness events that satisfy our desire to get fitter and to improve our sports performance. Along with sweating it out, wellness programs also focus on flexibility, mental relaxation, and of course, healthy eating (to be featured in a future article). These clubs work hard to satisfy our wide variety of health-related interests, while also keeping up to date with the latest global wellness trends.

In addition to the well-established clubs, associations and societies also work diligently to bring people together to enjoy wellness events – from a social and fitness point. They host their events in local parks and public places, or in clubs with which they have an association.

I recently had the pleasure of spending time at a number of these clubs here in Singapore.  Here is a wrap on the most popular and trending wellness events, as well as the most outlandish ones!

American Women’s Association

The most popular events are ‘walking with women’, which offers a range of distances and destination walks around Singapore; and the thriving tennis program which runs ongoing social and competitive events, along with clinics for all levels of play. Members can also take advantage of the Health & Fitness group, which is a way to ‘try before you buy’ across a great range of fitness options that are available in Singapore.

Upcoming events include group runs and marathons in some of Singapore’s organized charity runs, along with the very popular tennis program, which bridges a gap between island-wide tournaments that are hosted twice annually. Being a women-only association, there are of course many fun events run all year round. The golf group has a monthly costume event of some sort, as evident from the regular colourful magazine pictures.

American Club

Located centrally, just off Orchard road, the club bustles with activity, hosting a large fitness studio and a very well equipped fitness centre.

Currently, the most popular classes are Zumba, Body Combat / Body Pump, and Pilates – incorporating the best of fun cardio, strength training, and stretching activities.

Recently added activities that are proving popular are Marathon Cycling, which is a 500km challenge accumulated over a period of weeks, along with a Rowing Challenge of 193kms, which equates to the coastline of Singapore Island!

Sports performance depends on a number of factors, and not just when ‘locked in the event’; therefore the club is proud to shortly launch “Train Like A Pro”, which incorporates how to warm up, cool down, and stretch effectively, along with specific conditioning exercises.

The most fun events at the club are Halloween spinning classes with everyone dressed to spook, and a club-wide 70’s party with hundreds of John Travolta look-alikes on the dance floor into the small hours.

As for crazy suggestions from members, nothing too worrying at this point – although, waiting for a naked yoga initiative!

British Club

In contrast, this hilltop resort offers a relaxed setting surrounded by lush greenery and frequent monkey spectators in the distance, overlooking the sports section.

Popular wellness events are Boot Camp & Dine (whereby boot campers sweat it out before enjoying a light healthy dinner and juice), Yoga, and Aqua Bike/Aqua Running.

Coming soon are Aqua Box Fit (yoga and boxing moves in the water), along with Cardio Challenge and ‘Junior Gymers’ in the club’s fitness gym.

Wimbledon Dress-up Social Tennis, followed by high-tea, has proved extremely popular, so much so that it is now an annual event, along with the resident tennis coaches’ exhibition matches.

Regarding trends, certainly more healthy-eating options are requested within the sports section, with a wider selection of salads and juices provided. There is also a leaning towards more regular evening activities.

British Association

Popular wellness events are the “Walkie Talkie” groups, which meet two to three  times weekly over numerous locations on the island. Beginners and 18-hole golf is also well established, along with tennis socials held at the British Club every Friday morning.

New upcoming events are the Santa Fun Run supporting the ‘Make-A-Wish’ charity, and a New Year-New You event planned for January.

Possibly the most fun event is when groups of all ‘walkie talkies’ get together – noise decibels go way up, and even more fun is had while the members walk the miles away. The most unusual suggestion was a ‘how slow can you go’ walk – possibly proposed by someone more interested in the talking than walking!

And regarding trends: With so much eating and drinking in Singapore (we’ve all heard about that extra ‘2kgs a year’ for newcomers), members are increasingly interested in learning more about healthier choices.

This international family club is well established in Singapore, offering a casual, friendly atmosphere, and a range of wellness activities.

Various style yoga classes are extremely popular, along with pilates (including yogalates), and ‘Mom In Balance’ Bootcamps, which has proved to be not just for recent moms! Soon, due to their ongoing popularity, even more style yoga classes will be offered along with meditation programs. The Wellness Day (Yoga & Detox) will also be back in the New Year due to its success in the past.

Fun events  revolve around employee participation in bootcamps at the club, and the aqua spinning event which will soon return due to previous popularity.

Regarding trends: Members are certainly looking for more consistency, and more of the increasingly popular Parent & Tot classes. There is more awareness on the importance of healthy eating, so the club continues to offer healthier choices including allergen-free options.

With such a wide offering of great wellness events in Singapore Clubs, being a member is invaluable to anyone wishing to spend more quality time with family and friends, while staying active and healthy. All clubs offer a complimentary pass so that you can experience the atmosphere, and enjoy their social and other events, before deciding which club is the perfect fit for you.

American Women’s Association

www.awasingapore.org

www.facebook.com/americanwomensassociationofsingapore

The American Club Singapore

www.amclub.org.sg

www.facebook.com/AmericanClubSingapore

The British Club Singapore

www.britishclub.org.sg 

www.facebook.com/thebritishclub

The British Association of Singapore

www.britishassociation.org.sg

www.facebook.com/pages/British-Association-Singapore

Hollandse Club Singapore

www.hollandseclub.org.sg

www.facebook.com/Hollandse-Club-Singapore

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^{This article was originally published on Health and Vitality blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.
Edited by Michelle Sarthou
Image credit:
Main Image - Shutterstock
1st Image - American Association of Singapore
2nd Image - American Club Singapore
3rd Image - The British Club Singapore
4th Image - The British Association of Singapore
5th Image - Hollandse Club Singapore}

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