5 Fitness Boutiques For People Who Really Hate Gyms

Ah fitness. Crossfit, yoga, HIIT, whatever gets your goat. We presume the obsession is to make up for all the going out, the gourmet burgers, the glut of craft beer and the partying. For some people, the gym is perfect. For others, it’s hell on earth. Enter the fitness studio. Or the boutique fitness center, or the fitness studio boutique. The name is still under development.

Basically, imagine this:

Although, it has nothing to do with the heavy equipment. It’s all about the personal approach, where you don’t have to worry about people judging you…

…but can still get a quality workout.

 

Designed for group sessions of not more than 12 or (ideally) one-on-one training, fitness studios avoid the heavy equipment, and focus on natural body workouts with limited props. The service at a boutique is supposed to be better, no need to worry about towels, showers, shampoos – everything is included.

And most importantly, they’re perfect for the kinds of people who are turned off by the mad-hat, crowded, stressful environment you might find in your average Shanghai gym. Here’re 5 fitness boutiques in Shanghai for people who hate gyms.

PRIME FITNESS

One of the first Shanghai fitness boutique studios was launched in 2012 by Hongkonese and French partners at Féngyáng Road. After opening a Beijing studio, they followed another one in Shanghai in the Cachet Boutique Hotel (Nanjing West Road, above the Adidas shop). The studio is comfortable and spacious, so you can enjoy a quality workout without being disturbed. The personal training sessions are only 30 minutes long, so you can easily fit it into the busiest Wolf of Wall Street schedule. Prime specializes not only on personal training, but also group training sessions, which are 45 minutes long, including HIIT, functional training, boxing, fitness boot camp classes and more. Some of trainers are qualified to perform rehabilitation and physical therapy to recover after injury. Nutrition guidance is included. Prime Fitness is available on Guava Pass and Move Shanghai platforms.

Location:

3 Féngyáng Road, room 102, building 1, near Huáihǎi Road

汾阳路3号1号楼102室，近淮海路

931 Nánjīng West Road, Cachet hotel, 3rdfloor, near Tàixīng Road

南京西路931号3层，近泰兴路

Classes:

HIIT, functional trainings, boxing, fitness boot camp

Prices (per session)

Personal training:

Senior trainer: 350 RMB

Master trainer: 500 RMB

Personal training for 2 people:

Senior trainer: 450 RMB

Master trainer: 600 RMB

Drop-in group classes for 150 RMB

If you sign up with PRIME, you get a Membership Card. The minimum top up is 1500 RMB, and there’s no expiration date.

Website: http://www.primefitness.cn/

WeChat: PrimeBeYourBest

VERSUS

The studio is quite new, but ambitious.  Their motto reads “There is always room for improvement” and their team of 15 professional instructors will make sure you burn that last damn greasy portion of fried noodles. The studio itself is quite large. Equipped with a boxing ring, VERSUS provides Muai Thai classes from member of the Filipino national boxing team. The founder, Elva, made her way from 150 pounds to being a professional fitness trainer by herself. VERSUS organizes fitness events on a regular basis, bringing the community together to share a sweaty workout and shots of fresh juice. Also up on GuavaPass platform.

Location:

15 Dōngpíng Road near Héngshān Road

东平路15号 近衡山路

Classes:

Barre fusion, Boxing training (intermediate rate), Muay Thai, Zumba, Dance Workout, Piloxing, HIIT, Circuit training, Core training

Prices (per session):

Personal training

480 RMB

Personal training for 2 people

660 RMB

Drop-in class is 180 RMB

10 classes – 1499 RMB

20 classes – 2399 RMB (shareable with a friend)

40 classes – 4199 RMB (shareable with a friend)

WeChat: versusfitness

AFIT

Alex, the founder of AFIT, got his MBA degree in Shanghai and gave up a white-collar lifestyle in order to follow his passion for sport. Starting as a freelance trainer of a small studio, he eventually founded his own fitness boutique. AFIT invited two more coaches as their client database tripled in size. The studio offers one-on-one programs, group classes for girls (not more than 8 ladies per class) and nutrition coaching. During the workout, everybody is equipped with a heart rate monitor band, which shows up on a screen to record your performance.

Location:

168 Zhènníng Road near Yǒngyuǎn Road

镇宁路168号15E 近永远路

Classes:

HIIT, Tabata, TRX, Circuit training

Prices:

Personal Training:

480 RMB per class in 30 sessions package (14,400 RMB in total)

550 RMB per class in 20 sessions package (11,000 RMB in total)

680 RMB per class in 10 session package (6800 RMB in total)

Group classes for ladies:

1990 RMB – 10 classes

3200 RMB – 20 sessions

4800 RMB – 30 sessions

WeChat: AlexSpain

The Clinic

The Clinic is actually much more than just a fitness boutique studio. It is a premier boutique sport and medicine wellness center, which provides professional medical services. The center wants to be more than a hospital, a place that treats what’s already wrong with you, instead aiming at being a preventative wellness center as well. But we’re only covering the wellness department here, fitness personal trainings and group classes. The Clinic takes a very serious approach to designing fitness programs, as the doctors of the clinic are involved in the process. Besides personal trainings, The Clinic offers classes in yoga, pilates, barre and meditation. Yoga is taught in a more traditional way, focusing on breath techniques. You can also find the clinic on GuavaPass platform.

Location:

118 Jiashan Road, Building B, Floor 5, Suite A501 near Yǒngkāng Road

嘉善路118号 B号楼5楼A501弄 近永康路

Classes:

Personal trainings, HIT, yoga, barre, pilates

Prices:

Personal trainings:

7000 RMB – 10 classes (+2000 for an extra partner)

3800 RMB – 5 classes (+1500 for an extra partner)

You can also do personal trainings without buying the package, at 900 RMB per session, or 600 RMB if you bring a partner.

Group classes:

4000 RMB – 20 classes

2500 RMB – 10 classes
1400 RMB – 5 classes

Drop-in for group classes is 300 RMB

Website: http://www.theclinic.international/

StormFit

Sasha Storm, the founder of StormFit, is a former market research manager who fell in love with fitness and started her carrier as a personal trainer. A month ago, she launched her own fitness boutique with a tailor-made program. Located in the heart of the French Concession, StormFit’s studio doesn’t feel like a traditional gym. The atmosphere is cozy and homey. The studio itself can fit not more than 5 people, but you don’t need more than that. No heavy-duty equipment, only dumbells, ropes and balls. Sasha provides nutritional guidance as well.

Location:

22 Fùxīng West Road near Wūlǔmùqí Road

复兴西路22号 近乌鲁木齐中路

Classes:

Personal trainings, HIIT, Bubble Butt, Bodyweight blast

Prices:

Personal Training:

10 x 60 minute sessions – 3899 RMB

10 x 30 minute sessions – 2099 RMB

Trial class is 99 RMB

Personal Training for 2 people:

10 x 60-minute classes – 4899 RMB

10 x 30-minute classes – 2599 RMB

Trial class is 149 RMB.

Group Class (max. 4 people)

10 classes – 1499 RMB (valid for 1 month)

20 classes – 2800 RMB (valid for 2 months)

Drop-in is 160 RMB