While getting a ripped physique has become a symbol of success in Hong Kong, putting yourself through a strict and dull workout regimen could be a thing of the past. If you want to have fun while breaking a sweat, then it’s time to shake up your routine and follow some latest trends that inject creativity and frivolity into the experience and guarantee you will get good aesthetics after. With that in mind, we have rounded up the best off-beat classes in town!
SUP Yoga
Stand Up Paddle Yoga is pretty self-explanatory: you practice yoga on a surfboard and use a long oar to skim the water. For those with weak balance, the idea of practising yoga on water could be daunting. But there’s no better combination than cardio workout (SUP) and flexibility-based workout (Yoga). After all, an increase in flexibility without strength can result in instability and stand up paddling really fires up your core muscles.
Hong Kong is slowly catching up with this global craze. The idea of bringing SUP yoga to Hong Kong came to fruition when two avid yoginis and stand up paddlers met and shared their common vision. SUP Yoga HK offers regular SUP yoga day retreats, and instructor training for those who aspire to teach or deepen their yoga practice.
Aerial Yoga On The Beach
If practising yoga in a confined space isn’t your thing, then head to a tranquil beach where you can immerse yourself in nature and soak up the beauty around you. There’s something invigorating about hanging upside down on a hammock and slinking into various yoga poses gracefully against a sweeping backdrop. Practising aerial yoga on a beach helps strengthen your core and centre your energy through mind-body connection. Bamboo Yoga hosts regular workshops in Sai Kung at weekends. You will be able to enjoy the ease of inversions as you feel the breeze on your skin.
Capoeira
For those who are on the lookout for workouts that not only improve aesthetics and physical strength but also mental wellbeing, look no further than the Capoeira classes at AIA Vitality Park organised every two weeks by HK School of Capoeira! The origin of Capoeira can be traced back to Brazilian’s slave trade period 500 years ago. As its legends were passed down orally by African slaves, the fascinating history of Capoeira has been a subject of debate but most agree that it was born as a means of survival for African slaves living under inhumane condition. Rather than just a form of exercise, Capoeira is an art form incorporating elements of poetic songs, dance moves, creativity and vibrant culture. Pairs are usually put in a circle called “Roda” where they perform manoeuvres like fast kicks, sweeps and takedowns to the rhythmic beat of the mesmerising music.
Trampoline Fitness
Trampoline Fitness is unarguably the most pleasurable workout for those with a sedentary lifestyle. Studies found that ten minutes of trampoline workout is equivalent to running for half an hour. And surely jumping up and down on a bouncy surface gives you more adrenaline rush than just running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. What’s so amazing about trampoline workout is that your heart rate increases with your bounce rate but the perceived exertion stays the same! BounceLimit in Sheung Wan provides a wide range of classes including AirBounce, Bounce Pilates and Combat Bounce and promises to make your pulse race in a dark room with upbeat music and trampolines lit up with flashing lights.
Indoor Surfing
Do you always find yourself with an itch to go to a glistening ocean and hit the waves with your surfboard but after a few attempts, it may have finally dawned on you that you don’t have what it takes to conquer monster waves? Well, practising surfing indoor is one way to rev up stamina and prepare yourself for a real wave! Located in an industrial building in Hung Hom, Surfset Hong Kong provides high-intensity aerobic training on a surfboard supported by rubber balls and strings that guarantee to give you the wobbling feel of being on waves. Even better, indoor surfing saves you the hassle of having to be aware of the dangerous marine life!
Hula Hoop Fitness
Sick of hula hooping alone at home? Sign up for an offbeat outdoor class offered by Turning Circles that brings together a community of passionate hoop dancing enthusiasts at Tamar Park. You will be gracefully dancing around barefoot on the grass with the hoop twirling around your body with the stunning skyline backdrop. The Beginner Courses offer a great starting point and comprise learning different ‘tricks’ or moves with the hula hoop, which are then incorporated into a type of ‘flow’ or dance.
Header image photo credit: Bamboo Yoga
In need of a massage after all that? Check out our recommendations for HK’s best massages here!
Angel is a cat lady, yogini and adrenaline junkie with unquenchable wanderlust. When out of work, you’ll spot her indulging in solitude at a yoga studio or a cafe with a book in her hand. You may find her often drifting off into a trance, and that’s because she’s an outlandish dreamer.
