The best shophouse boutique fitness studios in Singapore

Set to officially open in mid-2021, Trapeze Rec. Club calls the beautifully restored heritage shophouse on Tanjong Pagar Road home. Spread across four storeys, the new wellness club features fitness and yoga studios, a health food café, a reflexology lounge, and an outdoor sauna and cold plunge pool. On the inside, it has natural light and greenery alongside brutalist-inspired interiors that are easy on the eyes as you get your sweat on. It doesn’t just cater to your physical needs either – it also ensures that your mental and emotional needs are well taken care of.

New kid on the block, BE. Pilates, is the brainchild of pro dancer and fitness enthusiast Eugena Bey. The one-woman team specialises in mat and reformer-based instruction under the Pilates Academy International syllabus. But don’t underestimate it – the small studio located at one of Keong Saik’s charming shophouses is fitted with top-level equipment including a Reformer, a Reformer with virtual Cadillac, a Stability chair, and a Cardio tramp rebounder that will challenge you. As its space can only fit two persons per class, it’s a great alternative for those seeking an intimate, private sweat sesh.

Recently settled into its new shophouse digs at Lorong Telok, Warrior Studios is a cosy hideaway to find your balance. The studio is decked with wood elements, and bathed in a muted colour palette that creates a warm, inviting and comfy environment. The fully equipped studio also comes with a vanity and shower, and even a cosy nook for you to take a breather or hang out after a class. Besides the basics, Warrior Studios offers a variety of classes, from Mellow Flow for those seeking a slow-paced vinyasa flow class to Warrior HIIT for those looking for an intensive workout that pushes your strength, endurance, energy and focus to the max.

Besides making you sweat with its HIIT and boxing classes, Active Fitness also helps you smash your fitness goals with spin classes. Make your way to an industrial-looking shophouse in the heart of Joo Chiat for its indoor spin studio, Cycle Beats. With 30 stationary bikes, it's currently the biggest in Singapore. What goes inside involves a calorie-busting, rhythmic cycling workout complete with bright stage lights and pumping club music – think of it as a party on a bike that helps you burn up to 800 calories.

You’re guaranteed to work up a sweat at the photogenic studios of Yoga+, which are occupies shophouses on Pagoda Street, and Arab Street. Here, classes are vinyasa-based and cater to a wide range of abilities. The studio also aims to bring the yoga experience beyond the mat through collaborations with local brands and initiatives with a focus on health and wellness to instill mindful living – expect art jamming sessions and book clubs in the studios too.

Find your zen at this minimalist boutique yoga studio in a shophouse on Upper East Coast Road (you can’t miss its giant purple signage). Art of Yoga runs over 60 classes in various styles, from a full ashtanga mysore program and vinyasa yoga (power flow and power yoga) to gentle yoga and hatha yoga. After your satisfying stretches, pick up some artisanal products from homegrown brands such as Homemade Handmade and The Mala Company from its shelves.

Located in Telok Ayer, this yoga sanctuary makes it the perfect spot to unwind after the working grind in the CBD. Spearheaded by founders Jessica Sinclair and Nicole He and backed by their team of yoga gurus, The Yoga Mandala offers a comprehensive list of group classes that transform your mind, body and soul through the practice of asana, pranayama, dharana and dhyana. Classes are also conducted in both English and Mandarin.

A sweat sesh with a comforting view of the Singapore River? Yes, please. Get your gains in a personable and supportive environment at Strength Avenue, which sits on the second floor of a Boat Quay shophouse. As the name suggests, the gym focuses on strength and conditioning workouts using barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, and bodyweight. Whether you're in a private, semi-private, or group class, expect lots of one-on-one attention from the friendly coaches. It's also a good place for women who are interested in barbell work but feel intimidated about starting on their own at public gyms.