Straits Times Kickboxing: Female-only gyms power ahead

Straits Times article on Life section about female only gyms and Active Zone kickboxing - 25 February 2024 (page 1 of 2)

Straits Times article on Life section about female only gyms and Active Zone kickboxing - 25 February 2024 (page 2 of 2) [highlighted emphasis by Active Zone]

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Excerpt from the article:

Active Zone’s all-white training space is less intimidating than other kickboxing venues, which usually have black as a dominant colour. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

A safe space to workout

Straits Times - Active Zone, which offers non-combative kickboxing fitness and weight training, started out in 2008 as part of Active Red, a mixed-gender venue.
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It rebranded itself as an all-female facility in 2013 as more women were then taking up the sport, and it relocated from the Orchard Road area to Beach Road in 2019, says co-founder Valencia Yip. The 33-year-old represented Singapore at several kickboxing competitions in 2023.

Active Zone is also the Singapore representative for the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations.

Although the pandemic has eroded some of its female client base, which now stands at about 80, it has seen more Muslim women take up the sport in the last two years, notes Ms Yip. Active Zone also offers kickboxing for children.

She says its all-white training space is less intimidating than other kickboxing venues, which usually have black as a dominant colour. Female clients also appreciate that there is no lingering smell of stale sweat, unlike in some other centres.

Active Zone offers non-combative kickboxing fitness and weight training. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

From losing weight to feeling strong

Women who frequent these all-female gyms and fitness venues say their goals have changed as their bodies transformed.

Ms Sabeera initially enrolled at Active Zone to lose weight, but realised over the last four years that “it’s not about the number on the weighing scale, but rather the strength that you build over time”.

​“So my mindset has been more focused on improving my stamina. For instance, how many kicks can I do in a minute or how quickly or how well can I punch on a punching bag or with a partner. It’s really about becoming stronger as an individual,” she adds.

[Full article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/from-deadlifts-to-muay-thai-women-only-gyms-and-fitness-centres-are-thriving]