Gym Review: Flyweight Group Boxing Studio

Located at the glamorous Eight Forbestown Road, Taguig, this boxing studio of the district will surely make your entire operations department sweat. Flyweight Group Boxing Studio is perfectly suited for the overtime-maniacs and the 12 hours-a-day executives of BGC, Taguig. Get ready to throw your "I don't have time" excuse out the window as the place is just a walk away from your office you lazy bastards (to the lazy bastards of BGC only).




How to get there - the place is a good 10-minute walk from The Fort Strip, if you plan on commuting via BGC bus. There's pay parking available in the basement of Eight Forbestown Road, right beside Robinson’s Selection and another one across the street along Rizal Drive. 8 Forbestown Road is packed with foreign restaurants, top-notch drinking bars, lavish party clubs, coffee shops and gyms alike. It doesn't get any more opulent than that.

 2F 8 Forbestown Road

What is Flyweight Group Boxing Studio?

Flyweight is a dashy boxing studio that offers a somewhat Tae-bo type of fitness workout that incorporates boxing (and some Muay Thai) techniques with the use boxing gloves and punching bags. From the term itself, it is a group workout. 

If you've ever been to indoor cycling, Zumba or Yoga  classes, Flyweight will pretty much remind you of that experience. An instructor will be talking to you with a mic (and you better listen) to guide you on the drills that you'll be doing but instead of yoga mats placed in front of you, each of you are paired with a tall heavy bag. There's around 8-20 heavy bags for each student depending on the class you take (you are not allowed to use others' but your assigned bag only) and each bag has it own clean towel.

These are the core classes offered by the studio:

Contender:  For those who haven't touched a punching bag in their life. This is a great introduction to boxing - 6 Rounds of Heavy Bag Basics with low-impact exercises.

Challenger: Their Flagship Program – 6 Rounds of Combos on the Heavy Bag with Isometrics and Plyometrics.

Champion: Intense and exhilarating – 9 Furious Rounds with Burpees, Jump Squats, and Plank variations.

They also offer complimentary Boxing 101 sessions as a refresher course every month. This pretty much covers the basics of boxing: technique, footwork & head movement. Some drills and light bag work are included and you get to ask your coach questions about boxing - call it boxing for dummies if you will.
(info can be found on their official website @ Flyweight.ph) 

Price and Promos

Okay let's break this thing down one by one.

Walk-in - for 1,000 are u kidding me?

Flypack - is a one time promo wherein you get 300/session. That's 5 workouts good for 2 weeks (great deal).

3-pack - 950/session good for 1 month.

6-pack - 917/session good for 45 days. (not much of a difference with 3-pack)

10-pack - 855/session good for 2 months with additional 2 Boxing 101 sessions, you're given a "Priority Waitlist" and an Advanced Booking.

20-pack - 745/session good for 4 months with Priority Waitlist and Advanced Booking.    

My take: 
Unless  you can get the Flypack for eternity, their pricing for me is ludacris!  900 a night, in my opinion is a waste of my hard-earned money. You know how many huge caramel beers I can get with that amount? (Around 3.) But I don't live in the lavish neighborhood of Forbestown now so take this with a grain of salt. 

The studio

The Process

1)Book a bag - Create an account thru the site, choose a class and schedule (or your preferred coach) as you would in booking your promo flights.
*Weekly schedules are released every Sunday. 
2)Store your valuables in the locker - when you arrive at the gym, confirm your bag booking at the front desk and store your stuff upstairs in the locker area
3)Get your wraps & gloves - head back downstairs to get your hand wraps and gloves on. You don't have to bring your own gear as they have them provided for you.
4)Go to your assigned bag - get inside the studio and wait for your instructor to give you an ass-kicking! (of a work out)


Sounds a little complex, eh? If you're like me, then you're probably the type who just wants to get a good old-fashioned workout without going through the "online booking" process. I just want to train, bro. Although on the flip side, the management knows everyone in the studio. 

The Experience

The workmates and I attended their Contender class.  As advertised, the 45-minute workout was full of basic boxing routines and a dynamic application of the drills to the heavy bag. It was only in that gym that I experienced to do squats while throwing combinations in the heavy bag! I was surprised they incorporated knees too. Every routine was strictly timed but you may go at your own pace. If you get extremely tired in the middle of a routine, you may slow down (not rest) and work your pace back up as you recover. 

You'd feel the as though you're on another continent because the staff and the trainers there speak English! (Prepare your tissues.) You can hear the bang of the bass as the loud music amps you up. But the fully air-conditioned studio won't be able contain your sweat, this I promise. The program ended with ab-workout and stretching to finally cap off the night. Overall, I'd say the entire workout was "medium-rare" intense.

Value

Now here's my takeaway from this grinding, albeit short-lived workout: 

Pro's
-you go at your own pace (you can hide behind the bags when really tired)
-you are with a group of people (it's an active & lively atmosphere)
-you can go by yourself (if Karen ditches you)
-you get a great workout (good for the heart)
-they're all about the bass (no treble)


Con's
-you go at your own pace (this doesn't really bring out the best in you)
-there's 20 of you and only one coach (he/she can't see you all the time)
-not enough focus on the technique (it's more of a cardio/kickboxing type workout)
-no simulation of real boxing (punching bags don't punch back)
-unhygienic practice: sharing of used gloves & wraps (would you let Mary wear your bra?) 

the working guys and gals of BGC

By the way, you can't bring your phone inside the studio. They're pretty strict about it. Sorry guys, no selfies until training is done. 

The Verdict

Here are the 2 things you should consider when trying out this boxing studio:

1) What do you prefer?  
Does it challenge you more when you are coached by your trainer closely?  Or do you enjoy working out with a group of people? 

2)What is your fitness goal? 
Do you have plans on competing someday? Or you just want to feel that boxing experience without getting punched in the face while losing a few pounds?

I leave that thought to you.

Regardless, I will still have my hammer to smash and declare that Flyweight Group Boxing Studio is NOT my type of boxing of gym. I would probably return to this gym only if you guys give me a free pass (i'll be bringing my own boxing gloves, that's non-negotiable). So there you go. I hope I was able to help you decide in choosing your training gym. See you again on my next review!


(Disclaimer: I was not paid in cash or any kind by Flyweight Group Boxing Studio management or its affiliates to make this review.)

Gym Review: Elorde Makati - Arnaiz Ave

"The proven name in boxing" - is this gym's slogan. Located in the heart of Makati, Elorde Makati - Arnaiz Ave is one the many boxing gyms that is situated in the Central Business District. Being a household name in the boxing community, let's see what this branch has to offer. 

How to get there - The gym is on the 4th floor of  Empire Building (not to be confused with Empire Boxing) with the entrance along Arnaiz Ave (formerly Pasay Road) Legaspi Village. If you're bringing a car, there's free parking at the back of the building along Benavidez Rd. I'm not sure how to get there if you are commuting, although from Greenbelt 3, it's just half a kilometer away. The surrounding establishments are mostly office buildings and banks (it's called CBD for a reason) but there are also a few Japanese or Asian restaurants with names I can barely pronounce. 

The Place

I arrived past 6pm on a busy Thursday and the first thing I noticed was the number of students that were in the building. There's so many of them that you can literally see everyone from the outside though the lavish glass door. The whole room, judging by the light reflecting on the floor, you can easily tell that it is  very well-maintained, looks stunningly clean and even odorless (except for me). 

Now there's one thing in particular that I pay most attention to before considering training in a gym on a regular basis - SIZE. Yes boys, size does matter. I like to run around in the gym and do crazy stuff (training-wise) that's why I am so particular with gym size. This one has a decent floor area. There are spaces for doing speed ball training, a separate area for punching bags, a boxing ring and an exclusive spot for circuit training. There's one changing room and a couple of basic, average-sized shower rooms for guys and girls. Oh and if you happen to forget your gear, hand wraps and boxing gloves are available for rent at 50 a pair.

Price and Promos

Annual Membership: 1000
Standard Price. Given that the spot is in the CBD of Makati, I consider it cheap and affordable. 

Boxing (200) & Muay Thai (300)
These figures are right around the market price - boxing would be around 150 to 300. For Muay Thai, the standard is usually boxing fee +100 . Get a sizable discount with different packages: Silver & Gold are good for 30 & 90 days respectively while Platinum would be unlimited sessions for 30 days.
*They also offer Strength & Conditioning workout out to complement your overall fitness.

The Experience

I approached the attendant and she greeted with a smile. She asked which boxing gym I had been training from. (Does it really show?) I told her ___, then I was assigned a coach. I said, "Muay Thai please". Unfortunately there's only one coach available and he was already attending to other students. But all is cool for me, I was willing to wait. After all, this is Elorde "Boxing" not Elorde Muay Thai.  

The first thing my coach asked me, "how long have you been training?". To which I responded with, "a few of years". 

Coach: "Did you ever compete?" 

the coach training his student for her fight

Me: "Yessssir!"

Coach: "How many times?" 

Me: "Ummm... a couple."

Coach: "Okay, you go warm up first"

Me: "All right."

I was then left to do warm-up routines all by myself. Okay, maybe he thought I already knew everything that he's confident enough to leave me be. Luckily I have some basic programs in my mind to get my engines going. So I did my thing and waited. I waited forever for my coach to tell me what to do with my life. "Do 2 rounds of bags," he advised me only to leave me again to my demise. I did 3 rounds of whatever I wanted before he called me to get up to the ring to finally work the pads with him.

In all fairness to my coach, he was worth the wait. Indeed, patience is a virtue. We did 3 rounds of absolutely exhausting pad work at an ultra high pace! I was given little to no rest in between combinations after combinations. He'd give me a sweet punch to the body if he saw me slacking. It almost felt like I was training for a competition! He appears to be one of the coaches of the students who are training for their fights. In fact, he was training one girl for her first PXC fight at the time. 

He then instructed me to rest before a couple of rounds of hitting the pads with endless kicks ensued. By endless, I meant 15 quick kicks followed by 10 power kicks on each foot. Had you been there watching you'd be weirded out by me because of my screaming with every kick I threw.

the boxing session

Value

So far, the only interaction I had with the coach was when we did the pad work. He did give me instructions but that's about it. He left me alone most of the time expecting that I can take care of everything. In his defense, there's only one of him and three of us. 

If I were a student with little experience, who knows if he would have given me more time and attention. We all crave for attention, do we not? Would he have treated me differently if I said that it was the first time I stepped in a boxing ring? Even so, if that's how all the coaches there treat their students then that's probably not the place I would want to call my home gym. But that's just me. 

Everyone wants to improve, whether a neophyte or a veteran. We stop growing when we stop learning and without proper guidance from the coaches, how do we up our A-game? First impressions do last and this was my first impression. Or maybe I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time? 

the strength & conditioning session

The Verdict

The whole session took about an hour and fifteen minutes. If I'd only count the minutes I was attended to by my coach, I'd say it's about 15 minutes. Aside from the session proper, everything else was fantastic. The staff is friendly, everyone is full of energy, there's enough space for everyone and the music rocks! There were close to 25 students before I was done and I'm not even kidding. 

So as objective as I can be, I would rate this experience a 6/10. Well that's all for now my friends. I hope you enjoyed my review of Elorde Makati - Arnaiz Ave. For more information, you may visit their page @ https://www.facebook.com/ElordeMakati/

(Disclaimer: I was not paid in cash or any kind by Elorde Makati - Arnaiz Ave Boxing Gym management or its affiliates to make this review.)

Battling the enemy within

Have you ever wanted to try something new in your life so bad that looks so exciting and scary at the same time?

Have you ever wanted to ask the prettiest girl in your office out but can’t look at her in the eye every time she walks down the lobby? Have you ever wanted to be the like your best friend who has that FHM magazine body but you couldn’t even last 15 mins running?

Yes, I’m pretty sure you had those wishes or even turned them into goals but have never made them close to reality. You had the "fire" for a moment but in the end, the weaker you won. “I can’t do it” - you said to yourself with a soft-ass voice while looking down and shaking your head with sub-zero self-esteem.

You think too fast and imagine ahead what could go wrong. You over-analyze the situation and ultimately get paralyzed. You have predicted the 99 ways how it would never turn out in your favor instead of that 1 way how you could've achieved it. You haven't even tried but you already had the result played out in your mind a hundred times. Apparently, the outcome has always been unpleasant to you.

image from http://rollingout.com/

Before you even tried to lift that 20-pound dumbbell you already thought of how your body was going to be sore for the next 5 days. Before you even tried to put your running shoes on you already imagined how tired you are going to be at work. Before you even tried to do jumping jacks you already considered the therapist’s fee for your broken back.

image from:
http://rimashahasphotography.weebly.com

These thoughts are what comprise our common enemy – FEAR.  You see fear of the unknown is not really why people get scared to do something new. What makes people frightened of something is the fear of “what has been known” or the perceived result. To explain further, say you wanted to learn football but you are severely overweight. So you already rejected the possibility of ever walking into the football field. This idea was planted in your mind unconsciously five years ago when you were watching the athletes in your university gym do their training. The competitors were in top shape, had greatest cardio and you could see their six-pack abs right through their shirt (no homo).

What has been known to you is that only people with God-given body are the ones who are able to train hard. So in your perception, you can try as much as you want but you won’t be able to do it like them because you simply don't have the body or the "gift" like them.

Guess what? YOU ARE WRONG! You’ve probably heard this from a friend or a trainer or someone who cares for you (if not then you are one poor soul, I kid). You need to stop this madness.

Let's go outside the world of fitness and take Oprah for example. She was born to a housemaid and grew up in her grandmother’s farm.  She was molested as a child that started when she was 9, by her cousin, uncle and a family member’s friend. Sometime during her early teenage years, she gave birth to a baby boy who eventually died due to premature birth.  Fast forward to today, Oprah Winfrey became one of the “100 Most Influential People of the 20^th Century”, the first African-American billionaire and one of the most generous female philanthropists in the world.  

I'm sure you’ve also heard about this guy who was born with no limbs for no apparent medical reason. This "little" man was bullied his entire school life to the point where he attempted suicide by drowning himself in his bath tub. We are eternally grateful that he miserably failed to kill himself. Otherwise, Life Without Limbs Org would not have been founded and millions of lives would not have received the spiritual help & inspiration they needed from a man named Nick Vujicic.

How about this Muay Thai fighter from Canada who’s had 70 wins and a number of championship titles around his belt? (Of course there's got to be a Muay Thai-related example.) This man’s name is Baxter Humby and his nick name: “The One Armed Bandit”. You read it right, no kidding. His right hand was amputated at his birth due to its entanglement with the umbilical cord. Did it stop him from achieving his dreams? Well, he currently holds the International Muay Thai Council World Super Welterweight Champion belt.

Baxter Humby - image from: http://www.palipost.com

I can go on for days and tell stories of ordinary people who’ve made the extraordinary but I still wouldn’t be able to inspire you to do what you've always dreamed of doing. Until you do it yourself, you’ll only be another “wanna-be”, a “hopeful”, and what hurts the most – a “loser”.

So how did these people do it? How would I do it? Acknowledging fear is a good start. Accept that it is there. Play around with it then face it. And maybe talk to it just like how you talked to your childhood crush, smell it just like how you inhaled the second hand smoke of a cigarette the first time, touch it just like how you splashed in the pool for the first time. Easier said than done, right?

“Only when you truly know yourself and your enemy, will you not fear the results of a hundred battles”. 

In the words of Sun Tzu, you have to know yourself, realize your potential, be prepared for what your enemy can do to you so you can capitalize on it and you may worry less of the result of any fight. 

image from http://www.nj.com/entertainment

Albeit, they did not solely study them selves, more so what they were . Instead, they focused most of their energy on what they could become. The formula is really simple: Know yourself, acknowledge fear & focus on your potential. Try it and let me when you've won the war within. See you on the top of the mountain!