I have nothing but positive remarks about FIST GYM. The atmosphere screams hard work and…read morededication will get you results. The coaching staff are patient and considerate. They will breakdown techniques for you and help you step by step. As a foreigner looking for a BJJ gym to continue my training I couldn't have found a better spot. This is the gym for anyone who wants to work hard. I look forward to training at FIST GYM when I go back to Manila.

Being a fitness buff, I like to mix up my workout every now and then. And in the past year or so,…read moreI've been getting into the martial arts scene. Here at Fist Gym you can choose from Boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Arnis/Kali and many other MMA forms. The one thing I like about Fist compared to other gyms is that the trainers here are very knowledgable and most of them compete regularly. Also, I've been to other gyms and have had coaches turn me down to train because they either "had something to do" or were just too lazy. That has never happened to me here at Fist. Once you get in, find a coach and you start training right away. The coaches themselves are very active and sometimes train up to 4-5 people at the same time. They also have groups for Jiu-Jitsu and Zumba here numerous times during the week if you're into that. Fist isn't the prettiest gym around but I actually like that. It has an old-school feel to it and everything you need for a good workout is here. If you're in the QC area and looking for a place to get some Martial Arts training in, I definitely recommend you give Fist a try. Pros -Very knowledgable coaches. -Usually not crowded. Cons -Gym is a bit small and can get a bit cramped and stuffy during peak hours.

Wonderful gym when visiting Manila. 700 pesos for a pad workout and tips from talented instructors…read more The instructors are knowledgeable fighters with tips to increase speed and power. Have visited gyms globally for over 45 years and I like fitting a quick daily workout in during visits to Manila. Nice people focused on the art of fighting.

Great place to train. Coach and students were very welcoming. I'll be training here whenever I…read moretravel. Added bonus: showers!!!!

I love Muay Thai. Doesnt matter that it kicks my ass all the time and my lungs cant take the…read morepressure. I love the fact that it's a deadly dance that uses the art of eight limbs to inflict maximum damage. But. I cant train anywhere else. Or with any other Kru for that matter. I get real shyyyyy. For real. I will always be indebted to Kru Dante for showing me the art of the dance, the grace that comes with delivering a well-placed roundhouse, and the strength needed to endure the pain that comes with it. I am forever grateful to Kru Dante for his patience, training, discipline. Each session is a world of learning and even if i go home battered and bruised after sparring with large men with ripped chests, thick limbs, and a grin like a black eye waiting to happen, it will always be fun. Sa King's Den, bawal ang pagod! No pain no gain!

Wushu is a traditional, non-contact Chinese martial art. It's been used countless times in big and…read moresmall screen fight choreographies, like the Star Wars films, the firebenders of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and pretty much every Jet Li movie. Paohong Wushu is one place in Manila where you can learn the art form yourself. The Paohong coaches have brought home the gold, silver, and bronze on many occasions, including the SEA games. The core team of advanced students keep their skills sharp by joining competitions throughout the year. Sometimes, they are invited to perform or guest for film, TV, or stage productions. The advanced students are taught to handle weapons, particularly the straight sword, broadsword, and spear. Most of their students are kids and teenagers, as they're encouraged to start out young, but adults are welcome to try out the classes. It'll require a lot of discipline, stamina and flexibility, but if you're willing to give it a try, classes are very affordable. But don't expect to be kicking butt right after a few classes! Again, wushu is a non-contact demo sport - pretty bad-ass to look at, but you won't be throwing any punches in the sessions. (Well, hopefully not!)

It started out as a random thought in one of our many conversations, but I'd like to thank my best…read morefriend for actually getting me to do Pilates this summer at White Space, because there's just so much to love about it. We were total beginners with no clue what was in store when we signed up for a trial. Now four regular sessions in, Mondays and Wednesdays have become our favorite days of the week because of them. Our wonderful instructor, Rissah, has a meditative approach to teaching the class. I love how we do warm-up and cool-down centering to send our daily worries away as we slowly melt into our mats. I love how some workflows are intense and others are more relaxed as she adjusts the main exercises for the night depending on the general mood of her students. I love how, even if I'm sore from all my muscles being stretched out to the max, I still have a fulfilled smile on my face when the hour's up. This beautiful space is more than just a weekly reminder to stay healthy, inspired, strong, focused, and mindful about myself and everything around me. I guess I've found my happy place.

I got mugged one time while riding a jeep, and that memory of having a knife pressed to my cheek is…read morestill one of the most haunting experiences that I have ever had. That incident gave me a little bit of a trauma, and I felt helpless and defenseless for a while. I posted about it on my Facebook, and then days later, I got an invite to a self-defense class that was organized by a friend's mom. It turns out that friend was almost abducted by a gang while she was heading to her car in a parking garage. These are scary times that we are living in, and it is always a comfort to be able to rest in the fact that you know how to defend yourself in case ill fortune has it that you will encounter bad forces in this rather gritty city of ours. The self defense class that I attended was taught by the members of IKMF. I had karate when I was little, but that was about it. I was glad that IKMF taught basics, and in that two-hour class, I was able to learn a lot about the basics of safety and self defense. I appreciated the fact that they taught us to read the situation and not get into defense mode if you clearly can't overpower your attacker. Krav maga, the Israeli martial art and self defense discipline is wonderful in that it uses your body's natural instincts as a foundation for defending yourself during an attack. Basically, they have developed it in a way that it weaponizes your primal reactions to certain stimuli. In a span of two hours, the IKMF staff taught the class the basics of blocking and self-defense when attacked from different approaches. I don't ever hope to get mugged or attacked in the streets again, but at least now I know how to keep myself relatively safe just in case. I strongly urge everyone, especially women to take at least a basic self-defense course because you can never be too complacent. IKMF's basic class is enjoyable and fun, and you don't even have to have a background in any sport or martial art. It is also good exercise, and the IKMF staff can help you if you want to make a hobby or a sport out of it.

My husband wanted to practice some martial art here in Manila, but the classes should be close to…read moreour place. After some research, he discovered a fitness center just a walking distance from here (FTX Gym) that offers Krav Maga classes. Well, when he asked my opinion, the only think I knew about it is that it's an israeli self-defense technique. I had no idea it was possible to practice it inside a fitness center, so we both got curious and excited about that. The fact the classes are offered by the International Krav Maga Federation in the Philippines made us even more confident about the instructor's competence. Krav Maga is actually one of the most effective self-defense system offered today. It was originally created for military purposes in the early 50's and nowadays provides self-defense solutions also for the civil sector. Hubby enrolled in the class and practiced it for one month. He just quit it when our baby was born, but he intends to return as soon as possible. What I could notice is that Krav Maga training is never-ending and constantly improving. He told me classes are really amazing. First the instructor teach a set of self-defense tools and hen you're invited to put it in practice with your fellow classmates. Besides being an excellent technique to protect yourself, it's an awesome working out session as well. And the best part of it: instructors have always in mind that safety comes first!

Awesome and spacious! Great trainers but I think they can…read moreget a little distracted with the television. Since its new, the vicinity is clean. The bathroom is well maintained but I think they should have added an area where the clients can change into and out of attire. It's breezy and not so congested and hot inside unlike other gyms. They do NOT provide free water so take note on that, you will have to buy your hydration which makes sense business wise. Other than that, I would go back again and train with Kuya Pao for boxing!

First time here for the Manila Live 2026. Nice venue. Clean environment. Comfort Rooms are clean…read more No toilet tissue or hand soap - will need bring your own. For a huge arena I would have thought the score board would be bigger. Overall it was a great experience. I did not walk around to see if there were concessions.

The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex may mean different things to different people: football stadium…read moreto the Azkals fans, martial arts dojo for the taekwondo and wushu practitioners, or badminton/tennis court for the avid players, etc. But for me, it will always be my most memorable playground, a.k.a. the place where I learned to swim, only two years ago. The sports complex may be known for its Olympic size pool, once the hallowed training ground of the members of the Philippine Team. What most don't know is that there are actually three pools side by side in the pool area: a small diving pool, 16-feet deep, if I remember correctly, where our Olympics contenders have tested their mettle; and a regular pool, half of the Olympic-size, four-feet deep, where swimming classes for kids and students are often held. It was in the latter pool were I was taught to swim. We were already working then, but my friend (the one who cajoled a.k.a. coerced me into taking lessons with her) and I persevered through learning how to kick, using a kickboard, mastering the freestyle breath, and enduring humiliation from the kids in the water with us. We used to just pay Php 60 to get in and use the pool for the whole day. (We paid a different rate to the instructor. The guards and staff at the sports complex recommend contacts for those who want to learn.) Sadly, the pools were declared closed to the public a few years back. One can still swim with their accedited instructors' supervision, though, or with a special permit from management (which may be requested).

I've tried all kinds of yoga. Some were painless, utterly relaxing and serene, while others felt…read morelike being a piece of meat in a piping bowl of ramen. And then there's anti-gravity yoga. Anti-gravity yoga or AYG is nothing like any yoga class I've tried before. First of all, how could it resemble Hatha, Vinyasa or Ashtanga yoga when you're suspended in the air almost the entire duration of the class? No corpse poses or ohms for this one. If you've ever had aerial dreams, I'd say sign up for a class now at I go Beyond Yoga. It's a 90-minute long class that would have you sitting, stretching and bending on a very soft fabric. It's wonderfully relaxing and at the end of the class, your usually ungainly body will feel light and serene. You'd actually wonder for a half-second if perhaps, you've missed your calling as a gymnast.