I hired Annie Lyn Rivas as my personal trainer and trained with her for 8 months before leaving BGC…read more. She is incredibly knowledgeable in her field and brought my fitness to a new level helping me with my nutrition and exercise. She was always on time and motivating and kept me on track with my goals. I've trained with other trainers and honestly I have not been able to find anyone as knowledgeable as Annie Lyn that made me progress like she did and surpass my fitness goals . I highly recommend anyone in BGC / Makati area looking for a professional certified trainer to contact Ms Rivas. She is a true professional in her field not to mention a competitive professional athlete herself.

I met Coach Annie when I was preparing for my 2018 wedding. I was a size 12-14 and hadn't been…read morephysically active for about a year. She developed a program for me that involved multiple types of physical training --- weight lifting, high and low intensity cardio, interval training, tabata, sprints, etc. During each workout she was firm but encouraging, always helpful and kind. I considered each session a therapy session as well because Coach Annie is a great listener. We developed a friendship that I continue to treasure up to today. She was always open to my own inputs into my training, and evolved my program when I needed to change it up. I increased both strength and endurance because Coach Annie is a runner AND a lifter, so both are given equal attention in my program. I was at peak form on my wedding day, a strong (not skinny) size 2. Beyond the improved physical appearance, I developed discipline and focus and created a friendship with a woman who trained not only through her created program but also through example. One look at her and you will know she is more than legit. She is also a breath of fresh air, professional smart, funny, and empathetic. You can't go wrong with her. She is one of the best things that ever happened to me, and when I look at my wedding photos I'm always reminded of what she did for me and my body. Thank you for everything coach!

More than five years ago I used to come here about twice a week. I love the group classes and the…read moreteachers, I used to get a great massage in the Fitness First Spa (now gone). Occasionally I'd still come here for special events. I came today because it was the only Fitness First gym I know open on Christmas day. The last time I was here was May 2015 so let's see if anything's changed. AIR-CONDITIONING/VENTILATION I remember writing on the club's complaint form a year ago because air conditioning was very bad. So bad that a lot of people would be leaving group classes especially RPM/cycling because it gets too warm in some parts of the room. But now it's very cold that I was shivering in the locker room. EQUIPMENT The tricep rope thing that attaches to the cable machine smells! Other machines were fine. Glad to see 2 preacher curl benches (gone in FF RCBC). Not all the workout benches used for the BodyStep class have the rubber that grips the floor! While they might be safe to use for BodyPump, be careful not to use them in Step classes. Bikes for RPM/Cycling are new-ish, can't complain about them. Yoga mats didn't smell bad. CLASSES I attended Crunch's BodyAttack and Ahlee's BodyStep class. Love both classes and teachers! It was my first time with Crunch who I think is one of the manager of the club. I kinda like the class atmosphere in this club, everyone's just doing their best to workout plus they seem to be enjoying what they're doing.

Sterling was the first gym that I joined where I had to pay for my own membership (goodbye free…read moreuniversity gym). My aunt, who teaches Zumba there, got me a pretty good deal, and I was very kindly coerced into joining (P12,000 / year). I did not regret my decision, since the facility there is quite new, and there are a lot of patrons that were friendly to newbies (me). I looked online for a few routines to start out with, and the trainers who were there gave me suggestions on how to improve my form and actually hit my goal of losing weight. Sometimes, the gym would get pretty crowded after dinner and you would wait awhile before you could use a certain machine or dumbbell / barbell weight. Despite Sterling being considered a "small" gym, I actually enjoyed going to this gym because they had clean showers and a TV to keep all the patrons updated on the latest news. Now, Sterling has a few more branches open, so I guess their business is doing quite well.

Plyometrics and Basketball Skills by Coach John Aquino is a very unassuming fitness program. Humbly…read morelocated in the basement parking garage of Treston International College in the Fort, Coach John has attracted some of the most popular names in the entertainment industry such as Georgina Wilson, Shaina Magdayao, Ellen Adarna, and a slew of other renowned basketball players. I've been here several times and I can see why. Plain and simple, Coach John's techniques are harsh, extremely challenging, but also unbelievably effective. He will push you to go beyond your limits... or at least, what you think your limits are, and you will be pleasantly surprised to find out that you could go even further than you initially thought. He also guides you through the process every step of the way. Whether weight loss or a healthier life is your goal, give Coach John a try and let me know how it works out for you.

Amazing Lagree studio! The teachers are all top notch and speak perfect English. It's so well run…read moreFrom the checking in to the instructions the teachers give in class. Love love this spot.

First tried Lagree in LA and I think they do it even better in Manila! Such a great work out! My…read morebutt is lookin like Beyonce's. The machines are the best out there and I love the staff! So much love went into this place. Everyone is so friendly, makes me feel like I'm at home :)

I love this place! Lost a stone and a half and everybody was happy for me, especially the wife…read more Crowd is mixed, local, expatriate, prices are superb and definitely no ripping off. Had horrible experiences at other Makati boxing clubs and Empire represents Filipino hospitality! 24 hours and no appointments needed. 5 stars.

As recently being part of the work force, the value of time has become very important to me and…read morehaving time for my daily workout was something that I really had to put effort and plan for as of late because of busy working schedules. Thank god for Empire Boxing because this is also just but a mere walking distance from where I work, and apart from that, they are open 24 hours. Yes! 24 hours! So even if I get so busy with work during the day, I need not to worry because I could still make it on time. The coaches here are friendly, accommodating and very efficient at what they do. I am especially thankful for my regular trainer because when I was still a student, he was already the one who trained me in a different boxing gym back then. More than boxing, they also offer Muay Thai and cross-training exercises. The owner of the gym is also usually there and extends effort to get to know his customers and also offers his help in doing certain workouts. What I like most about working out here is the overall atmosphere and vibe of the people working out there. Everyone is generally friendly and definitely not an intimidating place to be in.

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!

Gentrified warehouse with 3 basketball courts, a small workout area filled with new resistance…read moremachines, some bumper plates and bars for calisthenics. Not the place to go if you want to sweat it out on the treadmill. They only have 2 units available. Go run around the perimeter court to get a better workout. You'll be sweating like a pig in no time (read: no air conditioning). The lack of it isn't bad at all, high ceilings provide good ventilation. I like the gritty aura of the place that makes you want to dig deeper and get those muscles to work.

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.

Best Muay Thai gym in Metro Manila! They have a syllabus from beginners to advance. Other Muay Thai…read moregyms just teach you how to do jab-straight-kick and it becomes a monotonous routine. Fist Gym trainers adhere to a set of standards that really teaches you the art of Muay Thai. Great for fitness enthusiasts and for competitive athletes as well!