Spa-cially for those who have no time to work out

It begins with an attitude, a great desire to get healthy (or lose weight) and a lot of hardwork – getting into a fitness habit, that is. There are no shortcuts to getting a healthier and better looking body, no matter what you might read (or have read) to the contrary.

OK, so burning calories and losing fat might sound like a lot of work and for many of us, it really is. This is why most people who opt to start a fitness lifestyle look for places where they can spend the least amount of time in the best and most conducive place for a workout.

"People who come to see us say that all they can spare for their workouts is an hour three times a week and they want to see results from all the effort they put into their training," says Dong Inlong, fitness supervisor at The Spa on the third and fourth floors of RCBC Tower 2, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Ayala Ave., Salcedo Village, Makati.

Here lies the challenge of any fitness center, The Spa’s in particular, when it comes to helping members get fit. "Most people who come to The Spa don’t want to waste their time figuring out what to do. This is why here, we have instructors who have been trained to prepare programs for people who need to complete their workout in an hour," adds Dong. "Losing weight and getting fit is not about starving, rather it is about choosing to eat what is right and eating small and frequent meals, too."

Members who prefer to work out closely supervised by a personal trainer also have that option at The Spa. "But we make sure that the reason a person opts to get a personal trainer is because he or she knows what their fitness goals are. If all they need is someone to pick up after them, then perhaps the service of a personal trainer might not be necessary," opines Dong.

After all, he adds, there is always an instructor in the floor who can assist members should they need to be spotted for a lift or should they need help when they use any of the cardiovascular machines.

Cardio Haven

A fitness buff who believes that a workout is not complete without a cardio fix will find The Spa a haven. The third floor is where the weights and cardio machines are housed. There are four recumbent bikes (stationary bikes with back rests), five upright bikes, 10 treadmills, two concept rowers, seven elliptical machines, two gliders, two climbers and 13 V-bikes.

The cardio machines are arranged so that if you want to watch any of the 20 TV sets while you ride the bike or run on the treadmill, you can do so. But if you prefer to catch the scene outside, you could also do that on the machines which face De la Costa St.

There is also an impressive array of weight machines for a complete workout. "We have a good number of weight machines because we cater to people who use these machines. We don’t have a lot of free weights. That’s because we are not a hard core gym," explains Dong.

Dong is also proud of the many aerobic classes The Spa offers. "We make sure that we have classes that our members will enjoy," says Dong. The Spa offers boxing classes, karate, aqua aerobics, Pilates, yoga, spinning, classic step classes and street fighting to name a few.

Dong adds that they make sure that their instructors constantly change their aerobic class routines so that people who join the classes don’t get bored.

The other plus going for The Spa is its indoor pool, which is located on the fourth floor where their massage rooms are also located.

And what better way to relax after a hard workout or even a harder work week than by getting a good massage. The Spa offers Swedish aromatic massage, Shiatsu acupressure, fitness facials, aromatic salt glow sports therapeutic massages and much more. Getting into a relaxed mood in the massage rooms is no problem because the place is quiet and the rooms are neither too hot nor too cold.

"What we want for our members is for them to see that fitness is not something that they get involved in and then leave, rather it is a lifestyle," says Dong. "It is only if our members are consistent and dedicated to changing their lifestyles will they be able to achieve their fitness goals."

"There is no magic formula in achieving one’s fitness goals," he explains, "but The Spa is a good first step to that goal."

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The Spa is offering a 50 percent discount on joining fees. The initial investment is P16,500 with monthly dues ranging from P2,000 to P2,750 depending on the type of membership you choose. The Spa is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Fridays; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, call 845-34-80 or 845-35-90.