Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong

Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House

From celebrity trainers and ice baths to world-class design and Fight Nights, here’s everything you need to know, see, and do

Tuesday 17 May 2022    By Jamie Millar

Replete with big box gyms and boutique studios, the fitness scene in Hong Kong is sophisticated. ‘People love to work out here,’ says Stephanie Chik, Soho House Hong Kong’s Membership Communications and Content Manager. The city also has a ‘deep tradition of wellness’, including Chinese medicine, to counterbalance urban life. 

But while Hong Kong is home to a burgeoning range of options for the yin and yang of wellness and fitness respectively, no one venue truly combines the two. ‘And certainly, none that has the impeccable design and community of Soho Health Club,’ says Chik. Previously Soho Active, the space has emerged from lockdown refreshed and revitalised: new classes encompassing wellness, movement and mindfulness; new nutritious smoothies and snacks; new trainers; and, best of all, newly included with your membership.

Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House

The space


Members entering the space for the first time are invariably impressed by, well, the space: three full levels, with floor to ceiling windows looking out to ‘the peak’ – that is, Victoria Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong island – and the surrounding neighbourhood of Sheun Wan. All refined textures and earth tones, the vibe of Soho Health Club is light, airy and relaxing, which is not something you can say about every gym. The calm scheme is enlivened with artwork by members: the focal point of the staircase is a photo piece by Nadim Abbas of a fly on a pudding, backed by a custom wallpaper bearing the same motif. Behind the boxing ring, two works by Ghost Mountain Field (a pseudonym based on his complicated and oft-mispronounced Chinese name) hark back to retro Cantonese graphic design and advertising. If the apt title ‘Let’s Get Fit, Let’s Go Swimming’ doesn’t energise you, the colour palette will.

 
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House

The trainers


Newcomers to Soho Health Club might also be impressed by the presence of trainer Andrew Pong, an action actor and stuntman who has featured in movies and TV shows in Hong Kong and greater China. Adept at White Crane martial arts (which his mother also practiced; his father did stunts), plus Muay Thai and taekwondo, Pong is on the board of and an ambassador for multiple martial arts organisations. But don’t be intimidated. According to Chik, he’s ‘just a very fun and energetic member’ who you’re as likely to see on the dance floor in the House as you are teaching someone to roundhouse kick in Soho Health Club. Joining Pong in the trainer line-up is a highly skilled team, all of whom can be booked for personal training sessions.

 
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House

The classes


Muay Thai, western boxing and recently added martial arts classes take place in the boxing ring – as do the Fight Nights, when the space takes on more of a party atmosphere. By contrast, the yoga studio is a sanctuary curtained off from the bustling city. There’s a wide range of classes to choose from, including Vinyasa, Yogalates or Yin Yang. The latter begins with yin yoga to quiet the mind and mobilise the body, and is followed by dynamic yang movements – holding poses for longer to downregulate the nervous system. Core Flow and Core Fusion are yoga classes that hone in on and tone the midsection, while House Barre is a medley of Pilates, yoga, and dance.

Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House

The gym floor


The gym has everything you need: Watson strength equipment, Technogym machines, BeaverFit rigs, and AssaultBikes. And if you need direction, or just motivation, join House Strong, a full-body strength class in which you won’t just push your limits but also pull, jump and slam them. Or try H3 HIIT: a highly effective and efficient way to burn fat and build fitness, consisting of short bursts of intense work interspersed with just enough rest for you to get through. Should you prefer a slightly more sedate pace, and to train outside, Run Club explores the neighbourhood on a weekly 5K led and followed by coaches – so you won’t end up last, or lost.

 
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House
Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House

The recovery


There’s a current of renewed appreciation in wellness circles for the restorative power of water and heat, and the Roman-style water fountain at the entrance to Soho Health Club hints at the hydrothermal amenities within. As well as a sauna and steam room to enhance your recovery and de-stress, you’ll find a modern take on a frigidarium or cold pool – in other words, an ice bath. If you need direction, or just motivation, join Ice Bath Therapy: guided breathwork followed by, yes, cold-water exposure, which research suggests may also benefit metabolism, immunity, and sleep. Certainly, an ice bath has a way of concentrating the mind – and waking you up. Nothing else in your day will seem so daunting.

Introducing Soho Health Club Hong Kong | Soho House

The bar


As you pass the Health Club Bar on your way out, pick up a smoothie. Chik’s favourite is Yāt (‘one’) with banana, strawberries, blueberries, oat milk, and beetroot. ‘Also, grab a pot of chef Isil’s coconut berry yoghurt or chia seed pudding – they’re delicious.’ 

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