Meet the Weider Powerswitch 100. A complete set of dumbbells with plates of up to 100 lbs and comes with a stand. So if you have enough money to shell out and you’re just not too comfortable working out at the gym with strangers, this one is for you.

So where did I see this? I found this in CHRIS Sports in SM (disclaimer: I don’t own that store) while I was looking for a birthday gift for my brother a few weeks ago. Before you decide to buy this equipment, I suggest you first look for online reviews because like any other product, I’ve seen both positive and negative reviews. There were praises saying that it is an excellent product and there were also comments saying that it is not safe for beginners. Maybe you should try it for yourself and see if it is suitable for you.

To get the latest in men’s fitness, Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide. Got Facebook? Click here to become a fan!

In this post, Pinoy Guy Guide contributor, Tim, shares his own experience on bikini wax.

Gone were the old tales when the art of waxing was only reserved for the opposite sex for that hair-free baby feeling. In today’s time, even men – yes, as in us guys – are now opting for a hair-free feeling, ahem, down south.

We do not usually discuss such topics to our guy peers whenever we talk about vanity. But did you know that going hair-free down south has its own advantages? In terms of health, it reduces sweat down south especially when you are exposed to the sun therefore, making you feel more comfortable than ever. Also, in terms of aesthetics, no unwanted hair would be seen when you are wearing just your underwear or swimming trunks. You will look clean, neat and soft. Best of all, it will give emphasis down there.

Image credit: monkeyc | License

Bikini wax only covers hair above the jewel and those that are in our inner thighs. If you want, you can suggest to have all the hair above completely removed, or leave just a little, or have the treasure trail hair waxed or not. In my case though, I refused having my treasure trail waxed.

My experience of Bikini wax was caused by pure curiosity on how it feels like. For first-timers, the typical “ouch and &@*#@” are inevitable. As a matter of fact, I even suggested a minute break from the therapist for each waxed area. It took me almost an hour for the session, and several breaks in-between in order to restore myself.

Words to describe the results thereof are: clean, smooth, soft, and neat.

Note that bikini wax is different from Brazilian wax. Bikini only covers the hair above and that in our inner thighs, while Brazilian covers all hair beneath down under, including those which we are unaware of.

For the PGG readers out there, would you dare to have a bikini/Brazilian wax in order to save yourself from trimming?

Tim is a 19-year-old Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management student, who considers himself as a modern Pinoy, and a great appreciator of male fashion. Tim hopes to share his experiences, and help the timid guys to get out of their old comfort zones in order to experience the zest that comes within a modern Pinoy.

*The contributor had his treatment done in Lay Bare. www.lay-bare.com

Not yet subscribed? Get the latest updates by subscribing to Pinoy Guy Guide by email. Join the forums to discuss what’s in for men.

I can remember back in the late 90’s that Slimmers World was the first thing that came to my mind when people mention the word “gym”. Let’s face it: Slimmers World was among the first in the country to put up a gym inside SM Malls and although there is a lot of competition now, they still continue to become one of the top choices when it comes to gyms.

First Impressions: More of a ladies’ gym?
I don’t know why but I have an impression that about half of the people who work out at Slimmers are women. Maybe because they used to be the sponsor gym of Binibining Pilipinas during the late 90’s. I think this one is a good thing especially when you are looking for places to find women.

Another impression that I have which seems unusual is that the gym’s reception looks like a hospital. Yeah, you read it right – a hospital. This is because most of their personnel are wearing doctor’s clothes which will make you think you are going for a medical check-up. On the bright side, this gives them an “expert” look when it comes to health and fitness.

People and Equipment
Based on what I’ve seen in their branch at SM City North EDSA, their gym-goers are really serious people who are really into getting in best shape. According to friends who have been in various gyms, Slimmers World trainers are really one of the best. They seem to be real experts in fitness.

However, when it comes to their pieces of equipment, some of them are quite old (I guess they need to replace them) and only a few. I remember that during peak hours, you may have to wait until the machines are vacant before you can use them. I think they need to improve in this area.

Rates
The rates are pretty competitive and they do have a variety of options below. According to their sales personnel they accept cash or credit card as payment

Buy 1 month, get 1 month Free – 3,500 Pesos

3 Months – 3,375 Pesos

6 Months – 5,400 Pesos

1 Year – 9,450 Pesos

Lifetime Membership – 40,000+ Pesos

This ends up the series on gym guide. Check out the other related posts in the series:
Part 1: Gold’s Gym
Part 2: Fitness First

Talk about men’s health and fitness by joining the PGG Forums or Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide to receive the latest updates.

Fitness First is perhaps the most popular gym in the metro. Reason? They have so many branches, mostly in malls, making them the most accessible gym in the Philippines.

First Impressions: Nice and plenty equipment

The first thing that will catch your attention upon entering Fitness First (especially in their new branches) are their numerous, big, high-quality TechnoGym fitness equipment. If you ever had the chance to be toured by their staff inside the gym, you will see a lot of equipment which are obviously imported.

Having numerous equipment is a big advantage for its members because you wouldn’t have to wait for one person to finish exercising before you are able to use the equipment. You can use it anytime you want.

Aside from having lots of equipment, you will notice too that unlike other gyms, you do not need to bring your own padlock because their lockers are already equipped with its own lock.

One thing about their facilities though that makes me wonder is why they are serving softdrinks as part of their free privileges. I mean, most people are there to lose weight and eat healthy so why the need for it?

People and Trainers

Depending on the branch, you’ll see that the population working out at Fitness First are 60% male and around 40% female. You will also see some high-profile people and celebrities working out there (just like in Gold’s Gym) which means that it’s a high-class gym. Based on the kind of people who work out, it appears to me that Fitness First is more of a “tone the muscles” gym instead of a body building gym like Gold’s.

The club prides itself in their 1:1 trainer-trainee ratio. However, I found out that getting a personal trainer is not cheap. I don’t mean to generalize but I have also been told that if you are a guy, and you are a beginner, you might be a little overwhelmed by their trainers since they usually push people to the limit. This may seem like a good thing for intermediate to expert gym-goers but for beginners, it may be a bad thing. Anyway, I’m not referring to all trainers but only some. It’s up to you to check them out.

Rates

These are the rates for Fitness First regular branches.

1 year home membership (workout at 1 branch only): 2,500 Pesos per month
1 year passport membership (workout at any of Fitness First regular branches): 2,600 Pesos per month

4 months home membership (workout at 1 branch only): 2,800 Pesos per month
4 months passport membership (workout at any of Fitness First regular branches): 2,900 Pesos per month

Note that actual rates may vary. They accept credit cards for monthly installments or cash if you wish to pay in full. They also have an admin fee and it varies from branch to branch.

In case you were wondering, Fitness First also has two premium branches with higher membership costs. These branches are called Fitness First Platinum (one of which is located in Trinoma and the other in RCBC Plaza). These branches are exclusive because they have added facilities and privileges. I think they cost above 3,500 per month the last time I checked. Could anyone confirm?

Related posts in Gym Guide:
Part 1: Gold’s Gym
Part 3: Slimmers World

Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide by email to receive the latest updates or get a chance to win a Gillette Mach 3 Turbo Shaver by joining the forums.

Last weekend, I got the chance to visit Gold’s Gym in Waltermart North Edsa. It has been quite a while since I visited one of their branches and this time I was stunned.

First Impressions: A Boxing Gym?

When I entered Gold’s Gym in Waltermart, my attention was caught by their boxing ring. Surprising isn’t it? It’s not common to see one in a fitness gym and if I remember it correctly, they never had a boxing ring the last time I checked one of their branches a few years ago. According to their staff, it’s a new feature of their gym after Elorde boxing gym was bought by Gold’s. Now, almost all Gold’s gym branches have a boxing ring so if you think you have the Manny Pacquiao in you, go ahead and check out any of Gold’s gym branches.

Equipment and People

I was toured by one of their personnel inside the gym. It’s not that big (compared to their other branches) but I was impressed by their equipment especially their complete line of weights, cardio equipment and if I may say it again – their boxing ring. I must admit that I really wanted to try to get into the ring (at least to have a feel what it’s like to be a boxer) but too bad, there was a boxing match the time I visited so maybe next time.

Their pieces of equipment are of superb and excellent quality. However, I think that they need to add more since there were only a few and I’m not sure if they are enough for all the gym-goers in that branch during peak hours. I would also like to add that you need to bring your own padlock for the lockers.

With their equipment suited for bodybuilding, I can say that Gold’s Gym is highly recommendable for those who want to get big muscles (just take a look at the logo of Gold’s Gym). I think that bodybuilders are their target market and is probably the main reason why there were only a few women working out when I visited.

Rates and Payment

Their staff was kind enough to explain to me their rates as follows:

UNLIMITED WORK-OUTS:

FEE: P25,200 – (good for 1 year: P2,100 per month)

FIXED NUMBER OF WORK OUTS – 144 visits per year (around 3 times per week):

FEE: P16,500 (good for the entire year: P 1,375 per month)

Note that actual rates may vary and this does not include the boxing facility. They accept credit cards for monthly installments or cash if you wish to pay in full.

If you will notice from the above rates, you will save more on a fixed number of sessions rather than unlimited. While this may give you less freedom to work-out whenever you feel like, I still think that it is more economical since the ideal number of times to exercise is 3-4 times a week, so it is definitely worth it!

But if you believe that you are a gym rat, I bet that the unlimited one is the right thing for you!

Related posts in Gym Guide:
Part 2: Fitness First
Part 3: Slimmers World
Subscribe to Pinoy Guy Guide by email to get the latest updates

Talk about men’s fitness at the PGG Forums

Alright, let’s face it. The past few days have been calorific – if you know what I’m saying. All those bacons, hams, chocolates, fruit cakes, pastas, lechon and leche flan from last week’s Christmas parties up to the actual Christmas day feast have gotten our stomach full like never before. The aftermath? Weight gain. So to negate that excess weight, I’d like to share some tips on how I plan to burn all that extra energy in our bodies. You might want to share your tips too.

1. Hit the gym or exercise today

This will surely be a part of my to-do list. Since there is no school or work, we all need to do some sort of physical activity instead of just sitting around the house doing nothing. I suggest you hit the gym, exercise, clean the house or even stroll the malls again to burn up the food before it becomes fat.

2. Bring food intake back to normal

While I understand that there are several leftovers after that great banquet, it’s time to take control again of one’s food intake. I know it’s pretty hard when you have delicious food around but think of this: In 3 months, summer is coming – how do you want to look?

3. Get back to fruits and veggies

Sounds cliché? But here’s the thing: I find it really difficult to get back to fruits and veggies after that sumptuous Christmas feast filled with meat and sweets. So the sooner we all get back and get used to eating these healthier foods again, the more advantageous it is for one’s health and body.

4. Watch out for the New Year

History repeats itself doesn’t it? Just a week from now I’m sure we will have another round of overindulgence on food as we celebrate the New Year. There’s no problem with that. Just make sure to eat only as much as you think you’re metabolism can burn. As a guy, I’m sure that we no longer want making the same New Year’s resolution of getting a beach body year in and year out right?

So how about you? What’s your plan in losing those few extra pounds gained over the holidays?

Get more tips by Subscribing to Pinoy Guy Guide by email or by joining the Forums

Image credit: Dilipm | License

Damn I wish I lived during the ancient times where men had to toil and do very physical activities but at the same time achieved great bodies! Unlike of course, in modern times where men tend to do intellectual things and sit on their butt lazily at a very cold office and watch their weight increase exponentially if they don’t go to the gym.

My friend and I were talking about how to get those 6-pack abs that every guy wished for. According to an article I’ve read, you need to drop your body fat down to around 8% to get it. Now that’s hard!

Coincidentally, I happened to have passed by Fitness First in Trinoma and they were giving away flyers containing the cost of membership in their state-of-the-art gyms. Just for your information, Fitness First Platinum is the “premium” gym of Fitness First among all other regular branches. There are only two Platinum gyms that Fitness First has which I know of – one is in RCBC Plaza (which even has a swimming pool) and one in Trinoma.

Fitness First – SM City North Edsa

I have taken a look into both regular and platinum gyms of Fitness First. What is surprising about Fitness First Platinum is that you wouldn’t need to bring your work-out clothes with you to the gym because they will provide you with one. Not once, not twice – but everytime you hit the gym!

As for the current rates, here they are:

Fitness First Regular
Joining Fee – 500 Pesos
Admin Fee – 1,900 Pesos
Monthly membership fee (12 months/any branch except Platinum) – 2,450 Pesos

Fitness First Platinum
Joining Fee – 3,500
Monthly membership fee (12 months/any branch) – 3,600 Pesos

One more thing: I heard that they are going to increase membership rates after January so if you wish to enroll, well I guess now is the time. But with the said rates, would you still do?

But is it effective?

A friend of mine said that his brother is drinking religiously thrice a day because accordingly drinking it that often will be beneficial for your body weight. And yes, as a matter of fact his brother lost a bit of weight within the first few weeks without changing any part of his diet. If this is the case, then what more if you combine diet and exercise too?

The only drawback of this is that it costs around 20 Pesos and drinking this three times a day will cost you 60 Pesos per day – an amount almost equivalent to the cost of Fitness First gym membership for one day! Aside from that, I think anyone will get tired drinking the same old juice that many times per day. The best thing to do is to combine diet, exercise and Fit N’ Right since drinks like these are more of a supplement for weight loss rather than a total replacement to the real thing!

Have you ever tried this? Share your experience…

It started early this year around summer. While strolling through the mall I was given a flyer introducing their Buy 1 Take 1 promo where you pay 3,500 Pesos gym membership for 1 Month and get another 1 Month for free making it 2 months. I’m sure this is one of the most decent and inexpensive gyms around the metro. Anyone tried here yet?