Raising the Bar: Kerry Sports Manila

Crosstrainers, and different weight and bodybuilding equipment are available 24/7 for hotel guests and gym members;

Exercise buffs may just admit to discovering gym heaven in the newly-opened Kerry Sports Manila. Located inside Shangri-La at The Fort, the newest gym in town is the third of its kind following those built in Beijing and Shanghai.

Kerry Sports Manila occupies two levels of Shangri-La Hotel with a floor area of 8,000 square metres, enough to even hold a basketball court—which it does, setting it apart from any other gym around. In fact, a few months ago, NBA legend Kobe Bryant visited and played his favourite game at the NBA-grade basketball court.

Boxing Area

Aside from the court, there are other technologically-advanced exercise equipment, as well as ample spaces for physical fitness activities, weight training, and other workout routines.

Special Spaces

Adventure Race Zone

For the perfect cardio workout, the gym has the most high-tech treadmills, integrated crosstrainers, flexstriders, upright and recumbent bikes, and powermills. All of them come with touch screens, smart phone integration, and individual TV viewing.

Michael Montes, Kerry Sports Manila’s director, says that one of the most popular areas in the gym is the functional zone, favoured for its pavi flooring, a non-slippery surface drawn with lines for training activities aimed at strengthening agility, balance, and hand-foot coordination. “It’s actually a good exercise for athletes,” Montes says. “They can learn to move their feet quicker, and at the same time, learn the patterns that they need for their [respective] sport.”

Stefano and Ksenia in shirts by Kerry Sports Manila

Surrounded by different equipment designed to prepare one for tri-events is the adventure race zone. The area specialises in mimicking outdoor training which mainly strengthens stamina and endurance.

The boxing zone has become popular with female members is the boxing zone. The box masters, a stationary punching bag with several pads that a boxer can hit, are all safely and strategically set up in the area. The punching bag is the centr epiece of the boxing class that ideally comprises 10 students/members.

State of the Art

Among many things, Kerry Sports Manila takes pride in its NBA-grade indoor basketball court. No other gym can proudly say that they have a state-of-the-art basketball court right inside of their gym. The impressive top-class American maplewood flooring, muti-level audience  seats, and high-tech sound system make this court highly covetable. Various basketball teams like Team Gilas Pilipinas, have expressed interest in using the court and its advanced facilities.

Kerry Sprouts Café

Aside from basketball, Kerry Sports Manila also offers spaces for other sports. For racket enthusiasts, there are spaces especially made for squash and tennis players. Two indoor glass-backed rooms for squash are provided by the gym, each able to fit groups of two or more. The two covered outdoor tennis courts situated a couple of feet away from the 25-metre pool are popular with hotel guests and gym members who are aficionados of the sport.

Stefano in shirt, shorts, and shoes by Adidas, Ksenia in shorts by Stella McCartney, jacket and shoes by 4-3

Studios are also readily available for those who want to do lifestyle exercises such as yoga, Pilates, and different types of dance classes such as Zumba, which is one of the most w ell-attended classes in the gym. A spin studio is also built in a stadium-like way, with 30 bicycles strategically placed in each of the multi-levels for the instructor to have a direct sight of all the trainees. The dimmed lights and the high-tech audio system makes the spinning class more fun and exciting for the gym members.

Health is Wealth

Kerry Sports Manila believes that finding your own space is the best way to achieve your fitness goal, similar to the motto they uphold. Thus, the gym helps everyone choose the best way to achieve their goal towards a healthy body. Let loose and have fun with the great equipment and services Kerry Sports Manila has to offer. It’s the best place to shed those extra pounds and, at the same time, have the time of your life.

Photography: MJ Suayan | Models: Stefano Churchill and Ksenia Balakhnina | Make-up: Maike Sogueco of MAC Cosmetics