My favourite budget gym in Bangkok has to be Rocky Gym. It’s a small spit n sawdust gym easily located by hoping off the National stadium BTS line near Siam, locating the MBK centre and then get yourself on to the adjacent footpath (Phayathai Rd) If your really struggling to find it then try to follow your nose as you need to cross the pungent Phanfa Bridge watergate.
Not much to look at when approaching the gym but glass exterior ads a fair bit of natural light which is always good when training. This establishment looked to be mainly local members (predominantly Thais as most expats will opt for fancier less intimidating gyms). This pasty white Scotsman was the only expat on this particular day and stuck out like a sore thumb.
All the weights are old 1 inch cast iron and scattered all over the floor but, at the end of the day, it’s a gym and not a dental practice….although some of the meathead grunts can sometimes be mistaken for that of a root canal patients. There are some Hack squat racks, cable machines, dumbbells and 1-inch bars lying around. There are also some cardio machines to take advantage of if you like that kind of thing, I personally prefer to take in the sights when giving my lungs a good going over.
There is a small extension of the first floor just above on a small mezzanine but 2 bodies in there will soon crowd it out. As you would expect there are no showers and the lockers are not exactly burglar proof but as long as your not planning on leaving your kit there overnight you can still padlock it away.
Must admit I love these kinds of gyms as you get what you pay for, blood sweat and tears, I know that my hard earned Thai Bhat are not paying for fancy towels or to replace the Jacuzzi jets but to help the owners make a modest living.
Of course, there are a plethora of outdoor parks in Bangkok and makeshift apparatus that you can utilise for your workout routine but also some hidden gems dotted around.
Would recommend stopping by for a session, one of the best budget backpacker gyms in Bangkok.
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Contact: 02 251 8301
Global Gyms 