Hong Kong Guava Pass Review: Self-Paid

Hey guys! How have you been? A lot of people have been wondering where the eff do I get the money to pay for all the fancy gyms and workouts I go to. Well, here's what I will tell you - I'm usually not sponsored, and when I am I'll fully disclose it. I believe in paying for things I deem worthy, and only when I try stuff for myself will I feel the pinch of pros and cons for reals.With that said, here's the reveal - I am self-paid on Guava Pass. (Been on the $1,588/month 3-months unlimited* classes package - you're tied in for 3 months but you pay per month). Read on if you want the real truth. #livingmytruth

What is Guava Pass?

It is an aggregator of gyms around town that lets you pay one price and visit all sorts of fancy gyms. Literally the best ones in town, for less than HK$2000/month - meaning less than HK$200/class. Well what's the catch? You only get to visit each gym 2 or 3 times a month.I think it started out being a way for people to try out gyms, get a taste of what they offer, or for travellers who just need a couple of classes when they're in town. But for me, it turned into a hack to save some coins.Full disclosure of course there are other competitors a la KFIT but I find the selection of gyms on GP is better, and so the price is higher too.

The Pros

1. Money saved - Instead of paying $2-3000 per month for a membership at a kickboxing, or rebounding, or pilates gym, you pay almost half the price but get the same quality classes. Some of my haunts include Flex Studios, Pherform, Optimum Performance Studio, and Lemondrop Studio. I DIE for some of the kitted out vanity rooms of some places - and honestly isn't that half the reason one would keep going back to the same gym? (minus the hot trainers)

2. Variety - Don't know about you, but I believe in a balanced workout as much as a balanced diet. That's why most gyms offer yoga to counter the weight training or cardio. But with GP, I get to go the best classes, studios and instructors of my choosing. Kind of like a gym hit list if you will, that you can create and schedule your week around.

3. Convenience - As a freelancer, I move around a lot. One week I'm mostly around Kennedy Town, the next week I may be stuck near Mongkok. GP lets me choose gyms that are convenient for me to get to instead of lugging my kit on a journey to the gym. It might not make sense for regular worker bees, but it does for me.

A post shared by Karen - Fitness | Lifestyle 🇭🇰 (@livewellbasics) on Jul 10, 2018 at 4:44am PDT

The Cons

1. Money wasted - If you don't use your classes, you're wasting money. If you cancel a class late, you get hit with $80 penalty. If you don't go on at least 10 classes per month on an unlimited plan, each class you do go will decrease in value. All in all, you gotta be disciplined, or be prepared to spend some cash.P.S. you can pause your account when you go on holidays or want to take a short break.

2. Inconsistency - Classes are harder to book than if you were an actual member of the gym. Makes sense for the gym, but probably not so much for you if you're looking for some routine in your workout life. I probably only get to the same class once a month. Also probably won't be able to book the same class as your friends - like I said, spots are quite limited.

3. Discounted experience* - Gyms you visit aren't designed for people who come and go. In all honesty, it will be harder to get to know the trainers and be a part of the communities. They might not take you seriously because they assume they won't see you a second time. But if you're only in for the workouts, then it probably won't be something you see as a con.*But on the flip side I have made friends from all the different GP gyms just from one visit!

4. Inconveniences? - There are times, maybe once or twice a month for me, where classes get cancelled because the class didn't reach the headcount. But there are also times, where I rock up and unbeknowingly joined a personal training session because I was the only student. I've honestly had many a valuable lessons in pilates, weight training, functional training and more because of these accidental 1-on-1 sessions. So to me, NBD when a class gets cancelled once in a while. #yolo

TL;DR

In conclusion... I love GP. If you're a last minute kinda guy, or moves around town a lot, or want to try out the gyms and workouts before signing up, GP is great for you. If you're short on cash and want the full experience of boujis gyms around town, GP is probably the only way to go as well. Like of course there are cons, but you take it knowing you are also paying less for the difference.

IF you found this article helpful and want to try out Guava Pass, please do sign up via my link here and get some discounts.

Everyone who has an account gets one, I'm not special or sponsored OR affiliated. Just another girl who's trying to earn a few free classes from referrals. If you do end up signing up through my link, I sincerely thank you in advance :)

Till next time,xx