Gym tonic was setup sometime back.

When it was announced, I felt that it was a great idea and that it may be good for my grandma.

For some reasons, we put it off for a while.

We got my grandma a gym tonic membership recently and I decided to share more about it here.

This is a blog post for people who may be sceptical about gym tonic or just want a better understanding of how it works.

There is not much information online about what to expect.

I’m writing this based on my family’s experience of visiting Gym Tonic and signing my grandma up for Gym Tonic at Methodist Welfare Services Senior Activity Centre in Sengkang, Fernvale.

1. Truly built for seniors

The equipment is definitely different from what you see at regular gyms.

The equipments look like they are much easier to access. It is not exactly a very big space .

I think there are less than 10 machines but each machine is focused on working a very different muscle group.

If you want to check out gym tonic, you have to make an appointment with the phsyotherapist.

At the centre I visited, the physiotherapist wasn’t there everyday.

He is only around on Thursday mornings, so we had to rearrange our schedules accordingly.

When we visit, the physiotherapist will make an assessment on the mobility levels of the seniors and subsequently assign the senior to machines that are relevant to him or her.

Seniors are also given a membership card which they can use to access Gym tonic.

2. Suitable for seniors with wide ranging mobility

When I told my mum about gym tonic, she was skeptical at first.

Our initial impression of gym tonic was that it may not be suitable for my grandma who requires a wheelchair when she goes out.

In fact, when we visited Gym Tonic, it does feel like it’s for a much younger group of seniors as most of them look to be in their 60s and 70s.

They seem to be able to move around quite independently. My grandma is currently in her 80s.

We were also skeptical as to how much good Gym Tonic can do for my grandma. My helper brings her to the park for exercises a few times a week. So we weren’t too sure how beneficial it would be for her, or how different the exercises would be.

But, upon visiting, the physiotherapist assured us that she could benefit from the gym. He assessed her mobility through a few exercises like getting up from a chair and walking without her walking frame.

From there, he assigned a few machines to her. The ones that did not have too high steps so she could get up on them more easily.

The physiotherapist also gave her a card which preassigns the weights and repetitions for each machine. I think that this is super helpful as she won’t forget what are the exercises required of her.

It is also progressive. After a period of four to six months, the phsyiotherapist would assess my grandma to see if her condition has improved and if she can progress on to move stations and/or heavier weights.

3. A community beyond exercising

Gym Tonic is located within the Senior Activity Centre at MWS. This means that there’s quite a bit of activity going on regularly.

It’s quite fun as you see seniors get excited over bingo and other games planned by the centre managers.

My grandma especially looks forward to teabreak where they serve coffee, tea and simple dishes like beehoon.

The staff at the centre are super friendly too. This makes a world of a difference.

Here is some additional details about Gym Tonic

Costs

At MWS in Sengkang Fernvale, the membership costs $90 per year.

You can access the gym everyday if you want to. It’s only open on weekdays.

As part of the fee, you can also participate in activities at the senior activity centre and enjoy their tea breaks.

Locations

Man Fut Tong Ho Yuen Hoe Centre

14E Richards Avenue
Level 3
Singapore 546415

MWS Senior Activity Centre (Fernvale)

Blk 473a Fernvale
Street #01-17
Singapore 791473

Active SG Gym 
@ Our Tampines Hub Level 7
1 Tampines Walk
Singapore 528523

Bishan Community Club 51 Bishan Street 13
Singapore 579799

Peacehaven
Changi Day Centre 9 Upper Changi
Road North
Singapore 507706

NTUC Health 
Silver Circle SCC 
(Serangoon Central) 264 Serangoon Central
#01-207
Singapore 550264

We create localised games and activities for seniors. It’s time to help them break away from the stress of aging. Buy our games and make them smile here.