If you’re visiting Bangkok and are looking for a unique way to get a pump on then you should check out the outdoor gym nestled in the heart of Lumphini Park. I’ve worked out here twice on separate trips, and it’s never disappointed.
I have trained in a lot of ‘local’ gyms while travelling, but I would still place this outdoor gym at the top of my list due to the friendly locals, interesting and unique equipment, as well as the countless of cats who have made the gym their makeshift home.
Key information
Price: 50 THB
Opening hours: 7am to 9pm
Cats: Lots of them ✅
How to get to the outdoor gym in Lumphini Park
Getting to the gym is quite straight forward, you can either take the BTS or MRT. When taking the BTS get off at Sala Daeng Station then walk a short 5 minutes to the entrance of the park. If you take the MRT depart at Silom MRT Station, which is lets you off directly outside of the park.
Entry to Lumphini Park is completely free. Once inside, follow the main path and keep an eye out on your left, you’ll spot the gym quickly.
How much does gym cost?
The gym costs 50 THB for foreigners and is free for locals. When considering the price of gyms in Bangkok, which is around 3,000 THB, the outdoor gym offers a great cheap alternative.
Personally I don’t think I could ever make this my regular go-to gym due to the extreme temperatures in Bangkok, especially during the summer months. Having said that, I still think this is a really cool and unique place to visit, just remember to stay well hydrated if you are visiting in the summer.
What is the equipment like?
There is a good range of equipment from lower to upper body, that should suffice for any workout. The weights don’t go up to the level that you would expect at a commercial gym, so I wouldn’t really say it’s the ideal location if you’re a powerlifter.
The equipment includes:
- Dumbbells up to approx 35kg
- Barbell flat bench
- Barbell incline bench
- Barbell decline bench
- Huge truck tyre bench
- Two squat racks
- Cables
- Leg press
- Leg extension
- Lat pulldown
- Pull up bars
- Dips bar
What’s it like to train here?
It’s hard to fully explain what it’s like to train here. I would say the best comparison I can make would be to an outdoor calisthenics gym, but with real weights and a lot more jacked uncles chilling on the bench press for an indeterminate period of time. The nature of the gym being outdoor, makes working out here harder than your traditional air conditioned gym, which in my case made my strength workout simultaneously a cardio session.
The weights are pretty rusted and well worn, so expect to have dirty hands after touching the equipment. Besides that, lifting weights here almost feels primal and hardcore, maybe not in the Dorian Yates old school Birmingham gym way. But, it does feel like moving the weights here is somehow more strenuous, especially when lifting on a bench press fitted with two uneven tires.
The locals at the gym are very friendly, although I didn’t come across anyone who spoke English, but that didn’t seem to matter. I was given some helpful tips on my form when doing a set of dips. Most of the guys here are in great shape and definitely dedicated to the gym, so if you’re looking for some extra motivation on what you could look like with consistent training, it’s not a bad place to be
Can woman train at this gym?
From what I observed at the gym on both occasions I visited, the demographic is mainly male. However, on my second visit there were a few older Thai ladies using the equipment. Personally, this gym might be a bit overwhelming and daunting for female and newbie lifter, due to the fact that there are a lot of shirtless bodybuilder type of guys here and the lack of any cardio equipment limits your workout to strength based exercises. However, apart from this I would encourage anyone to check out the gym and if on closer inspection it doesn’t really look like your kind of thing then you still have a beautiful park to enjoy.
Cats
Yes, this deserves its own section.
There are cats everywhere, sleeping on benches, hiding under equipment, and generally living their best lives. Honestly, the cats alone are reason enough to visit. Just don’t get too distracted between sets… or your workout might take a while.
Tips
- Bring plenty of water
- Consider electrolytes or amino acids
- Avoid peak heat hours if possible
- Expect to get your hands dirty
- Don’t underestimate the heat and humidity
Training outdoors in Bangkok can be brutal if you’re not used to it. I learned that the hard way and ended up with a day-long migraine. Not ideal when you’re on holiday.