With the abundance of workout studios and gyms popping up all around the city, it can be difficult to find one that sticks. Health and wellness is rightfully a journey we undertake with our bodies, and having the right guidance makes all the difference.
This week, we paid a visit to MOVE® Private Fitness in River Valley, their second branch in their Singapore expansion. MOVE® Private Fitness is at the moment Southeast Asia’s largest network of premium personal trainers, which offers private training sessions for your ultimate comfort and individual needs. Originating from Malaysia in 2020, they are now a proud partner to more than 4000 clients across 25 personal training studios in Malaysia, Thailand and now Singapore. They entered Singapore in the middle of 2026 with their first outlet in Tanjong Pagar.
MOVE Private Fitness River Valley, which opened about 2 months ago
So what makes them so different? The first thing that struck me as their branch manager, Jake, took me through their philosophy was their deep understanding of fitness as a journey. Conventional group classes can sometimes feel like a one-off touch point, where the initial satisfaction wears off quickly, and you’re left again drowning in your schedules and demands of daily life. On the contrary, MOVE aims to build a relationship with each client, understanding them as a whole – beyond the strength and form on the gym floor, but also how you rest, recover and fuel yourself each day.
Their entire philosophy is “Move Well, Live More”, and shifts past the basic focus on physique and numbers, but recognises how keeping active can have positive effects on our lives beyond the gym, and those around us as well. The trainers will coach you in four key areas both in person and beyond, namely Movement, Nutrition, Recovery and Lifestyle. With your individual goals in mind – be it injury recovery, weight loss or for sports performance – they work closely with you to craft an individualised programme that works for you. This programme is then executed over a duration of your choice. At present, their packages include a 10-session pack (which can be done at your own pace over six months), or a 24-session pack (more suited for those with targeted goals and need an extra push to lock in for a longer period).
Their Move Well, Live More philosophy is behind everything they do
Of course, it also helps that each session is completely personal – usually a one-on-one with your dedicated trainer, or up to two-to-one if you’d like an accountability buddy to train with. All sessions are appointment-based with no walk-ins, so you rarely have to worry about ending your day faced with an overcrowded gym or fighting for the equipment you want.
I popped by on a Thursday afternoon after lunch, with their River Valley studio conveniently located just across the road from Great World City. The space was well optimized with just about all the equipment you need for a complete workout, with adequate space for rest, shelves for your belongings, a water refill station and toilet and shower facilities as well. At any point, courtesy of their appointment-based system, you share the space with a maximum of 3 or 4 other clients, giving you ample room to focus on just yourself.
Jake is one of the branch’s three trainers at the moment, and first sat me down for a consultation that delved deep into my lifestyle and habits, and some basic goal setting too. I liked that they took time to assess my starting points and experiences with different types of exercise, rather than rushing straight into the sets.
The questions included rating your stress levels physically, mentally and emotionally, even your sleep hours and overall consistency. These were only a small part of the overall survey, which I found holistic, especially if this was going to be a coaching process built around our lifestyles.
A peek into the consultation process and fitness journey with MOVE
Once he had an understanding of my (admittedly limited) capabilities and goals, it was soon time for class to begin. He first began with assessing my form on basic moves like lunges, before moving on to other core movements like vertical push/pulls and horizontal push/pulls.
Intimidated as I was by the complex equipment, they took care to ensure I was always properly positioned and comfortable. Time passed quickly through each set, with the trainers conscientiously monitoring even minor details like whether my right and left sides were equally balanced, foot placement and always providing support on the tougher exercises with heavier weights.
Upon hearing that it was always a dream of mine to one day perform a pull-up, Jake ran me through at least three variations of a modified pull up that I could try, helping to hold the bands steady on some parts too. Coming from a science background, it was helpful for me that Jake was very knowledgable and able to rationalise his instructions about each weight and movement, knowing exactly what each muscle group was doing in every exercise.
Well equipped with cable machines, free weights and everything you need for all kinds of movements
As a newbie to strength training, I felt adequately pushed to explore my potential without feeling stranded or ever at risk of getting hurt. The teaching felt systematic and organised, and it was evident that the MOVE coaches know exactly what they’re doing. They endorse their mantra of “High Care, High Challenge” for certain, showing their dedication to helping you realise what you’re made of and can achieve.
Finally, at the end of each session, clients are welcome to freshen up with their on-site shower facilities. Two cubicles are available, reliably equipped with soap, shampoo and Dyson hair dryers, so showing up for class is all you need to do. Their outlets are conveniently situated with bus and MRT access, making it simple to work around your busy CBD schedules or dinner plans with friends.
Toilet facilities readily available for clients who need to wash up after sweating it out
My short time at MOVE® Private Fitness was enough to unlock for me a brand new world of what personal training can do for yourself. I was able to pick up and learn so many new things in that hour alone, and am confident that anyone, from beginners to seasoned fitness enthusiasts, will find their structure and commitment can bring much added benefits to your days.
Keep an eye out for MOVE as they prepare to bring more of their passion for health and wellness to our Singapore shores, sharing with us how consistency and their proven method for success can truly better our lives.
For more information, visit moveprivatefitness.com or follow @moveprivatefitnesssg on Instagram.
MOVE Private Fitness Singapore (by appointment only)
Tanjong Pagar (120 Tanjong Pagar Road,#03-01)
River Valley (42 Zion Road)
