Where to Workout in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wondering where to workout in Chiang Mai ? Look no further. This is your list of how to get your sweat on in this Northern Thai city.

As a fitness instructor from the United States, one of the first things I do when I arrive in city I have not visited before is look for places to run and workout. Knowing I was going to be in Chiang Mai for at least three months, I had more time and resources to find some favorite places.

There should be no excuses to not work out in any city you move to or visit. Here are my top choices of where to work out in Chiang Mai!

# 1. Run Outdoors

One of the first things I do in a new city is go for a run. Not only does it give me an idea of how the city is laid out, but I also get a workout in. The most frequent questions you will ask yourself about running in a new city are as follows:

• Are there sidewalks or will you need to run in the street?
• Are the roads paved or are there rocks and debris everywhere?
• Are there any grassy areas or parks you can run in?
• What should I wear? Can I show my shoulders? This list here will help.

In Chiang Mai, sidewalks are scarce. You are better off running through neighborhoods that are away from the main roads. The main roads can get congested with a lot of vehicle traffic.

Also, the levels of exhaust pollution in the air are much higher and it can make running a challenge. So it is best to stay off the main roads.

There are a few parks that are easily accessible by scooter, bicycle, or tuk-tuk. The areas that I found to have the least amount of congestion are:

1. Running through the streets of the Nimman area
2. Princess Gardens, located just south of the Nimman area
3. Huay Tung Tao Lake, 14 kilometers north of the city center
4. The lake at Chiang Mai University, 3 kilometers west of Maya Mall
5. Nong Buak Hard Public Park, South West corner of the Moat

Yes, there are other places to run, but these were the most accessible to where I was staying and had what I was looking for to get my runs in.

#2. Go to a Chiang Mai Gym

There are a few gyms in Chaing Mai, I have found it easier to find them once I am in Thailand. Not all of them show up on Google Maps when in the states.

Located in the Nimman Area next to Maya Mall is a full-size gym called the WALL Fitness. This is a new gym in Chiang Mai. They have all the equipment you need to get your sweat on, along with showers and air purifiers.

A gym is a great place to also meet new friends, strike up a conversation with your new fitness buddy to help reach those goals. Y

Located outside the city center, inside of Central Festival, is Virgin Active. They have a full gym and classes available for a membership fee.

#3. Do a HITT workout outdoors

One of the best parks, I found to not only run in but also complete some bodyweight exercises, is the Princess Gardens. They have actual stations where you can perform different exercises.

Some of the stations have signs instructing you on what to do with that piece of equipment, but you can also make up your own workout.

You can use the bars here for sit-ups:

Or buy a TRX strap from Decathlon in Chiang Mai and loop it around these bars here:

They have large blocks to jump or hop over; as well as logs to do pushups and mountain climbers on.

A quick workout you can do in this park is listed below, find one of the logs (pictured above) and perform these 4 exercises for 5 rounds or more.

(20) jumping jacks

(20) mountain climbers with your hands on the log

(20) high knees touching the top of your foot to the log

(10) push-ups, with your hands on the log

#4. Take an Indoor Fitness Class

At Playground Fitness the TRX class is pretty good, they just take a lot of breaks. There is also a free class at the Cross Fit Gym on Saturday mornings at 9 am for all levels of fitness.

And of course, you do not want to miss taking a Muay Thai class in Chiang Mai. I went to the Chiang Mai Muay Thai Gym which offers a 2-hour class for all levels. If it’s your first time they will show you the basic moves while the rest of the group warms up.

Again, like the TRX class, they took a lot of breaks. Which is fine if you are a beginner, but not if you are experienced. But it’s a fantastic way to make friends as they have you partner up for some of the workouts, even if the workout is not that intense.

Love Pilates? Then check out Powerhaus Pilates. It is located outside the city center and close to the Decathalon. So you can pick up any fitness gear before or after you go to class.

To find more gyms in Chiang Mai check out the Facebook Group called ” Chaing Mai”. The members are helpful and frequently ask about different gyms in the area.

#5. Get Your Yoga On

There are a plethora of yoga studios in Chiang Mai. I did not participate in any of them unfortunately during my stay, but you can find a list of studios in this post here where they go into detail about the different locations and types of yoga that are offered.

Final Thoughts

After spending almost a year in Thailand, I still didn’t get to see all of the gyms in Chaing Mai. It’s how they say… mai pen rai, until next time!

If you go there and find other outdoor and indoor activities Chiang Mai, please send them my way so I can include them in this post!