Private micro gyms costing $11 an hour are popping up all over Singapore and the model is going global

• Micro gyms costing around $11 an hour in Singapore are popping up near parks, malls, and petrol stations.
• They offer a private space for customers to work out away from the busy crowds at regular gyms.

Singapore's fitness lovers are flocking to micro gyms that are appearing all over the city next to parks, shopping centers, and even petrol stations because of crowded fitness centers and extreme weather conditions.

The Gym Pod, founded by Damian Chow in Singapore in 2018, offers smart gyms that look like bright yellow containers from the outside but includes a range of training equipment including treadmills and weights on the inside for anyone seeking a private workout, Bloomberg reported first.

The company has gym pods across approximately 55 locations in Singapore and two in Chicago, a spokesperson told Insider in an email.

A 60-minute session in a 200 square feet container can cost between S$12 to S$15 ($9 to $11.30,) per Bloomberg. The spokesperson said it currently has 140,000 registered app users worldwide. According to Bloomberg, it has 120,000 registered users in Singapore. Each pod can be booked via the company's app.

There are a variety of pods decked out with different types of equipment for strength training and cardio and each has an interactive screen for tutorials so users can follow workouts with fitness professionals, according to the company's website.

The concept has grown in the wake of the pandemic, as users became more health conscious and sought private, hygienic spaces to work out. They have also become popular in record-busting temperatures and monsoon season, both of which prevent residents from exercising outside.

Another advantage is no lines for equipment and no crowding.

Another company, My Gym Lab, also founded in Singapore, offers small spaces it calls labs across the city.

Customers who still have memberships at regular gyms are still keen to use a micro gym "for their quiet time away from the hustle and bustle," Omar Martin, cofounder of My Gym Lab, told Bloomberg.

The Gym Pod is hoping to expand into international markets and will be launching its first pod in China in the coming weeks, the spokesperson said.