Review: Odinson Boutique Fitness Studio, Sheung Wan

By: Emily McCabe

There are loads of gyms in Hong Kong catering to workers seeking a space to sweat it out or looking for some much needed Zen time. But even though there’s tons of workout zones, it can be hard to find a space to train which isn’t crowded, commercial and impersonal. Odinson training and yoga studio is a breath of fresh air. I visited Hong Kong’s newest boutique fitness studio for a workout with my buddy. The name Odinson comes from the comic character Thor, who represents strength, endurance…or a pretty hot Aussie called Chris Hemsworth.

I liked Odinson straight off the bat – it was so different and quirky. It felt like the type of place you would find in Los Angeles, with comic referenced graffiti on the walls, a very cool little juice bar/café at its centre, and a relaxed vibe. They really nailed it. If you’re looking for an antidote to the big gym chains we usually find here in HK – this is it.

They have have great facilities and fun classes including yoga, weights, personal trainers, an all female ‘wonder woman’ class on the weekend and lots of other fitness options.  We decided to try a 1.5-hour Ashtanga yoga class with lovely instructor Charlotte and it was so different to the yoga classes I usually go to. It was very personalised, as there were only three of us in the room (yep, that’s right, only three people).

Charlotte thoroughly explained the sequence of poses and how to breathe and move between them. She was a very attentive instructor and it was so luxurious having her all to ourselves, being adjusted and observed so closely. More often than not, in your typical yoga class here in HK there are so many bodies crammed in together, you’d be lucky if you got one adjustment from your teacher during a session. Instead its usually someone else’s foot in your ear, as you try to navigate your way around your own matt politely, so this really was amazing.

Odinson is for the yogi who is looking for classes with mats to spare; girls who want to take a female focused class which challenges her strength or for anyone seeking a good space that’s not over-crowded and is uniquely designed with all of the frills and more. This place is definitely a new style of gym, offering a more boutique, funky experience.

11&12F, The Pemberton, The Pemberton, 22-26 Bonham Strand, Central
For more information on their classes visit their website at www.odinson.asia or call 3955 2206