SINGAPORE: An avid tai chi practitioner, Madam Miranda Hsieh had long considered herself an active person. But in recent years, the 63-year-old noticed subtle signs that her body was no longer keeping pace.
Crossing the road became unexpectedly challenging. “You want to go faster, but it’s a bit more difficult,” she said. Bending down and standing up also required more effort than before.
Recognising these as early signs of muscle loss and age-related decline, she signed herself up – along with her husband and mother – for a senior gym programme run by NTUC Health at Heartbeat@Bedok in May 2022.
Three years on, the impact is clear. The weekly sessions have helped improve her strength, as well as maintain the mobility of her mother, who is in her 80s. Her husband, Mr Liew Shin Liat, 73, said his balance has improved.
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"I noticed a few times, I almost tripped and fell … but I can rebalance myself,” he said.
Mr Liew Shin Liat, who also started attending NTUC Health's senior gym programme in 2022 said he has seen an improvement in his balance. (Photo: CNA/Vanessa Lim)
They are among a growing number of seniors taking part in endurance and strength-based activities – a trend that has risen steadily in recent years.
But with demand outpacing supply at many community centres, some seniors are finding it harder to get in, or to stay in, once they do.
One popular programme is Gym Tonic, a community-based strength training initiative first introduced in 2014 for frailer seniors that has since expanded into a preventive health programme for more seniors.
Latest figures from Lien Foundation, which supports the programme's setup including technology, equipment and training, show about 3,200 active users across 30 sites – but with 2,800 seniors on waitlists.
Waiting times average about seven months and can be longer in popular areas such as Bedok and Holland Close, said Lien Foundation's programme director Gabriel Lim.
Lions Befrienders and Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities (THKMC) said their Gym Tonic waitlists each have around 100 seniors, with waiting times of about nine months.
Lions Befrienders, which operates one Gym Tonic centre at Mei Ling, generally requires seniors who have completed the programme – typically 10 sessions – to rejoin the waitlist to continue.
THKMC, which runs a Gym Tonic programme at its Active Ageing Centre in Bedok, allows participants within its service boundary to continue as long as they are physically able, though it encourages them to reduce sessions from twice to once weekly after about six months to make room for others.
In a letter dated December and seen by CNA, an Active Ageing Centre at Peacehaven Bedok Arena – run by The Salvation Army – informed a participant who had been attending Gym Tonic since 2022 that their membership would end on Jan 31, 2026.
The letter cited "many other seniors who have been patiently waiting for a slot" and stated that those wishing to continue would need to rejoin the waitlist. Former and current participants said the programme had previously allowed continuous participation.
CNA has contacted The Salvation Army for comment.
Some operators have introduced participation limits after two or more programme cycles – typically around six months or more – to allow wider access, though Mr Lim of Lien Foundation said sites retain discretion based on individual needs.
For some seniors, the changes have come at a cost.
A participant at the Peacehaven Bedok Arena centre, who has attended Gym Tonic since 2022, said the newer policies – including fixed three-month cycles followed by breaks – have disrupted both her progress and sense of routine.
“In my case, it took another four months for me to restart in April after my membership stopped in November … When you do the programme for three months and then stop for the next three or four months, whatever progress you have made in terms of your muscles is basically gone,” said the 72-year-old, who declined to be named.
She had tried to continue training at another gym during the break but found it less suitable due to her knee condition, noting that Gym Tonic's hydraulic machines were more senior-friendly.
“I understand that the operator is trying to encourage more people to be active but I think it's discouraging those who need the continuity of the programme,” she said.
“If you're going to stop me every three months, and then I have to restart all over again at ground zero, then no way – really, it's a whole waste of time.”
Beyond fitness, she said the changes have also affected the social aspect of the programme as the participants keep changing.
“There used to be a kind of community… which made for a more pleasant environment to exercise. But now, I see everybody is just there to do their exercise and then get out.”
Time slots have also been cut from an hour to half an hour, she said.
At Heartbeat@Bedok, Mdm Hsieh and Mr Liew said booking has grown more competitive.
"We're always a bit kiasu (afraid of losing out) and so before our session ends, we would re-enrol," said Mdm Hsieh. They are usually able to secure a slot each week.
The pressure on places reflects a broader shift in how seniors are approaching their health.
According to the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), participation in strength and endurance-based activities has risen steadily in recent years, driven by greater awareness of the benefits and the expansion of senior-friendly programmes in the community.
AIC has stepped up efforts to publicise and monitor uptake of frailty prevention programmes focused on strength, balance and flexibility, said Mr Tan Leong Boon, the agency's chief of Care Systems Integration Division.
NTUC Health reported a 60 per cent increase in senior gym users from 2024 to 2025. Unlike Gym Tonic operators, it does not maintain waitlists, instead focusing on integrating new participants quickly and allowing seniors to continue attending for as long as they find value.
Its Heartbeat@Bedok outlet – one of its busiest – is currently at maximum capacity and not accepting new clients.
Booking at its gyms is on a first-come, first-served basis via an online system.
More Gym Tonic sites are expected to open, alongside efforts to optimise scheduling and extend operating hours, said Mr Lim.
“We recognise the waiting list is a real constraint. Given that many of the new sites were only established in the later part of 2025, it will take time for Gym Tonic’s capacity gains to fully translate into shorter waiting times,” he said.
Sport Singapore (SportSG) said all 28 ActiveSG gyms will be retrofitted to be senior-friendly by the end of this year. Sixteen have already been equipped with senior-friendly machines.
Close to 16,000 people aged 55 and above used ActiveSG gyms weekly in the first quarter of this year – a more than 40 per cent increase from the same period last year.
SportSG is also expanding its eight-week Combat Age-related Loss of Muscle (CALM) programme – which integrates assessments, nutrition and recovery education, and guided strength training – to 5,500 seniors across 180 Active Ageing Centres by end-2026.
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Crossing the road became unexpectedly challenging. “You want to go faster, but it’s a bit more difficult,” she said. Bending down and standing up also required more effort than before.
Recognising these as early signs of muscle loss and age-related decline, she signed herself up – along with her husband and mother – for a senior gym programme run by NTUC Health at Heartbeat@Bedok in May 2022.
Three years on, the impact is clear. The weekly sessions have helped improve her strength, as well as maintain the mobility of her mother, who is in her 80s. Her husband, Mr Liew Shin Liat, 73, said his balance has improved.
CNA Games
Show More Show Less
"I noticed a few times, I almost tripped and fell … but I can rebalance myself,” he said.
Mr Liew Shin Liat, who also started attending NTUC Health's senior gym programme in 2022 said he has seen an improvement in his balance. (Photo: CNA/Vanessa Lim)
They are among a growing number of seniors taking part in endurance and strength-based activities – a trend that has risen steadily in recent years.
But with demand outpacing supply at many community centres, some seniors are finding it harder to get in, or to stay in, once they do.
WAITLISTS, PARTICIPATION CAPS
One popular programme is Gym Tonic, a community-based strength training initiative first introduced in 2014 for frailer seniors that has since expanded into a preventive health programme for more seniors.
Latest figures from Lien Foundation, which supports the programme's setup including technology, equipment and training, show about 3,200 active users across 30 sites – but with 2,800 seniors on waitlists.
Waiting times average about seven months and can be longer in popular areas such as Bedok and Holland Close, said Lien Foundation's programme director Gabriel Lim.
Lions Befrienders and Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities (THKMC) said their Gym Tonic waitlists each have around 100 seniors, with waiting times of about nine months.
Lions Befrienders, which operates one Gym Tonic centre at Mei Ling, generally requires seniors who have completed the programme – typically 10 sessions – to rejoin the waitlist to continue.
THKMC, which runs a Gym Tonic programme at its Active Ageing Centre in Bedok, allows participants within its service boundary to continue as long as they are physically able, though it encourages them to reduce sessions from twice to once weekly after about six months to make room for others.
In a letter dated December and seen by CNA, an Active Ageing Centre at Peacehaven Bedok Arena – run by The Salvation Army – informed a participant who had been attending Gym Tonic since 2022 that their membership would end on Jan 31, 2026.
The letter cited "many other seniors who have been patiently waiting for a slot" and stated that those wishing to continue would need to rejoin the waitlist. Former and current participants said the programme had previously allowed continuous participation.
CNA has contacted The Salvation Army for comment.
Some operators have introduced participation limits after two or more programme cycles – typically around six months or more – to allow wider access, though Mr Lim of Lien Foundation said sites retain discretion based on individual needs.
"THE PROGRESS YOU MADE IS GONE"
For some seniors, the changes have come at a cost.
A participant at the Peacehaven Bedok Arena centre, who has attended Gym Tonic since 2022, said the newer policies – including fixed three-month cycles followed by breaks – have disrupted both her progress and sense of routine.
“In my case, it took another four months for me to restart in April after my membership stopped in November … When you do the programme for three months and then stop for the next three or four months, whatever progress you have made in terms of your muscles is basically gone,” said the 72-year-old, who declined to be named.
She had tried to continue training at another gym during the break but found it less suitable due to her knee condition, noting that Gym Tonic's hydraulic machines were more senior-friendly.
“I understand that the operator is trying to encourage more people to be active but I think it's discouraging those who need the continuity of the programme,” she said.
“If you're going to stop me every three months, and then I have to restart all over again at ground zero, then no way – really, it's a whole waste of time.”
Beyond fitness, she said the changes have also affected the social aspect of the programme as the participants keep changing.
“There used to be a kind of community… which made for a more pleasant environment to exercise. But now, I see everybody is just there to do their exercise and then get out.”
Time slots have also been cut from an hour to half an hour, she said.
At Heartbeat@Bedok, Mdm Hsieh and Mr Liew said booking has grown more competitive.
"We're always a bit kiasu (afraid of losing out) and so before our session ends, we would re-enrol," said Mdm Hsieh. They are usually able to secure a slot each week.
Related:
GROWING DEMAND, EXPANDING SUPPLY
The pressure on places reflects a broader shift in how seniors are approaching their health.
According to the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), participation in strength and endurance-based activities has risen steadily in recent years, driven by greater awareness of the benefits and the expansion of senior-friendly programmes in the community.
AIC has stepped up efforts to publicise and monitor uptake of frailty prevention programmes focused on strength, balance and flexibility, said Mr Tan Leong Boon, the agency's chief of Care Systems Integration Division.
NTUC Health reported a 60 per cent increase in senior gym users from 2024 to 2025. Unlike Gym Tonic operators, it does not maintain waitlists, instead focusing on integrating new participants quickly and allowing seniors to continue attending for as long as they find value.
Its Heartbeat@Bedok outlet – one of its busiest – is currently at maximum capacity and not accepting new clients.
Booking at its gyms is on a first-come, first-served basis via an online system.
More Gym Tonic sites are expected to open, alongside efforts to optimise scheduling and extend operating hours, said Mr Lim.
“We recognise the waiting list is a real constraint. Given that many of the new sites were only established in the later part of 2025, it will take time for Gym Tonic’s capacity gains to fully translate into shorter waiting times,” he said.
Sport Singapore (SportSG) said all 28 ActiveSG gyms will be retrofitted to be senior-friendly by the end of this year. Sixteen have already been equipped with senior-friendly machines.
Close to 16,000 people aged 55 and above used ActiveSG gyms weekly in the first quarter of this year – a more than 40 per cent increase from the same period last year.
SportSG is also expanding its eight-week Combat Age-related Loss of Muscle (CALM) programme – which integrates assessments, nutrition and recovery education, and guided strength training – to 5,500 seniors across 180 Active Ageing Centres by end-2026.
Continue reading...