Hawa Gym Mataram, Lombok
Jl. Hos Cokroaminoto No.7A, Mataram, Lombok
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat: 7:30 – 21:00, Sun: 7:30 – 12:00
Cost: unknown, as staff did not speak English.
Location
So, here I am in Mataram, the capital of the province of West Nusa Tenggara. Unlike most capitals, it’s not known for its tourist hotspots – actually the opposite. So why am I here? Well having read that the nearby town of Senggigi doesn’t have any gyms, I decided to base myself here for a couple of days and just do a day trip to Senggigi. Yep, it all comes down to priorities!
Facilities
First things first, this is women-only gym. I didn’t know this when I arrived, but given that my male friend who was supposed to be right behind me when I walked through the door never made it in, and the walls around me had a very girly-pink stripe all around them, I soon worked it out. The gym staff didn’t speak English, but on the desk by reception there was a pile of flyers, so I picked one up and made out the words “Free trial”, which I pointed to. Staff nodded and handed me the voucher. I returned with it later that afternoon. Thank you Hawa Gym!
The facilities here are basic. Although the decor is quite modern and attractive, the gym equipment is not, it’s pretty old and not the best quality. If you are a fit woman, you will probably miss not having access to dumbbells more than 10kg. If you’re tall like I am, don’t expect to use the hip extension bench – it’s simply not long enough!
As a man-free zone, Muslim women are free to remove their hijab and dress as they wish whilst training, although many remained conservative. I was the only Westerner here, and an English speaking local was quite chatty to me throughout and others smiled. All in all, I felt very welcome!
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Weights
In addition to the dumbbells from 1 – 10kg, you’ll find a Smith machine and a bench press station. I’m not sure what the bar weighed but it’s not an Olympic one.
Resistance equipment includes an inclined leg press, lat pull down, tricep pulldown, pec deck and leg extension/curl in one. I had a lot of trouble getting the pin in when adjusting it as the equipment was old. (I eventually worked out the knack though!)
You’ll also find a preacher curl station, several inclined abs benches (half length) as well as a full length one which you can adjust the angle of on a rack. There’s also a standing rotary abs platform and some half length think mats.
Although there is no dedicated floorspace as such, there is sufficient space where you can lie a mat.
Classes
You’ll see a studio upstairs, which looked reasonable and was very spacious.
Summary
Hawa Gym Mataram has a great atmosphere and is very popular with local women, who were friendly and smiled despite the language barrier. I wouldn’t personally rush back as there wasn’t enough here for me – no pull up bars, no assisted pull ups and rather light weights. Additionally resistance equipment was old and awkward to use.
In terms of cost, I don’t know what the normal price is, as the flyer is in Indonesian and I have no plans to return. I’d probably go again a freebie once in a blue moon, but I wouldn’t use this place as my regular gym. If you don’t need heavy weights then this welcoming gym is a certainly an interesting cultural experience.
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