Singapore's Outdoor Boot Camps Attract Record Numbers This Summer

On any given Saturday morning at 7am, the beachfront strip near Bedok Jetty is no longer just for joggers and cyclists. Groups of 20 to 30 participants are now doing burpees, lunges and bear crawls on the sand, led by instructors shouting encouragement over portable speakers. This is the outdoor boot camp scene in Singapore, and it is growing fast.

ActiveSG, the national movement for sport, reported in early July 2026 that participation in its outdoor group exercise classes, including boot camp-style sessions, rose 34% year-on-year, to over 280,000 sessions booked in the first half of 2026. The programmes are free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, available at 22 locations island-wide including Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Jurong Lake Gardens and West Coast Park.

Why People Are Showing Up at 6am

The appeal is partly cost and partly social. A typical commercial boot camp class at a private gym can cost $35 to $50 per session. ActiveSG’s equivalent costs zero. But price alone doesn’t explain the surge. Ms. Tan Li Mei, a 34-year-old operations manager who started attending sessions at East Coast Park last November, told The Daily Singapore she needed accountability. “I tried going to the gym alone, but I’d quit after two weeks. Here, I have to show up because my friends are waiting, and the instructor notices if I’m missing.”

The format varies by venue and instructor, but most ActiveSG boot camps follow a standard 45-minute template: a 5-minute dynamic warm-up, 35 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) alternating strength and cardio exercises, and a 5-minute cool-down with static stretches. Stations might include push-ups, squat jumps, mountain climbers, plank holds and resistance-band rows. Instructors carry first-aid kits and ask participants to fill out a health declaration form before each session.

“We see many first-timers who are nervous about their fitness level,” said Mr. Ramesh Sivakumar, a senior fitness instructor with Sport Singapore who has led boot camps at Sengkang Riverside Park since 2023. “We tell them to go at their own pace. The goal is not to keep up with the person next to you, it’s to finish the session.”

Participants are advised to bring a mat or towel, a 500ml to 1-litre water bottle and wear proper running shoes. Sunscreen is strongly recommended, especially for sessions held between 7am and 9am, when UV levels in Singapore can reach extreme levels even on overcast days.

From the Parks to the Heartlands

Outdoor boot camps are not limited to large parks. HDB estates are increasingly hosting them, too. Since 2024, the People’s Association has offered boot camp-style exercise sessions at community clubs in Tampines, Clementi, Toa Payoh and Woodlands. These 1-hour sessions are held on multi-purpose courts or open fields, and cost $5 per session for residents. Some 1,200 people attended these sessions in June 2026 alone, according to PA’s latest figures.

Health experts see the trend as a positive shift for a population where one in three adults does not get enough physical activity, according to the National Population Health Survey 2025. Dr. Ng Wee Han, a family physician at a polyclinic in Jurong East, said: “Group exercise outdoors has psychological benefits beyond the physical. The social support, the exposure to green spaces, even the morning sunlight, all contribute to better mental health.” She recommends that anyone with chronic conditions or who has been inactive for more than six months check with a doctor before starting a boot camp programme.

For those who want to try before committing, the ActiveSG app allows users to browse sessions by location, date and time. Boot camps at Bedok Reservoir and Punggol Waterway Park are especially popular, slots often fill within two hours of opening, which happens every Monday at 10am.

The trend shows no sign of cooling. With the Great Singapore Workout, a biannual mass exercise event, set for September 12 at the Singapore Sports Hub, organisers expect even more people to seek out regular group training. Whether you are a seasoned gym-goer or someone who hasn’t exercised since school PE, the park near your flat might already have a boot camp with your name on it. Bring water, bring a towel, and leave your excuses at home.