Not just another gym: How The Clubhouse is rethinking fitness in Hong Kong
At a time when many gyms promise fast results and fleeting transformations, The Clubhouse takes a different approach. Built on the pillars of performance, recovery, and community, this high-performance space in the heart of Hong Kong is designed to help members train smarter, recover better, and prioritise long-term wellbeing. We sat down with founders David Markham and Gabriel Carroll to find out what truly sets The Clubhouse apart.
What sets The Clubhouse apart from other gyms?
The Clubhouse is built around long-term health, recovery, and community rather than short-term transformations. It integrates strength training, recovery protocols like the use of traditional saunas and cold plunges, and personalised coaching to help members sustain a long and healthy lifestyle.
What does ‘longevity’ mean in a gym context?
Longevity means training in a way that keeps you strong, mobile, and pain-free for life, rather than focusing on short-term aesthetic goals. It’s about sustainable fat loss, stress management, and optimising how you train, eat, and recover for the long haul.
How does The Clubhouse personalise training for each client?
Every member goes through a detailed consultation where their goals, lifestyle, stress levels, injuries, and nutrition habits are assessed. They are then matched with a coach who has expertise in their specific needs. From women’s health to Hyrox programming, our experienced coaches specialise in menopause, pre/post-natal, rehabilitation, fat loss, strength and conditioning and professional sports performance to name a few.
How do you help clients balance fitness with a busy professional lifestyle?
A lot of our clients are high performers – entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals with packed schedules. We make training as efficient as possible by removing decision fatigue, providing structured programs, and accountability. Members don’t have to figure it out alone – we take care of the planning, so they just show up and train.
You mention high-EQ coaching, what is it and why is it important?
High-EQ coaching is about understanding clients on a deeper level, beyond just training plans. It means recognising when to push and when to adjust, knowing how to motivate different personalities, and creating a coaching experience that adapts to real life. Many of our coaches come from professional sports backgrounds, so they’re used to working with different characters, handling stress, and navigating tricky scenarios under pressure which helps them work better with clients and build long-lasting relationships.
Why is recovery such a big part of The Clubhouse?
Recovery isn’t an afterthought – it’s an essential part of performance and longevity. High achievers push themselves hard in work and in life, and they need time to recover to stay on top of their game. That’s why we’ve built a dedicated “Recharge Suite” with a traditional sauna and two cold plunge barrels to help clients reset physically and mentally.
Does The Clubhouse work with professional athletes?
Yes, we work with a range of high-level athletes, from rugby and hockey players to Hyrox and endurance athletes, helping them optimise their performance, recovery, and injury prevention. But what’s interesting is that many of our non-athlete clients approach their training with the same mindset – seeking structure, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
How do you measure success at The Clubhouse beyond physical transformations?
The fitness industry tends to focus on before-and-after photos and quick fix transformations, but that’s not what we do. We want to tell real stories – about how people are transforming their energy levels, stress management, and confidence. We highlight long-term success and lifestyle changes rather than just short-term unsustainable visual transformations
What do you say to people who think The Clubhouse is ‘just another gym’?
Come in and see for yourself. We’re not here to churn out quick transformations – we’re here to redefine what it means to train for life. We’ve built something different, a space where people don’t just train but learn, recover, and connect. Once people experience it, they understand it’s not just a gym – it’s a game-changer for their long-term health, wellbeing and sanity.
The Clubhouse Hong Kong, 8/F, On Hing Building, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, +852 5507 1662
