Some True Fitness members say they were repeatedly encouraged to renew long-term gym packages shortly before the chain abruptly ceased operations.
True Fitness and True Yoga were placed under provisional liquidation on Thursday (10 Sept), with all outlets ceasing operations immediately.
Source: Reddit
The sudden closure has left consumers with unutilised memberships and prepaid packages, with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) receiving 241 complaints involving more than S$609,000 in reported losses as of Friday (11 Sept).
Among those affected were members who said they had recently been approached by sales staff to renew packages lasting several years.
One former member, who goes by Hypermotard86 on TikTok, said seven different salespeople approached him in the months before his membership expired in June.
Source: @hypermotard86 in TikTok
He ultimately chose not to renew.
He said he now feels fortunate that his membership expired before he could renew.
“If I had paid, I think I would be exercising at the neighbourhood park for the next few years,” he wrote in a TikTok post on Friday (11 Sept).
Hypermotard86, 40, a civil servant, told MS News that he and his girlfriend had been True Fitness members for about three years.
Their packages included access to the gyms and classes.
He said he was approached by seven different salespeople in the months before his membership expired.
Source: @hypermotard86 in TikTok
Some spoke to him after his classes, while others contacted him through WhatsApp.
On one occasion, he said he received a message immediately after scanning into an outlet, despite not speaking to anyone at the front counter.
Some of the salespeople were also people he had never met before, he said.
Screenshots shared on TikTok showed several sales pitches from True Fitness and TFX staff.
One offered a 24-month package with two months free for S$2,154.60, while another offered 36 months with three months free for S$2,539.35.
Source: @hypermotard86 in TikTok
A separate salesperson offered a 60-month package with five months free for S$3,576.
The messages also included pitches about upcoming price increases and limited-time promotions.
One salesperson told him there was a “BIGGEST DISCOUNT” for renewal plans and that prices would increase from Jan 2026.
Another told him a five-year package was “very worth it”.
Hypermotard86 said the sales efforts felt unusually aggressive.
He initially thought the repeated approaches were simply part of the gym’s usual sales tactics, as staff had also tried to sell him packages when his previous memberships expired.
Source: @hypermotard86 in TikTok
He and his girlfriend had considered renewing their memeberships next year in 2027.
Had they renewed, he estimated they would have spent around S$6,000 between them.
“Trust your instincts, trust God’s timing,” he wrote.
Another True Fitness member, Trevor, 25, said he was informed of the closure by his mother, who works with the company part-time.
He had a two-year gym-only package covering True Fitness and TFX.
The package did not include yoga or personal training.
Trevor said he still has 12 months left on his membership, worth S$756.
Picture courtesy of Trevor
He had signed up for two years at once because the gym offered a lower rate, which was more affordable while he was a student.
As a fresh graduate, he said the amount was “quite significant”.
Trevor said he had not received any communication about refunds or compensation, apart from an email about the closure of the Novena outlet on 9 Sept.
Source: Reddit
He also said he had noticed more True Fitness advertisements on social media recently, although he did not say these were necessarily connected to the closure.
“The closure has blindsided me,” he said.
TikTok user rachelaletheia also posted about the closure on Friday (11 Sept).
She said she had previously made a video about being pressured to sign a True Fitness package, and she ultimately paid for a two-year membership.
In her latest video, she said she woke up at 5am to discover that the gyms had closed.
Source: @rachelaletheia on TikTok
She recalled questioning why she had to pay for the membership in one lump sum rather than monthly.
According to her, staff cited internal system issues when she asked about monthly payments.
She said she had wanted to cancel the membership before signing up because she was concerned about making such a large upfront payment.
“I knew it! I just knew it!” she said in the video.
Meanwhile, Actress Chen Xiuhuan also said she was caught off guard by the closure.
In a Facebook post on Friday (11 Sept), she said she had booked a workout session at True Fitness the previous day.
She only found out that all clubs would cease operations when she opened the True Fitness app the following morning.
Source: Chen Xiuhuan 陈秀环 on Facebook
The True Singapore Group, which operates True Fitness, TFX and Yoga Edition, was placed under provisional liquidation on Thursday (10 Sept).
The group operates 10 fitness and yoga outlets in Singapore.
According to CNA, the Hong Kong-listed parent company, Kontafarma China Holdings, said the directors had resolved that the companies were unable to continue operating due to their liabilities.
Insolvency practitioners Goh Wee Teck and Lin Yueh Hung of RSM SG Corporate Advisory were provisionally appointed.
The group reported about HK$633.8 million (S$102 million) in total liabilities as of 31 Aug, against assets of about HK$204.5 million (S$33 million).
Source: Melvin Yong on Facebook
Kontafarma attributed the Singapore fitness business’s difficulties to increasingly fierce competition, rising customer acquisition costs and significant liquidity pressure.
It also pointed to competition from boutique gyms, condominium gyms, online training platforms, mobile apps and virtual coaching.
As of 6pm on Friday, CASE president Melvin Yong said the consumer watchdog had received 241 complaints from people affected by the closure.
Consumers reported more than S$609,000 in losses involving unutilised memberships, packages and services.
CASE has contacted the provisional liquidator and is seeking clarification on arrangements for affected consumers, including information needed to lodge claims.
Consumers with unutilised True Fitness or True Yoga memberships or prepaid packages can approach CASE for assistance.
CASE also advised consumers to consider shorter-term payment arrangements where possible before committing to large upfront packages.
Also read: Over S$609K in losses reported by customers after closure of True Fitness & True Yoga: CASE
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Featured image adapted from @hypermotard86 on TikTok, Melvin Yong on Facebook and Chen Xiuhuan 陈秀环 on Facebook.