Hongdae PT gym for herniated disc rehab stretching: Reboost PT

What kind of gym is Reboost PT Hongdae Branch?

Reboost PT Hongdae Branch (리부스트PT 홍대점) is a new kind of gym where you come and go freely whenever you have time and still get PT. The coach has worked out for a long time and has run lots of PT sessions, so he knows the inefficiencies and downsides of 1:1 PT very well. He poured all that experience and know-how into building a space where members can work out comfortably.

Where is Reboost PT Hongdae Branch and how do you get there?

Reboost PT Hongdae Branch is at 20-30 Wausan-ro 23-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on basement level 1, near Hongik Univ. Station. It's close to Hongik University's Seoul campus too, so I think it would be convenient for students.

There's an elementary school nearby, so maybe that's why the same building has a taekwondo academy, a music academy, a math academy and other facilities. It gave the place a safe feeling.

When I first went, a big Reboost PT sign hung on the first floor and I could see gym equipment through the first-floor windows, so I assumed that was it, but it was a different gym! Reboost PT is one flight of stairs down.

As you head down to the basement, looking at photos of members who built great bodies with Reboost PT, the coach greets you warmly.

Opening hours and break time at Reboost PT Hongdae Branch

Within opening hours you can come and go and work out freely, with no reservation. On weekdays there's a break from 1 PM to 5 PM, so allow time to shower, tidy up and leave before the break or closing time.

Opening and closing times differ a little by day, so it might be good to pick times when it's always open and go on a regular schedule. Workouts are customized to each member's goals and physical condition, so it varies a bit from person to person, but for me a session usually takes 1 to 1.5 hours.

There's a basic timetable for each day of the week, but since the coach builds a customized workout after a thorough consultation, you can treat it as a rough reference. On Saturdays there's a group workout from 10:30 to 11:30 AM, one hour.

Facilities at Reboost PT Hongdae Branch: when is it quiet?

The gym covers stretching, cardio and machine workouts, so the space is quite large. Since people come whenever they like, there are almost no empty times, but if you go right at opening or just after the break ends, you can work out alone in peace for a little while.

Apparently many people come in the evening after work. If you're the type who gets motivated and works out better watching others, peak time isn't a bad choice. If you prefer it calmer, mornings, around the break, or near closing seem best. Some office workers also squeeze in a visit during their lunch hour.

Showers, workout clothes and lockers

There are showers inside the gym, with 4 shower booths in the women's changing room. So it's easy to squeeze in a workout, wash up and leave.

Workout clothes are provided at the entrance. Pick up a set when you come in, change in the changing room, then take the locker key and leave it at the front desk.

How does the workout program at Reboost PT Hongdae Branch work?

The system is that everyone first stretches on their own, then does a customized workout every day. The coach walks around checking members' form and how the workout is going, and gives lots of encouragement so you can finish to the end.

Stretches modified for a herniated disc

The stretching area has photos of the stretch moves hung in order, so it's easy to follow along. On your first visit the coach demonstrates the moves in detail, and after that you stretch while looking at the photos; people who've gotten used to it do them quickly without looking.

The coach also modifies the moves a little to fit each member's condition. Since I have a herniated disc, he modified several moves in a direction that puts less strain on my lower back. Personally, the stretching alone made my whole body feel so refreshed that it felt almost like the main workout.

I'm raising the level day by day with workouts that don't strain my back, still finding the right level, so I only work out in the stretching zone. Other members stretch there and then move to the next space for tougher exercises.

Why PT at Reboost PT Hongdae Branch worked even with a herniated disc

After working out on the first day, my back pain eased from the very next day. I think that's because the coach asked how each move felt and raised the level bit by bit.

The coach checks members' form and keeps up the shouts and encouragement, and that energetic vibe makes a great atmosphere for working out. I don't know much about exercise, but I always feel I need it, so I go to a gym now and then. My goals are always clear: herniated disc rehab, basic fitness and dieting.

I have MRI and CT records, and some gyms even asked to see them, but even after I explained my condition and started, every time I did PT my back hurt more and I'd come down with heavy body aches. So I never managed to keep exercising for long.

My back pain lately has been the worst of my life, and I figured I had to exercise to survive, so I was looking around again and ended up at Reboost PT. I love that my back doesn't hurt when I wake up in the morning. The coach watched every move carefully, kept asking whether it hurt or felt uncomfortable, and raised the level little by little. So muscles I never used got worked and felt great, and my back pain improved so fast I could feel it right away. It was the first time I felt exercise was really working.

When I ask questions mid-workout, the coach explains very kindly and in an easy-to-understand way, so I learn a lot, and it's a great place to start enjoying exercise.

I'm not even a three-days-and-quit person; I was the type who always said "I'll start tomorrow" and never started. So I'm amazed that the day has come when I work out hard without missing a single day.

Once my basic condition improves, I think I'll be able to do a wider variety of exercises, but I'm going to take it slowly and not get greedy.

InBody measurement on the first consultation day

On my first consultation day I had an InBody (body composition) measurement, and seeing the results, I regretted letting myself go for so long.

Skeletal muscle mass and body fat mass are inversely related, so the more you work out, the more body fat drops and skeletal muscle rises. I'm so curious how they'll have changed after a while of exercising, and I'll work hard hoping for even a little change.

How do you book a one-day trial at Reboost PT Hongdae Branch?

You can book a one-day trial through Naver Place, and a simple walk-in consultation is also possible. If you're curious about Reboost PT, give the one-day trial a go.

Usually with anything you have to do it for a long time before you start to maybe feel some change, but I was so satisfied from the very first session at Reboost PT that I'm still going hard. Before, I paid over ₩2,000,000 in expensive lesson fees and got PT trainers who didn't watch my form and were on their phones... My pain only grew and I felt no results, so I quit even with sessions left. This place is definitely different.