Workout with professional trainers at JW Marriott Seoul

It’s hot, it’s humid and you find yourself too tired after work to even head out to the gym and run a few laps on a treadmill to refresh your mind and body.

When lacking self-motivation and self-esteem in the summer, maybe it is time to try exercising with a professional to guide and push you, and help you regain your confidence.

Working out with a personal trainer is obviously more expensive than doing it yourself at a fitness center in your neighborhood. But trainers can not only provide health advice, but also can introduce new exercise routines and correct your workout form -- something you can’t do perfectly exercising alone.

With a view over a pool in the third-level basement, the 24-hour fitness center at JW Marriott Seoul in Seocho-gu offers an intimate training service through the hotel’s My Body Bible program.

JW Marriott Seoul’s fitness center (JW Marriott Seoul)

For about an hour, its trainers will begin teaching and helping you stretch your body to see where your muscles feel tight, and move on to basic fat-burning ab crunches and leg raises in three to four sets of about 15 repetitions, catching your breath for a second or three in between. But a personal trainer will always test your limits by pushing you to do more than the basic sets of routines, while adjusting your movement.

After some basic training, trainers will introduce some advanced power-building and full-body workouts such as kettlebell swings, giving trainees constant attention closely by their side, counting off the numbers and challenging them to do more.

In this circular-shaped gym with a tracking course, you can either jog around the center or use one of about 100 cardio machines to further improve your aerobic endurance and burn calories.

Available until the end of next month, the My Body Bible package includes a one-night stay in one of the hotel’s Superior rooms with a 50-minute one-to-one training session at Marquis Thermal Spa and Fitness Club, as well as a personal lesson in your choice of a Pilates, squash or golf.

All guests choosing the package can also use the hotel’s swimming pool complex, which includes a therapy pool with natural spring water. The package is priced from 302,000 won ($255), plus tax and service charge. For more information, call (02) 6282-6282.

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)

This is the second installment of a summer trilogy featuring local hotels with sports getaway attractions. ― Ed.