Before you train, get to know your body
Plenty of people decide to start exercising, only to hold back with thoughts like "I'm worried about my lower back" or "my shoulders are so stiff I can't move the way I want to in the first place." You also often hear of people who threw themselves into strength training on a whim and ended up hurting themselves instead.
Dand.A (pronounced "danda"), a 4-minute walk from Nishi-Shinjuku Station, is a private gym suited precisely to people with worries like these. It combines specialist knowledge of training instruction with the treatment knowledge of an osteopathic clinic to put together a training plan tailored to the condition of each person's body.
80% of its members had no training experience when they started, and women make up about half of the membership.
Training in partnership with an osteopathic clinic
Dand.A works with an osteopathic clinic, and its trainers, who have experience and qualifications as bodywork practitioners or therapists, start by identifying the issues in your body. The idea is to look for the cause of the aches and discomfort you have now, then improve how the body itself functions by training while correcting muscles that are too tense or that you're no longer using properly.
Loosening your muscles with massage and the like brings relief in the moment. But if a way of working that keeps you seated all day doesn't change, things often go back to how they were within a few days. That's exactly why, the gym says, it's important to build the habit of moving your body in daily life and create a body that can stand up to stress and fatigue.
Sessions center on strength training with dumbbells, barbells and machines, with about 4 to 6 exercises each time. You won't be pushed into workouts that are too hard. A trainer coaches you one-on-one at an intensity that suits you. Some of the trainers hold certifications from the NSCA, an international organization for strength and conditioning professionals.
Who it suits
- You want to lose weight or shape your body.
- You want to fix aches and pains such as stiff shoulders or lower back pain at the root.
- You want to improve your performance in a sport you play for fun, such as golf.
- You have no exercise experience and feel nervous about going to a gym on your own.
Designed to be easy to keep coming
So that it's easy to drop in after work or between business trips, Dand.A is open every day of the year, from 9:00 to 22:00.
- Fully private rooms: There are several training rooms, so you can train without worrying about anyone around you.
- Come empty-handed: Socks, shoes and towels can be borrowed for free, and you can leave your workout clothes at the gym at no charge.
- A café-like lounge: A calm space that changes the often sterile image of a gym.
- No hard sell: The gym states clearly that even after a counseling session, it won't pressure you to sign up.
Courses and prices
There's no joining fee (¥0). Prices for the most affordable option, the Light Course, are as follows (per month, tax included).
| Plan | 4 sessions a month | 8 sessions a month | 12 sessions a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short (60 min) | ¥33,000 | ¥62,700 | ¥91,080 |
| Regular (75 min) | ¥44,000 | ¥83,600 | ¥122,760 |
| Perfect (90 min) | ¥55,000 | ¥104,500 | ¥153,120 |
The 90-minute Perfect plan is for people who want "conditioning" to improve physical problems over the medium to long term, on top of full-body training. There are also more intensive courses that include diet management, and plans for training as a pair. The more affordable plans don't include dietary guidance, but the training instruction itself is the same.
If you're thinking of joining, there are two ways to get started.
- Free counseling (60 min): An introduction to the gym and a chance to talk about your goals and any concerns about your body.
- Trial training (75 min, ¥1,100): If you join on the same day, the trial fee is refunded.
For working people
The longer you spend sitting at work, the more likely you are to drift away from exercise while living with stiffness and pain. Dand.A's approach of checking the cause of the pain while training at a manageable intensity could be a good first step for anyone who thinks, "I want to exercise, but I'm worried about my body."
Shop information
- Name
- Private Gym Dand.A Nishi-Shinjuku
- Address
- 7-20-11 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 (西新宿AIビルB1F)
- Nearest station
- 4 min. walk from Nishi-Shinjuku Sta. / 7 min. walk from the West Exit of Shinjuku Sta.
- Opening hours
- 9:00–22:00
- Closed
- Open every day of the year
- Reservations
- Form on the official website (in Japanese), LINE or phone (03-4570-1364)
- Website
- dand-a.jp
Sources
This article was put together by our editors from the following publicly available information (as of October 30, 2026). Prices and opening hours may change, so please check the official website for the latest information.
- Dand.A official website (shop information, prices and courses, who it's recommended for, FAQ)
- Karada Works success stories
