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Every hour on the hour, between six in the morning and seven in the evening, the countdown starts on the digital clocks at the new Bigg in Alcabideche. Another group workout kicks off, with pop and techno pumping loud through the speakers and two trainers dishing out motivation and cues. Each participant—capped at 15 per session—gets a mat, weights, resistance bands, and, crucially, their phone right beside them showing the custom routine chosen for the day. That makes 55 minutes split across four blocks, working out side by side, yet each person with their own goals and exercises. Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one… let's do this.
Bigg was founded in Buenos Aires in 2013 and hasn't stopped expanding since: across South America—spanning Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru—there are already more than 50 clubs, plus one in Panama and nine in neighbouring Spain. On September 1, the brand arrived in Portugal, setting up shop at Espace Général (where we recently dropped by to discover dining project Barro and pilates studio Prescription), bringing along its novel pitch: bringing together the best of group fitness classes and the perk of personal training within the exact same session. Or, as their motto puts it, “individual goals, group training.”
Working with a good degree of autonomy, participants follow the exercises cued by the pre-installed app on their phones, which tailors routines based on an onboarding questionnaire about fitness baseline and personal goals—from building strength or muscle mass, to shedding weight, toning up, or simply improving health and well-being. The answers generate a program, with each four-block session breaking down into individual movements paired with short video clips to ensure proper form. Each at their own pace, each performing their own drills, everyone cycles through sets until the clock runs down. Five, four, three, two, one… onto the next block.
António Porto and Tomás Damião are the coaches steering us through this session—and they give zero leeway just because we're on reporting duty. The first and final blocks are shorter and more measured for everyone, dedicated to warmup and cooldown. But in blocks two and three, the tempo spikes, the work windows stretch, and the trainers are relentless, never dropping their infectious energy and promising that next time around, the Bigg method will feel like second nature.
Opening more locations across Portugal isn't on the cards just yet, but fostering a close-knit community in Alcabideche definitely is. Surrounded by several international schools and set alongside a diverse mix of neighbours (from restaurants and grocery spots to outdoor common areas), Bigg aims to draw both locals and expats of almost all ages. There are teen sessions for ages 14 and up, along with a lively social calendar. Since opening, they've already hosted Sunday mornings featuring yoga and ice baths, with community group runs lined up next.
Three, two, one… Time's up on a session that brought a journalist, a former pro athlete, and an aspiring Ironman into the same room, moving to the same beat under the same trainers. The timers reset to zero. In five minutes, a brand-new workout begins.
Rua Hermenegildo Pulquério, 201 A, Alcabideche. Mon-Fri 06.00-20.00; Sat 09.00-13.00. Prices on request