Teaching Schedule

Privates and Corporate Classes/ Events by Appointment only.
Email mobility.fitness.pilates@gmail.com.

Studio base: Pilates Passion (Bukit Timah Plaza) & Ilies Soma (Holland Village) 

Physio base: Physio Dynamics @ TripleOne Somerset

Home visits available.
For Guild House classes, please liaise directly with the Sports Administrator. 

Teaching group classes at:

Mondays

6pm | Reformer Starter (Virgin Active, DUO Galleria)

7.15pm | Reformer Beginner
-- slight changes for Oct-Nov '19, then resume back--

Tuesdays

12nn | Reformer Intermediate (Virgin Active, DUO Galleria)

Thursdays

7.30am | Reformer Classical (Virgin Active, Holland Village)

8.30am | Reformer Intermediate

Fridays

12.15pm | Reformer Beginner (Virgin Active, Marina One)

1.10pm | Reformer Intermediate

Saturdays
11am | Pilates: Core Strength (NUSS Mandalay Guild House)
12nn | Pilates (Back to Basics)

Sundays 

9am | Pilates: Core Strength (NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House)

Journey of a Pilates Teacher

It's been almost 7 years since I embarked on this journey of teaching pilates... I reckon I would prefer to be identified as a movement teacher who exemplifies mobility and strength through controlled yet power movements... I've been really blessed to meet great teachers over the course of my journey who inspire me to be better than who I was (each time).

My teachers (from left, clockwise): Pilates Elder Mary Bowen who was briefly in Singapore to teach a couple of workshops, showing the long-lasting integrated strength at the age of 85 years; Madeline Black who continues to inspire me with immense passion and conviction to her work; Michael Watson (Anatomy Trains) who always amazes me how connected and amazing our bodies are; Emily Splichal who taught me so much about the foot and the importance of our foundation from the ground up; and Portia Page and Joy Karley whom I have learnt so much from workshops.

    

Thank you Zohreh for bringing Mary Bowen to Singapore!

   

At the Foundation (Essentials) stage of the ASTI program: Legs & Arches

   

So much fun, so much knowledge gained from a week with dearest Madeline Black.

The best part of my job? Learning never ends, because there's so much more to learn. 

Science evolve, the body changes, our environment changes...

Education/ Credentials:

• Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) Graduate (National University of Singapore)
• Specialist Diploma in Sports & Exercise Science (Republic Polytechnic Singapore)
• EIM Singapore Registered Allied Professional (Changi General Hospital)
• Certified STOTT Pilates® Mat, Reformer, Chair, Cadillac & Barrels
• Certified STOTT Pilates® Injuries & Special Populations
• Certified EBFA Barefoot Specialist (Level 2)
• Certified FRCms (Functional Range Conditioning)
• Trained Balanced Body Pilates® (Comprehensive)
• Trained STOTT Pilates® Advanced Mat & Reformer

Mentored by:

• STOTT Pilates® Lead IT (Aust) Chael Hilton (Dec 2015)
• "Gather" (2018) & "Encompass" (2019) by Madeline Black
• Pat Guyton Pilates Conservatory (Summer 2019)

Other includes:

• Anatomy Trains (ASTI Program; Essentials)
• Certified Total Gym® Gravity
• Certified CrossCore® RBT
• Kinetic Link Training Level 1
• ZEN∙GA™ Mat Foundation (under Merrithew™)
• Myofascial Techniques (Presented by Penny Elliot)
• Self-Myofascial Release Technique (Equatorial Adventures)
• Pre-/ Post- Rehab Certified (FIT Singapore)
• Pre-/ Post- Natal Certified (FIT Singapore)
• Trained in Xtend Barre®
• Trained in Peak Pilates Chair
• willPower & grace® (Phase I & II)
• Trained in MOTR^TM
• Trained in Bodhi Suspension System^TM

Pilates for Kids

With more exposure to Pilates as a form of exercise amongst the adult population, I find that there is also an increasing awareness for kids too, if they're typically involved in sports at school. 

In recent years, I have had the opportunity to train kids as young as 10 yo; and to my surprise, synchronized swimming has become such a popular sport with teenage girls, other than netball and volleyball. The boys are more into racket sports like badminton and tennis, or soccer. I mean, WHY NOT? At this age, kids should be out playing sport instead of facing the computer/ IPad.

Below illustrates briefly a child's motor skill development process:

But really, this post came about because today my client asked me for help about training her teenage girl who enjoys synch swimming so much, she wants to improve in her sport (O what tender age 💖) but has been really upset that whenever her coach tries to stretch her (like a reverse pancake), she cries in pain (poor girl). 

This is probably the 4th kid (whom I've encountered for water sports) and I honestly think kids these days have a mix sense of adult instincts to thrive and compete- well I didn't when I was that age HAHA. I think the beauty of synch swimming especially- it's a mix of the fun of gym, the aesthetics of dance, and the athletics of diving and playing in the water. 

I personally feel that while flexibility is a plus at that age, there's a need for purposefully guiding them to know and understand their bodies better. This would mean they can enjoy their sport(s) and stay off the injury zone. While I prefer to teach young adults past 16yo, I am equally glad to empower kids who start from zero to be inspired to participate in a sport and eventually get stronger. 🙂

Furthermore, as Celeste and Howard mentioned in this video (PLEASE WATCH!), 9yo is the peak of a kid's neurological state, and from experience, they really pick up movements fast. "Fun and interactive" is probably the most important element when structuring for a program for teenagers. 

In time to come, I think it will be pretty exciting to see how Pilates will eventually unveil a myriad of benefits and opportunities for kids and sports, and sports for kids, and more. Truly.

Reflection

The past few months was like a nightmare. I wouldn't like to say this BUT my mom was right about me being too trusting and giving people way too many ideas. (Well, I always choose to find that element of good in people I meet along the way...)

Firstly I must be thankful that I haven't lost friends whom I had introduced Jamie Foo and I Rene Pung to, and thankfully it was only a brief period of encounter with them. Somehow introducing them to each other was the best chemistry that happened- they somehow clicked. Good for them.

Secondly, so glad to have my life back and training, heading outdoors. I so absolutely miss that!!

Lastly, although I had built up the brand name Pilatesoulfit for 5 years, I had SO stupidly offered to let I Rene have it to build her business upon. People say, the hardest thing is to let go. Truly. But it has to come, and Rozanne was right.

That being said, I have no more links to Pilatesoulfit. May God bless your steps.

Strategies to train for Endurance Sports

I am really grateful that Jeri and COS Coaching Colin have agreed to do this event together.

I always believe that sports and Pilates are complementary to each other. Pilates shouldn't be done only after an injury arise, but as a maintenance of one's joint mobility and strength, and muscular elasticity. I am always very excited to explain to people the beauty of doing Pilates- well cos it's just so logical and useful. It's so sciency, I get nerdy. 🤣

So this is really an event I look forward to!! Also very thankful for clients who believe in me and share this same passion for the challenge of the sport. I really hope that this event will provide consumers (aka potential runners and triathletes, people who have left the sport for some reason..) with the knowledge to better prepare for their races/events.

Please click on the link to sign up!
http://ptix.at/Z4yiJC

31st August | Saturday | 2-5pm
Core Collective Dempsey
ONLY $20 for a reformer class (limited to 6 spots) and $12 for a mat class (limited to 15 spots)!

Training for 113 Aquathlon

Last Friday night after bible study we had some time for fellowship and in the midst of discussion about the unearthly swim squad my swim coach organized, I realized I could well head into the pool at the same time without the mind boggle to set my head in its place. 🤣

So because I was honestly inspired to do so, I'd posted I was back in action for my first swim the next day and my friend said about joining the 113 Aquathlon. (Aiks!) So I did (has she?). I sure hope so... We are going to attempt the standard distance excluding the bike leg, so that would give me an opportunity to fine tune my swim technique and probably improve on my run before I decide if I would join the standard distance triathlon... (next year?), but out of the blue yesterday I got volunteered to participate in Ironman (70.3) events next time.. (SURE.) 

To cut the story short, my intention for this post is to establish my (training) periodization program. When I sign up for events, I always plan for success (to complete comfortably) even if competition is secondary. I feel that keeps me in the game for a longer period of time, and to understand the athletes under my charge better.

So because I have exactly 3 months before the race on 20th October, an initial goal/training platform (mesocycle) would look something like that:

• first month (20/7-20/8): work on 5-km runs (current at 27min, aim to complete 5km in 25min), progressively maintaining speed for an increment of 500m; fine tune swim technique (currently employing the total immersion swim style) and work my way back up to 1-km consecutive laps.
• ~1 week recovery, maintain routine of regular Pilates practice and strength training^ and complete a short brick at the end of recovery week (25/8): 5-km run, 750-m swim

So exciting. I always believe in the potential of marrying sports training and Pilates for athletic conditioning!

Alright! Off to train! 

A renewed mind

I taught my first class today after almost a month of retreat to Boulder to recharge, and learn from the teacher mentor, Pat.

I was hoping for some time to sit myself down and do class plans on how I would integrate concepts into my current classes. That didn't materialize of course, of all things I had to do (or chose to do)- I shouldn't give myself excuses. I was playing out ideas in my mind, with no skeleton program in my head, just a bag of exercises. How would I inject that life into classes?

Although I'm not feeling like I just got hit with a hard rock, I'm certainly not 100% present in my head space. I don't know how I'd thought my class was at 12.15pm instead of noon! Thankfully I am usually early otherwise... DEAD. But because of that, I was focused not to complicate things, and just work on the fundamentals - keeping simple. I listened to my own words (I tried to), I injected in concepts (as Pat taught) to exercises they already knew and linked the pieces together for them. I stayed on to help Ailin understand better then essence of footwork - she didn't feel her knees as she usually did (she has hereditary osteoarthritic knees) and when she focused on drawing in from the hip joints, she felt the work coming from her deep core. 😍

Back to the usual Pilates practice with my mates every Tuesday. We did exercises on the chair. It feels like Pat's voice was still resounding in my head, reminding me how the body should be moving, and logically making sense why I am feeling that way. It clicked. I'm happy. I think many times that heartfelt sense of achievement and understanding show. I think my friends know. I think I say it too much sometimes.

Sometimes you can't hide joy. I am grateful, and excited at the same time. What more will it unveil? It's only the beginning, my gosh. Suddenly 7 years of teaching Pilates doesn't count at all.... The scientist in me says, "keep questioning". That's the beauty of this work. ♡

It's been a week!

and particularly today, I began to think "How am I going to integrate Pat's teaching into my work?" She makes things simple enough to understand, to feel. How would I convey the same information to my clients without shortchanging them the information that they need to know?

The simplest answer I got was to practice- to embody my practice as a student. I cannot be more grateful to have Pat mentor me, and guide me along this journey to be a better teacher.  Her deep conviction touched my heart and inspires me. There always comes a point in time, a phase in your journey, a particular kind of teacher resonates deeply into your heart who brings out an element in you that you desire to be. 

For me, it's not just about exercise choreograph or exercises, but the meaning and intention- "the life" you give these exercises... Such make me think and connect deeper into what the body needs to stay mobile.

It would be my desire to learn her work well and pass on the torch...

Sharing is Loving

I missed "International Pilates Day" while on vacation.

But.. every day can be "Pilates Day". Every day we celebrate the opportunity to be able to give while we can, learn while we can, and love while we can. I consider myself one of the few super blessed- to be able to do work that I enjoy which challenges me in many aspects, and one that takes out the element in me that would otherwise be subdued (due to my personality trait).

I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Decathlon to conduct a workshop last night at their City Square Mall branch. They sponsored the door gift that included the props that I had selected for the class. Participants were surprised and delighted to receive their goodybags!

Thank you all who made time to come, and hope everyone took away ideas on how to use these really useful and portable props at home and in their offices!!

Finding peace in the mountains

Thankful for a weekend of retreat into the (tropical) mountain teehee.

March has concluded and April is about to unfold. There were moments when there were too many thoughts, and also times when the mind just feels completely blank. I guess that happens to everyone. Well, it did give me an opportunity to reflect on my life at this point in time.

This is the second time I'm scaling Gunung Lambak- and we did 2 circuits up and down again. As before, we took the raw climbing route the second time again... Felt like a rock climbing + jungle adventure, getting on my hands and taking huge giant steps up. I can't say it got any easier, but surely we did shave off 1/3 of the time we took previously from 6h to 4h.

  

Although I haven't ran a lot recently as compared to the same period last year... because this half of the year I'm preparing for multisport events vs last year I was dedicated to train for my first trail 42km... I must say the cross trainings I've had in the first quarter of this year have prepped my joints well for the ROM I needed for my adventures! (AHA, perspectives)  

As a trainer, I realize for sure, giving my joints the right preparation, stimulus and load they require helped me to take on my activities with more ease (no one said it would be easy anyway!) When I think back about the clients under my charge, that's also my hope for them- to be able to enjoy their hobbies, take on their personal adventures, perform in their sports knowing that they have PREPARED for it. Of course, no one can predict an injury, but better prepared joints have shown to have greater recovery rates.

Most people are afraid of down slopes because they feel that would hurt their joints (more specifically their knees) but they fail to realize the truth is our joints/bodies are meant to move. The most obvious reason for joint pains, other than being clinically diagnosed of bone growth/ arthritis, is that our muscles are not performing their functions on our bones to move it.

I'd posted earlier on my vision as a trainer for my clients. I thought about it on my trails. I'm glad I had this thought/ goal/ mission at the back of my head. It really sets the tone of the structure of your programs for your charges. I never wanted them to fear, fear movement? WHY? I want to empower them with movement. That's possibly the best gift I can give them in my journey as a teacher - to find their own journey. Everyone's journey is different, we need to respect that.

We all have a destination, everyone do Pilates for their own personal reasons. It could be flexibility and mobility, a less impact form of strength training, cross training for sports etc. I respect that. My clients who have stayed with me for years are always amazed how revisiting basic exercises can add a new dimension of challenges. More specifically, my utmost priority is to address your needs (especially if you have an injury- for me to get you out of pain zone as quickly as possible; if you are training for a sporting event, for me to get your joints organized, and give you eccentric strength capacity to take load from your trainings out there..).. Understanding, for me is more important to your learning. Fancy exercises are secondary.

I think at the end of the day, life is just like climbing a mountain or performing a sport. It may seem like a common destination/ stroke, but if it was tracked very specifically by a sensor, there's no one path that is the same for everyone, likewise, the most successful shot has the most variability.

I choose my teachers very wisely because I take charge of my education and understanding is very important for me to impart to people I train. I find that these days people do not take charge of their own journeys and hardly ever appreciate the rigor of their sporting endeavors to take care of their bodies. If there was anything to take away, we need to respect ourselves for where we are now and chart our own successes, with the right resources.

5 years down the road

5 years ago, I wrote myself a mission.. how I envision things to work out... a coaching style that speaks of me... a method that describes how I train clients.

I'd actually forgotten about it.
Until I was trying to sort out my drive.
I've never shown anyone.
My mom is the first person I'd decided to show today.
She asked "why haven't you shown anyone this, perhaps you should. Then they know you care."

Love and care come from the heart, spoken less felt more.

So this was what I had back then, and it enlightened me that truly keeping to what holds true in my heart have helped me achieve this (I have to say) for all my clients who have stayed with me. Thank you for believing in me.

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<< The Pilates Journey >>

Stage	Goal	Est. # of sessions	Recommended Frequency
Stage 1: Getting To Know	Understand the fundamental principles of Pilates, have an appreciation for the method. What Pilates is about and how it will change your perspective about fitness and health, and your body. “The mind, when housed within a healthful body possesses a glorious sense of power.”	Approximately 3 months	2-3 x a week
Stage 2: Trying/ Beginning To Understand		Approximately 3-5 months	twice a week
From experience, people who practice consistently for a year start to notice changes in their bodies, develop a different perspective about their individual fitness program, and start taking charge of their lifestyles. It is my success as a coach for you to pass this phase.
Stage 3: Incorporating Pilates into Daily Life	Having the spatial and body awareness to take principles into daily activities and other fitness programs. Performing exercises with proper alignment and posture in a balanced manner. “Pilates develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit.”	depends on individual	twice a week
Stage 4: The Empowered Self	Knowing your body, having the ability to be pain-free and perform exercises safely. “Pilates is the complete coordination of mind, body and spirit.”	depends on individual	minimally once a week (Pilates is a practice!)

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