Four new Pilates classes to get you back in shape.

Reformer Jumpstart Class
This introductory class ($35) at Upside Motion familiarizes newbies with the reformer machine and the fundamentals of Pilates.

Vivafit Pilates
Women’s gym Vivafit’s new fourth outlet offers a range of 30-minute workout programs including Pilates ($29 upwards) for busy bees.  

XXX Men’s Pilates
Breathe Pilates’ group class ($31 upwards) for men moves at a faster pace, providing a full-body workout that focuses on improving core strength and flexibility.

Jetset Recovery
Unwind with this invigorating two-hour session ($250) at Como Shambhala Urban Escape, which starts off with a Pilates (or yoga, your choice) session, followed by a 60-minute massage.


Beatriz Barreto from Upside Motion tells us more about the role of pilates in injury recuperation.

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Style Notes: i.t sale, Manicurious pop-up shop and more

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Nailing I.t
Ready your plastic: Multi-label boutique i.t is now having its first sale storewide. Get $40 off with $200 spent, $80 off with $350 spent and $180 off with $500 spent (that’s at least 20% off your bill if you do the math!).
 
Buy Curious

Topics: 
shopping
Author: 
Crystal Lee
Issue Date: 
2013 Aug 29 - 23:00
Images: 
i.t, Singapore
Cumulus x Manicurious, Singapore
adidas Originals x Bedwin, Singapore
Patrick Owen; Mythology, Singapore

Can’t get out of the office? Here are some exercises you can do right at your desk.

Neck Rotation
Sit up straight in a chair. Turn your head to the extreme right and return it to normal position; then turn to the extreme left and return to normal again. Repeat four times. “Turning the head to the sides helps to contract the muscles and returning to normal position helps to relax them. This exercise also helps prevent headaches, since the nerves and blood vessels in the neck go to the head and brain,” says a spokesperson from True Yoga.

Hip Flexor Stretch
From a lunge position, gently place one knee on the ground (on top of a towel or cushion if it hurts the knee). Keep the front knee at 90 degrees, abs braced for a punch, and glutes (butt) activated. Push the hip with the lowered knee down and forward, and get a tremendous stretch on the front of the hip. “This stretch helps you work on the common muscular imbalances that most desk-bound people have,” says Ian Tan of Ritual.

Scapular Retraction
Pull your shoulders back and feel the scapular pinching towards each other, then release. “Prolonged use of computer also results in rounding forward of our shoulders, putting strain on our shoulders as well as neck and upper back. By retracting our scapular, we open up our chest and release the tension in the neck and upper back,” says Dr. Deborah Wong of Breathe Pilates.

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Crystal Lee checks out the growing interest in corporate fitness programs.

We all know sitting at our desk for too long is bad for us, but according to Ian Tan, founder of hip, no-nonsense circuit gym Ritual, the consequences can be a lot worse than just a stiff neck. Says Tan, “We aren’t designed to sit for hours a day. We are designed to move. What comes are a slew of bodily aches on areas like the lower back, neck and shoulders. Combine this with poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, and stress from work and personal life, you’re asking for some serious health problems in the future.”

Because of this, an increasing number of companies are seeking out Tan and others like him for help getting their employees on a healthier track.

Of course, there are costs involved: hiring a trainer, arranging for classes and some working hours traded for exercise. But money needn’t be a bar, thanks to initiatives like the Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) Grant that helps organizations fund fitness and health programs. All Singapore-registered companies with at least five paid employees can get up to $10,000 for sports programs, covering up to 50% of the total cost.

Global tech company Tigerspike is one of the organizations who see the benefits of fitter, healthier staff. They offer their teams Bootcamps every week at Hong Lim Park, led by trainer Saudi Tan from Fuelfit, who incorporates various fitness components include cardiovascular, strength, power, balance and flexibility training in the sessions. “Bootcamp was first introduced in our Sydney headquarters and is now a global tradition for our seven offices,” says account executive Cheng Ying Han. “Everyone loves it and it’s a great way to bond a team while doing something beneficial for the mind and body. Fuelfit’s price point, exercise style and enthusiasm are all the reasons why we chose them as our long-term fitness partner.”

Some organizations opt for classes within their workplace to encourage attendance. “We provide mat Pilates classes in a meeting room for a specific department at Advance Holdings,” says Dr. Deborah Wong of Breathe Pilates. “As with all groups, the first 10 sessions focus on getting them to do the essential level exercises well. In the studio, classes can be segregated into different levels but with office groups there are people of various levels and abilities, so accommodations and progressions have to be planned ahead.”

And others eschew providing fitness programs in favor of giving employees a gym or fitness allowance: “One of our corporate clients, a tech company, provides staff a gym and fitness studio reimbursement of up to $200 a month, with a list of participating studios for them to choose from. Employees often join the same studio as a department. After all, we all need a workout buddy and someone to pull us out of the office chair and get into our workout wear. Working out as a team also helps to cultivate bonding outside of the workplace,” says Beh Hwee Sze, director of Upside Motion.

Whatever their chosen method, the motivation behind companies setting up corporate fitness programs for their employees is pretty clear. “Health is wealth. Training as a team provides brain stimulation, improves productivity, and boosts morale. And there’ll be less MCs!” says Ben Salter, fitness manager at Pure Fitness.


Can’t get out of the office? Do these exercises right at your desk.

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Local digital tools that make it easy for you to do good, whether it’s volunteering, raising funds or simply saving energy.

ECo Challenge
This fun iPhone app by local startup intraix and the South West Community Development Council (CDC) helps households monitor and reduce energy consumption while rewarding users for being energy efficient. A series of simple challenges, like setting the air-conditioner at 25 degrees Celsius, is updated weekly and points are earned when you complete a mini-game, or when your household successfully lowers energy consumption for the month.

One Cent Movement
You won’t feel so bad about splurging on goods online with the soon-to-be released Chrome plugin for this homegrown initiative, which rounds up your expenditure to the nearest dollar at checkout and donates the difference to charity. Submit your email address to be notified when the beta version is ready.

President’s Challenge Volunteer Drive
Annual charity campaign President’s Challenge has joined forces with local tech-social startup Start Now to launch this new web portal that collates volunteering opportunities from hundreds of non-profit and voluntary welfare organizations island-wide. How it works: Sign up and login via Facebook, register for and get notified of events that match your preferences. The user-friendly site also allows participants to form interest groups, post pictures and view their activity history.

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