THE CLASS-IFIEDS.

Your Guide to the Hong Kong Health, Fitness and Wellness Community.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Bodywize Retreat Spa

HAPPY NEW YEAR, CRUISERS! May all the fitness fun and happy, healthy living continue on into 2016. From the bottom of our hearts, we here at ClassCruiser would like to thank you for your continued support and genuine interest in the growing wellness community in our great city, Hong Kong.

Recently, we introduced you to one of our partners, Bodywize Yoga, which offers aerial yoga classes. For a double whammy, we suggest unwinding (no pun intended) from hanging upside down in those silks with a world-class treatment at their award-winning spa, most conveniently located just two floors below!

The always-warm-and-lovely owner, Lisa Mak, kindly answered more questions for us, and we captured some snaps of the gorgeous environment to better accompany her words with too.

Hi Lisa! Great to have you again. Please refresh our readers' memories by describing your involvement in the fitness and wellness sector.

My role is a spa director, boutique yoga owner and devoted yoga practitioner. I have always maintained the passion to combine the concepts of wellness and aesthetic beauty into a spa.

How long have you had Bodywize Yoga + Retreat for?

Bodywize Day Spa first opened in 2004 on Sing Woo Road in Happy Valley. After 2 years, we opened another branch nearby—Retreat@Bodywize, a zen-style, tranquil, and peaceful spa sanctuary. In 2008, Bodywize launched its own Yoga studio on Wong Nai Chung Road, again in Happy Valley. And by the end of 2013, we found this new and exciting flagship location in the heart of Causeway Bay which best suits Bodywize’s concept, combining spa and wellness services. 2014 was the year for Bodywize, as it has revolutionized itself ever since the relocation, inspired by what we’ve learned from the past, using this information to help better serve the clients in Causeway Bay.

When did you decide to incorporate the two, and why?

I’d always dreamed of opening the flagship [Bodywize premier spa and wellness] but the powers that be would not allow me to create something like this before. I realized “pretty” isn’t just about a look but it’s also the way we feel about ourselves. My first experience with yoga took me into a space which connected my mind, body and spirit, where I could see myself more clearly. I am glad this happened to me. My passion is to simply make people beautiful so they can regain their confidence and stay healthy and strong.

What is something unique about your spa that sets Bodywize apart from other spas in the city?

Our therapists make it personal and they tune into the clients, performing professional treatments that are personalized to respond to the ever-evolving rhythm of our life and ever-changing nature of our skin. The choices we make everyday: how to react to stress, when to relax, what kind of food nutrition to intake—these are all part of the equation to living a more consistent, balanced, happier life. We want to show our clients the path to complete health and optimal beauty. The treatments are designed to support great skin health, to respect that skin is alive. No two skins are the same. Our spa therapy is shaped and moduled around the client. Bodywize is comitted to provide the best possible experience to my clients.

Do many of your clients visit both the Yoga and the Retreat parts of Bodywize?

As for the yoga members, they often do regular exercise to decrease bouts of depression. When they exercise and sweat, this process can help clean out pores. The spa brings our members one step further on their ultimate goal to achieve a balanced life with consistency. Our spa treatments are designed to deliver focused results, relaxation and restoration.

I often ecourage my spa clients to meditate or do some form of relaxation for every day. Developing ritualistic daily habits of relaxing and exercising can be very beneficial to our emotional health. Many of our spa clients have joined our yoga studio as well, so it is with certainty that they are receiving all of these great benefits.

What is your most popular treatment?

Our most popular treatment is called the “Red Carpet Treat” which just received the “Medi-Spa Treatment of the Year 2015,” presented by the Asia Spa Awards.

How do you decide which treatments to feature at the spa?

Our customers always want a fast and comfortable treatment within 2 hours, through which they can achieve a shiny and glowing effect with improved results both on skin texture and pore size, with rapid face firming. Every treatment is designed to offer efficient outcomes within a reasonable time frame. We use powerful massage sequences and the most potent actives at Retreat Spa.

Where do you find your spa technicians?

We recruit spa therapists and professionals who have had years of work experience specifically conducted in resorts and beauty spas from all around the world. We also welcome very well-groomed applicants with a strong desire to enter the spa and wellness industry.  

What kind of people would you recommend your spa to, and why?

People are different; they react differently to stressful situations. For those who have suffered from stress before, it becomes chronic—we see there is an immediate relief from tension after treatment every time. A long life of serenity and beautiful, healthy skin is not something unachievable; Bodywize helps the client to live with a balanced, and sustainable lifestyle.

How often do you treat yourself to a pampering?

I go at least once or twice a year to get that travel experience of magic and tranquility. Imagine a secluded bay and bird sanctuary on the coastline! Our clients can unwind on the sun terrace, relax in our rain showers, or drink mint tea to the call to prayer and feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of life [in Hong Kong]. Enjoy a daily relaxing treatment to cleanse and invigorate. End a day with gentle yoga and breathing classes and new travel experiences. I do need my little breaks away from the usual routine of life and I am happy every time I get there.

Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it? Hard to believe that a sanctuary of this capacity is located smack dab in the middle of one of the most fast-paced and frenzied pockets of any city in the world.

To find your happy place, your sanctuary, your special place “away from it all” without physically having to leave the city, visit Bodywize Retreat Spa now.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Optimum Performance Studio

Optimum Performance Studio has got it all: high-performance training machines, the means to educate you on how to use them, classes for the masses, multiple outlets plus space for rent to boot.

Kevin Rushton is the humble and passionate soul behind the business, which began as a retail facility but has since grown over the decade-plus that it’s been around in this city to become the training studio (for both trainers and trainees) and educational platform that it has more recently developed into.

Hi Kevin! Please tell us a bit about yourself. I'm from Nova Scotia in Canada, just outside of Halifax in Oxford. I moved here in 1992 to work on the YMCAs in TST for 9 years. I was only supposed to be here for 2 years but obviously enjoyed it so I ended up staying—and here I am 24 years later! What happened after your stint with the YMCA? After that, I worked for an American fitness manufacturer over 3 years and oversaw 5 regions in Asia. It was a cardio and strength equipment company based out of California. I oversaw the physical fitness section: sports recreation, outdoor camping, aquatics, and corporate wellness. I've always been involved in fitness.

My passion is in fitness organization, education, and training. 

How did you turn that passion into a business? My business partner and I opened Oasis Fitness in 2001. We represent a number of fitness products i.e. TRX, Viper, Triggerpoint, Free Motion, Balance Body, and Power Plate. A lot of the things we have in here we actually distribute in Hong Kong. It's like a storage room! When did you decide to open OPT? We opened the studio in 2005. Part of the reason we decided to open it was because there was a gap between selling the equipment and training people on how to use it. We started with the 2nd floor in 2005; 2 years later we gained access to the 1st floor, and in 2009 we gained access to part of the 3rd floor. 2011 was when we got the full 3rd floor. TST has 1 floor (3,000 sq. ft.) and opened in 2013.

What is OPS? It is a functional training studio where personal trainers, Pilates, and other instructors can rent space. We are a venue for hire. We don't employ anyone aside from reception. We have a couple of physios who utilize some of our rooms for treatments. And the growing part of our business is training and education. We represent the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) now in Southeast Asia and have the partners in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, and Korea at the present. We pay trainers to teach these courses.

Do you guys ever close? We're pretty much open 7 days a week, but Sundays are used for training and education. How long are these courses? NASM is a 6-week certification. Most of our other courses like TRX, Viper, and PowerPlate are 1-day or 8-hour programs.

What do you do on your "off" time? My hobbies include ice hockey, mountain biking—I live on Lantau. That's relaxing for me!

We highly recommend popping by their multi-level facility located conveniently in Central the next time you’re in the area. Here at ClassCruiser, we’ve teamed up with them to offer you some awesome strength and conditioning classes which are just perfect ways to spend an hour to kickstart your week with a friend before grabbing a light dinner in the ‘hood afterwards!

And who knows, maybe you’ll get hooked enough to want to get your teaching certification! Wouldn’t that be peachy?

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Circuit25

There are people who like to work out alone (to them, the gym is not a social place nor a place to be seen) and then there are others still who like the motivational (and perhaps even slightly competitive) aspect of group training.

We love inspirational stories, and more than that, getting the chance to meet the voices behind them. It’s always the same good stuff you hear about and admire in these go-getters: strength, determination, willpower, and of course, patience. Proving that results really do happen over time if you set your mind to something, we met with Jeremy Lieberman; businessman by day, and fitness enthusiast...well, always! For him, Circuit25 quickly evolved from a mere curiosity to become a passion, a lifestyle—so much so, in fact, that when its original owner left the city, he asked Jeremy to carry the torch.

We’ll let him tell you more!

Hi Jeremy! Please tell us about yourself and how you got involved with Circuit25.

I came to Hong Kong 10 years ago a very unfit, unhealthy, 300-pound, cigarette-smoking, modern lifestyle-living person. When I started to get healthy I discovered Circuit25. Although I am in the restaurant business as a full-time career, I had become a great supporter of Circuit25 and became friendly with the founder, a gentleman named Davide Butson. Davide is a world-class triathlete; he is also a professional photographer, a graphic designer, and instructor; he was operating Circuit25 and I became one of "our" regular members. A couple of years ago, Davide relocated to New York and he asked me—based on my enthusiasm for our brand and our concept—to take over the management. What was your reaction? Thrilled! Because I was and still remain convinced that one of the future business opportunities lies in fitness, and there are a lot of things that I love about the Circuit25 model. I was very humbled to pick up the torch and carry it forward. What are your responsibilities now as the owner? Well, if you include the classes that I attend, I probably spend 8-10 hours a week in total in gauging Circuit25 business and fitness. For me, it's a part-time responsibility but it's a full-time commitment.

Do you have anyone else helping you? I manage the business side and I work hand in hand with a group of 4 or 5 of our regular trainers. Did you personally select the trainers? I inherited about half of them and the other half I've developed since I've taken over the brand. What IS Circuit25? Circuit25 is an outdoor group fitness experience. We have classes that range in size from 3 or 4 members up to 18 to 20 members depending on the time of year, the location, and the time of day. We have hour-long fitness classes that are full-body, outdoor, motivational group experiences. We focus 25 minutes on cardio and core, and we focus 25 minutes on strength training and stretching.

(Note: We realize that only adds up to 50 minutes, but they leave a bit of cushion time for everyone to arrive, get settled, and warm up!)

How did you discover it? Living in Hong Kong, I had seen some of the marketing material. The outdoor part of the workout really appealed to me; I went to my free trial on a Saturday afternoon and it was such a hard workout that I went home and fell asleep for 6 hours. I was unfit at the time but I was really touched by how the other members encouraged me to give it my best. And on my very first workout I knew that it was the kind of challenge that I needed to work on to be able to keep up with the team.

What kind of client base do you have coming through? We are a fitness experience that is geared to accommodate people of all fitness levels. When Circuit25 was first envisioned, it was a reaction to the CrossFit phenomenon, which is known for being super hardcore. And Davide wanted to be able to have a fitness group that anyone could join and be able to progress their ability. So, our members range from the unfit who want to become fit right through to people who have recently completed the New York Marathon; we have members that have just finished a 10k run around Angkor Wat; we have rugby players; we have fitness enthusiasts of all levels. We are a racially and culturally diverse team—we have local Hong Kong people, we have overseas Chinese people, members from Europe, from North America—from different parts of Asia! Generally, the youngest regular members are in their early 20s, although sometimes on the weekends our members who are parents will bring their children who will join the workout. I'm bringing up the rear end in my early 50s and several members are in their late 40s or early 50s. We tend to be 60% female, although there are classes that are overwhelmingly female sometimes. Somehow the boot camp phenomenon, as it's commonly understood, seems to appeal more to females. And that's a myth that I hope to continue to break down. I really find outdoor circuit training is appropriate for both sexes, and all ages. How long has Circuit25 been around for? We are 5 years old. It took about that long for Circuit25 to evolve from a small group that Davide was working out with/guiding to become a more gelled, organized structure.

Do you always meet in Vic Park? No, we also have regular classes on Bowen Road in the Midlevels as well as a popular class in Kowloon Park that's held in the mornings 3 days a week. Is this the only type of exercise you do? I work out with a PT once or twice a week too—and I surf! Working in the F&B industry, is it hard to remain disciplined with all the delicious food you are constantly surrounded by? The hardest thing I do is control my eating—and actually I don't do it well. I never have a hard time convincing myself to come to a workout but I have a really hard time being surrounded by good food; I have a hard time making good eating decisions. I'm much more disciplined when it comes to fitness than eating. And I'd like to think that my heavy fitness schedule compensates for my bad eating decisions/ideas.

We know how you feel, Jeremy! And we salute you for staying disciplined and maintaining your motivation—enough to accept taking over the business—all these years! Keep up the good work, and we hope to see you out on the concrete soon.

Come on, Cruisers! It’s for everyone, which means you!

For more information, visit their website.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Naturally Better Box

Hello, Cruisers! With the arrival of winter (finally!) in Hong Kong, we hope you’ve been keeping warm and snug indoors whilst maintaining that workout regime that you’ve been adhering to since summertime and the boom in the fitness scene ‘round these parts.

While we’re always honoured to introduce you to the various boutique studios and fitness-related businesses that the city has to offer, we’re also intent on acknowledging the vast number of healthy lifestyle startups that have appeared on the scene in coalition with the physical aspect of the industry.

Enter Naturally Better Box, the brainchild of Jenny Peikert and Yvonne Leung, two same-same-but-different friends who found their calling in the exponentially large demand for an answer to Hong Kong’s lack of proper knowledge in regards to corporate responsibility and environmental impact.

We caught up with Jenny at the Conrad (Christmas) fair to learn more about how important these oft-neglected details really are to our well-being.

Hi Jenny! Please tell us a bit about yourself. I was born in Canada but then moved to Hong Kong when I was 4 years old. I went to GSIS (German Swiss International School) at first because my dad insisted we'd only be here for 2 years. Turns out, 35 years later, we still haven't left. I ended up switching over to HKIS (Hong Kong International School) when I was 14 because I knew I wanted a career outside of Germany and if you're studying in German, it kind of limits you. I knew from a young age that I wanted to help people; I just didn't know what it meant or how I could do it. After studying Communications and Design at the University of Toronto, I moved to China where I studied Chinese. Whilst there, I started working at the American Chamber of Commerce, working in their corporate social responsibility department. Basically, what I did was connect corporations and NGOs and in doing so, I learned about both the corporate side (what they need...window dressing, PR) and the NGO side (investors to further their social/environmental cause). Fascinating! What happened from there? I moved from Shanghai to Beijing, where I spent the next 3 years with the Red Cross; I loved doing corporate social responsibility, and actually slept on a cough at their office while I worked with the blind. However, I began to get really sick from all the cobalt in the air pollution. I kept fainting and had shortness of breath. I found out I'm severely gluten-intolerant, I'm a celiac, to the point where I need an Epi-Pen. It took me three years to figure this out. I had to leave China and decided to return to Hong Kong, where I continued to work with big companies on corporate social responsibility (CSR), but we were working with these companies who only cared about how they looked to the public; they didn't actually care about how they integrated the CSR into their companies i.e. “How will we use our paper? What is the work-life balance for our employees? Is there an impact on our environment? Is there slavery in our supply chain?”

Can you elaborate on this frustration? Sure. Companies don't really care. "Employee Day" or "Plant-a-Tree Day" are not solutions. So with all my CSR work I started looking at products differently...take, for example, a candle: a lot of the time, there are sulphates and parabens in it and when they burn, they can irritate people—these sulfates can impact you. In your every day life, you're ingesting your surroundings...whether it's what you smell, what you put on your skin, what you eat. Unfortunately, there are so many nasty chemicals that can affect you.

So how did you meet Yvonne? Yvonne and I actually went to high school together, but because of how large HKIS is, we only really got to know each other in university when we would come back to visit our families here. After I came back from China in 2010, Yvonne was preparing to get married and soon after, became pregnant. All of a sudden, she was thinking about food and all these different things for her baby. She knew that I'd been struggling with health issues and that I am very diligent about finding products that don't impact the environment or its inhabitants, so we started talking, and all of a sudden, I realized that she wasn't the only one who was asking me all these questions. So I began to wonder if maybe there was an educational niche here; you walk into a lot of health food stores and most of the time, the clerks can't answer your questions of "Why?" Eventually, we sat down and  decided that we wanted to start a business together that was naturally better for the world in all ways!

When was this and how did the name come about? This was in March 2014 when we launched the company. We’d been thinking about the name for a long time and what we wanted to aim for, and it was always to make everything "naturally better," so we just added the word "box" to it because everything comes in a box. It made sense. We just really wanted to create something that—and we love hippie—would cater to the greater population. They come in really nice boxes, so they're stylish and reusable too!

How do you source your products? Obviously I had built up my own inventory of products over the years, but when Yvonne came into the picture, there were different needs. What were/are daily needs that we can address in a better way? From toothbrushes to the things, the way you eat, and really knowing what's in the product and where it comes from. It can be social media—often we'll come across things that way, or we love to engage with nutritionists and health-conscious people who we admire and often they'll just recommend products to us, as well as vendors who we really like and who they like to use. We predominantly work with other startups.

What kind of products do you offer mainly? Lifestyle products! Anything from a candle that you want to burn, to skin care, to household cleaning items, and food...although food is not our primary focus—there are other people out there who already do that. We'll maybe feature something we love that we've found through another startup who we like to support. Where do most of your products come from? Australia, because the certification laws are incredibly high compared to the U.S. Organic certification in the U.S. basically means as long as you're 40% (toxin-free) organic you can get approved, which does not meet our standards. We try to find Hong Kong companies that can offer us the standard of what we're looking for in these products and we're really excited to see that there are more and more people takiing initiative in this regard. We'd love to import from Europe but unfortunately that would drive the margin up so high because of the import cost.

What's your personal favourite product? Yvonne's? Mine is the Coal & Canary candles—Hot Barista! I love coffee. I don't drink a lot of it, but I love the smell! I take a sniff and it gives me my morning kick. Yvonne's is the Bambi & Sammi Hair Mask. It's salon-quality without all the nasties! One bag contains four servings. It's simply luxurious! How do you market yourselves? What are some struggles you've faced? Breaking into Hong Kong! Even though there's a rise in health consciousness, there isn't a sense of conscious consumption yet. Most people are brand-conscious, so getting them to think beyond the surface i.e. educating them on production and how it impacts YOU, that's something we're working on. There is this whole process that we go through in order to help these people. What are the next steps for you guys? We are now going to go into distributing the products that we sell, that we really believe in and that we want to share with other people. For example, this (Bambi & Sammi) hair mask—we want spas to carry it, so people can pamper themselves in a way that doesn't impact their environment or its inhabitants without the dangerous side effects to your health.

Also, pushing the art a little bit more! I design all of our cards and we'd like to offer these to the public along with customized illustrations.

These are truly two lovely, lovely girls who are working extremely hard to promote what, to them, is not simply a passing fad or an idea, but a true lifestyle—a way of living.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Bodywize Yoga

They say Causeway Bay is one of the most crowded areas in Hong Kong, made up of blocks of heavily built-up (and by up, we mean up) areas which make a very small chunk of the city seem endless in terms of sights, colours, smells, and sounds.

Enter Bodywize Yoga + Retreat, a relatively recent transplant (via Happy Valley next door) to a neighbourhood that is constantly evolving and continuously growing upwards rather than outwards. Nestled comfortably in the solid Cubus building at the edge of Hoi Ping Road, this award-winning wellness centre takes up real estate on the 1st and 3rd floors respectively. And it is truly as advertised, a genuine sanctuary in the midst of all the stress of the city life.

We spoke to the owner and a true example of the school of zen herself, Lisa Mak, to find out more about what this heavenly space has to offer in terms of yoga classes and spa services.

Hello Lisa! Please tell us a bit about yourself.  

I was born in Hong Kong but I lived in Australia for 16 years and then moved back to Hong Kong close to 12 years ago now.

What were you doing in Australia?

I had a spa and practiced yoga. I also got married there to an Australian.

How did you discover yoga and wellness?

It was there [in Australia] that I was first inspired about 15 years ago because the wellness and spa industry there was already developed quite maturely. I had a Swedish friend who I practiced yoga with and from there, I began to spend most of my waking hours thinking of how to create a beauty concept that would be connected to wellness.

So you came back and decided to open up a wellness sanctuary then?

Bodywize Day Spa was first opened here in 2004, at Sing Woo Road in Happy Valley. I designed a charming patio filled with amenitites that could serve as a warm weather getaway in the style of a backyard and it just naturally transformed into a relaxing retreat.  With the exception of hotel spas, there were no day spas that offered a luxurious space for practice of mindfulness and relaxation; in those days when I joined a yoga retreat, it was run with style and comfort in an incredible location, where I could reconnect with myself through spa treatments, yoga, nutrition, healing through Reiki and endless fun.

After a couple of years, success blossomed and we opened another spa just down the street—our style of zen plus the tranquil and peaceful sanctuary brought the ultimate antidote to Hong Kong’s high-stress lifestyle. I’d asked myself, “Why not incorporate Yoga into our services?” and that was what inspired the launch of Bodywize Yoga in 2008.

Through the first stage of my yoga journey, it guided me to create a space that connects body, mind and spirit where we could see our real beauty. “Pretty” isn’t just about a look but it’s also the way we feel about ourselves. Through Bodywize, I can deliver the best possible experience to my clients.

When did you move from Happy Valley to Causeway Bay?

We launched Bodywize’s flagship location—combining a spa and wellness concept with 21st-century convenience and a personalized yoga service—into this building, Cubus, in May 2014. Located in heart of downtown Causeway Bay, the beautifully designed sanctuary blends classic ambience and zen Buddhism décor with state-of-the-art amenities, boasting 6000 sq. ft. of pampering space to create a premier spa and wellness center.

What kind of clients do you get coming through?

Our clients are professionals who can get extremely busy all the time. They are really looking to yoga for stress relief and to find that inner peace. This is precisely the type of yoga they need. We get mostly female clients, a mix of locals and expats. When we were in Happy Valley, it was 60% western, and 40% local. Interestingly now we are reaching out to a higher percentage of almost 60% local and 40% western now that we are in Causeway Bay.

Tell us more about Anti-Gravity Yoga! It looks fun.

I bought the “Master Developer” license of AntiGravity Yoga from NYC, and launched the first AG workshop with the founder of this program, Christopher Harrison at the W hotel in November 2012. I have significant past dance experience and taught aerobics at a health club back in my earlier days of employment. I’d always wished there was something that would integrate both yoga and dance. Starting around 2010, many yoga studios in Hong Kong started rolling up their mats and shutting their doors, and I saw that the morale [in the community] was really low. I thought to myself that this type of hammock yoga could at least can bring us a new perspective. We could choose to turn our whole personal worlds upside down and inside out and then look at things from a different perspective. Would this be more exciting or more simple? Why couldn’t we just try to incorporate yoga, Pilates and fitness in order to make it either a class for fun or an offering of deep relaxation?

What are some of the physical benefits of practicing AntiGravity Yoga?

We use more therapeutic ways to inspire our clients. It is not exactly related to aerial arts where you’re on a stage performance. Our clients aren’t looking for those. You’ll almost get the immediate results after taking several sessions. The hammock helps relieving pressure while aligning the vertebrae. We can hold challenging postures longer and in correct alignment. To stretch further with less strain, and also create body awareness while increasing overall agility. With the aid of the hammock, one can easily perform advanced inversions without neck or back compression.

What are your most popular classes?

Air Therapy and Yoga Therapy!

Where is your personal sanctuary away from this sanctuary you’ve so kindly created for others?

I feel this is a big part of my life. It’s my passion. When I am here, I see many Bodywize clients regain their health and confidence. Also, I am a Buddhist and often I give yoga classes to local practitioners inside a monastery in Tai Po.

When you’re not living the Bodywize mantra and lifestyle, what are you doing?

I love travelling. I have spent much of my life aboard, travelling far and wide before setting in Hong Kong. Throughout my travels, I’m constantly absorbing what will eventually become a result of my all passions encompassed.

For more information on aerial yoga and how to get started on your upside-down journey into a place of wellness in terms of mental and physical health, check out Bodywize online today.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Hanuman Thai Boxing & Fitness Centre

At 7500 sq. ft., Hanuman Thai Boxing & Fitness Centre is the largest Thai boxing gym in Hong Kong, boasting both a 20-ft. ring plus stage and another 18-ft. floor ring—and this is meant for beginners. What’s more is that it’s also equipped with 13 boxing bags and 2 teardrop bags, all of which leave you to wonder who better to train with than current and ex-professional fighters directly from Thailand?

This place has got it all.

Thanks to owner and Muay Thai enthusiast Lavin Kaliandasani—or Ricky, as he’s better known—the city has this huge state-of-the-art space to train in, just a short walk away from the MTR station in Hung Hom. Bringing together curious newbies and seasoned champs alike, a session at Hanuman is definitely worth the trip to the edge of The Dark Side if you don’t already live or work there! But we’ll let the boss do the talking.

Hi Ricky! Please tell us a bit about yourself—including how you got into Muay Thai boxing.

I was born in Hong Kong and lived here all my life except for 3 years where I returned to India at a military school. I was quite into sports since a young age but never that into fitness. My main business is watch manufacturing and running around between China & Hong Kong is still a thing that I do. I spend about 2-3 days at my factory in China which means having to sit at a desk all day. How I got into Thai boxing is funny. My kid brother who is about 14 years younger than me came to me a couple of years back asking me to pay for him to learn Muay Thai. I gave him the money under the condition that he would come home and teach me what he had learned but that never happened. So one day he insisted that all three of us brothers went to try it out. And since that day I haven’t stopped. Muay Thai is not just a sport or a fitness regime but a lifestyle.

How did the idea of opening up Hanuman come to be?

I just fell in love with Muay Thai and my passion drove me to open up my own gym. I found a trainer that was unhappy with his job at the time and after a couple of meetings we opened up.

When did you open it up and why in Hung Hom?

I have been living with my family in Hung Hom for 20 years so it sounded like the best area to open up given that there are no other Muay Thai gyms in the area. We target mainly the 9-6 office job public that reside and works in this area. My own office is literally right next to the gym.

What challenges did you first face when you opened the gym?

Even ‘til today the main challenge we face is to constantly maintain a good team of trainers. It’s not easy to find good talent and good trainers. It’s 2 different things, being a good fighter and a good trainer: a good fighter concentrates on himself whereas a good trainer really gives his heart to teaching his students. Also finding trainers that can work as a team is quite the task but we believe that we have done a good job and maintain an "ALL THAI TRAINERS” motto.

What was the kickboxing/fitness scene like then and what is it like now? Can you describe the change? What does the future hold for this sort of activity in Hong Kong?

The kickboxing/fitness scene at the time when we started was still young and upcoming. Now we have gyms popping up everywhere saying that they provide kickboxing/Muay Thai but from what I see there are still few gyms in our standard that provide the same local, real Muay Thai training. Basically we bring real Thai-style training for people who can’t travel to Thailand.

Why "Hanuman" and what does it mean? Does the term hold any personal significance to you?

As a Hong Konger, everyone and anyone knows Suen Ng Hong which is “The Monkey King” from the famous programme journey from the west. And coming from an Indian origin, Hanuman is our monkey god whose teachings I have followed since a young age. In Thai they have the monkey lord too so that ended up being the best brand that we decided to go with as they relate to each other perfectly.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Being a businessman and landing in this field is truly something that not everyone can do. For me, Hanuman is my pride and that in itself is very rewarding to me. Apart from that when I see my clients or fellow students happy and satisfied with their training or when they learn something new—that’s what excites me the most. I never thought of Hanuman as a business but more of a hobby and a facility through which to teach people in Hong Kong. How to protect themselves—especially for women—and how to lead a disciplined lifestyle. I mean, what else can you do in Hong Kong except go out to drink and party? This is a place where I see people coming to workout and hang out…to have fun! That’s truly rewarding.

What kind of clients do you get coming through?

All kinds! Young, old, small, big. All sizes all shapes. Most of them work or live around in the area but then we have some people that live out in Stanley and even Clearwater Bay that come work out here!

What is your most popular class or feature?

All are equally popular as we don’t have that many varieties. Our classes are more personalized training so every time our trainers work 1-on-1 with students they adapt to their level of fitness so they can only excel and go forward. Other than that we do have 2 sections: "THAI BOXING” which is more suited for beginners and people who are more fitness oriented, and then “RINGSIDE” which is geared more towards fighter training and full body contact sparring with trainers and other fellow students.

Is there a question you get asked a lot in your line of work?

Yeah—when are we going to start our own fight league, which is in the planning!

Is there a personal mantra you like to live by?

Never say never. When there’s a will there’s always a way. Dreaming big isn’t bad. I always get at least half way there!

Can you elaborate on that last one?

I’m 35 and this November was the first time I entered the ring as a professional fighter. It’s never too late to do anything. Although I lost by a few points, it was an experience I will never forget and not my last. I will definitely fight again!

That’s incredible and a great attitude to have. How often do you work out?

About 4-5 days a week.

When you aren't exercising, what do you do in your down time?

Travelling most of the time. Other than that, I’m a father of three and give them my weekends.

Any guilty pleasures in terms of food?

Yes, I am a foodie so I love to eat and drink well. But when I’m training for a fight, mainly just raw foods and light meals.

This is honestly such a great space with amazing facilities (including showers and changing rooms) that gets incredible light. They’ve got a pretty helpful FAQ section on their website so check that out before you head in. Tell them ClassCruiser sent you!

[classcruiser]

Introducing...TORQ Cycle

With the health and fitness industry functioning at an all-time high in Hong Kong, it’s no surprise that one of the darlings of the bunch, spinning, remains a crowd favourite in a thriving sea of workout trends.

Thankfully, enthusiasts of the indoor cycling movement such as Margaret Kao have created safe, fun, and personable spaces like TORQ Cycle where—pardon the pun—they have taken a more hands-on approach to the individual workout, really concentrating on the growth and development of each body that takes a seat on one of their bikes.

Hi Margaret! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm Taiwanese, but I grew up in New Zealand. I went to Duke University in the U.S. where I studied Psychology, Chemistry and Japanese—I was pre-med, so after I graduated I was at Harvard for a year and then I transferred to Columbia. It was then that I decided to change careers from medicine to finance. When I was in New York, I worked for a venture capital firm for nanotechnology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals...and then in 2007 I decided to come out to Hong Kong because my family's business has always been in Asia.

When and how did you first discover spinning?

It was in the U.S. just before 2005—I used to do it in New York at my gym. There was a famous instructor there so I decided to try it one day and I really enjoyed it. I also had a PT at the time; I was into getting healthy and fit while trying to keep up with my studies and work. New York City is very health-conscious, there’s a strong fitness community there.

Were you always into fitness yourself?

No. In high school, I was always studying! Then when I went to Duke, it just so happened that most of my friends were athletes—it’s a very athletic school. And because after that I went into health care, it just naturally developed.

What made you decide to open Torq?

I was a member at a mass market gym and I just felt like for the price you were paying, you weren't getting good customer service and quality. So I opened Torq about 3 years ago because I wanted to create a boutique studio which I believe at that time was missing in Hong Kong; where customers could pay as you go and in packages, not locked into 1-2 year memberships. A place where we care about our customers and what we provide: great classes, great facilities, and great instructors.

What were some of the major challenges you first faced when you opened the studio?

There's been a lot of competition because Hong Kong is small—Central is small. Thankfully, we've done very well and have been able to create our own community. Another challenge is trying to convert people who already have 1-2 year memberships to join boutique studios. And of course, rent is high!

How do you differentiate yourselves from other independent studios?

Some people will just do spinning with us because our quality is better—we are different because we combine functional training with indoor cycling whereas other gyms don't provide that. We track all of your performances on your profile. We track your speed, your power, calories burned, and it's synced with your profile—we email you your data after you take a class. We also stream the data in front of the class so there's a competitive element as well. It gives you an extra edge, a push to perform better in class.

What if some people find that intimidating?

You have the option to take yourself off the board, but most people are focused on their own fitness so it’s not an issue. It's also a good teaching tool for the instructors.

How often do you spin a week? 3-4 times a week. When I first opened I spun every day. Now I integrate yoga or Pilates into my workout because my muscles were getting tight and I wanted more of a balance.

What are some rewards of the job that you’ve experienced? Being a part of the entrepreneurial community and creating the brand and the company in Hong Kong that wasn't there before. Creating an indoor cycling fitness community and an amazing team as well. Our instructors are the best, they've been doing this for 10-15 years. High quality. Also seeing results in our customers, seeing how hard they work in class, getting feedback after class. We've helped a lot of people lose weight or meet their fitness goals, and we have the results to prove it.

Just out of curiosity, how much spinning would it take before one might begin to notice significant results?

About 3 months of training plus a healthy diet. Spinning 4-5 times a week. It takes a lot of dedication—we have some people coming in for doubles! You seem very disciplined all around. Any guilty pleasures, cheat eats? I'm lucky that I don't like sweet foods but I love salty foods—salt and vinegar chips! The saltier, the sour-er the better. I'm not a big pasta/bread person but I like rice. Sushi with rice is another thing I enjoy, but I’ll try and substitute that with brown rice and quinoa.

TORQ Cycle is conveniently located on the 26th floor of 9 Li Yuen Street East, just off of Queen’s Road Central. For a complete schedule of classes and more information on the benefits of cycling, visit their website.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Coastal Fitness

Boasting 7,000 sq. ft. of space in a prime location overlooking the skyline from a North Point-of-view, Coastal Fitness is undoubtedly one of Hong Kong’s premier performance training facilities and perhaps even second home to many of the city’s most dedicated (Cross)fitness enthusiasts.

We had a chance to sit down with the founder, Ed Haynes—whose brother and mother are also regular faces ‘round these parts as a trainer and client respectively—as he explained to us the growth and direction his business has seen over the years, and how Coastal has become his livelihood in every positive sense of the word.

Hi Ed! Please tell us a bit about yourself. I grew up in Hong Kong—I went to school here and then moved away to go to university in the UK. The dream was always to work in the fitness industry so as soon as I graduated, I moved back to Hong Kong and set up Coastal Fitness within the first 6 months of graduating. That was about 6 years ago now. Was Coastal Fitness always a Crossfit idea? No, not at all. We still don't call ourselves a Crossfit company. Crossfit was a service/methdology—a sport—that we stumbled upon 3 years ago. When we first started out, we were only doing PT. Then we first started our group training service when we launched our "Smack" program back in 2010/2011. Did you open Coastal with your brother, Ant? No, I actually opened and set up Coastal on my own and ran it by myself for the first 15 months! Then I employed Ant and Andy (Bratsanos) at the same time. Now we have 9 full-time trainers. Why "Coastal?” The name “Coastal” first originated because at the time I was living on the Gold Coast with my parents.

So how did you discover CrossFit? So a bit of background on myself as an athlete is that I used to play rugby—I played for the Hong Kong team for 6-7 years so a lot of my education was in classic strength conditioning. And then obviously I was always looking to learn more and discover innovative ways to train myself and clients. I stumbled across the methodology of CrossFit in 2011 (through online research—Andy introduced me to it) and that led me to want to learn more!

And how did it develop from there?

We signed up for the first-ever CrossFit Level 1 Certification in Asia in Singapore in 2011; it was more of a way for me to get my foot in the door and learn more about it. Now, not only are we using CrossFit as a training methodology but we actually compete overseas as well, including the regionals in Australia which is the biggest competition on the CrossFit calendar. We're really pushing the envelope with performance within our facitility. What’s it like to work so closely with your brother? We've developed a really healthy working relationship. When we set foot in the gym or if it's anything business-related, we have those hats on, but when we step out of the facility, it's a brotherly relationship. We've managed to maintain a healthy relationship since Day 1. Have you always been in this space? Yeah, since we've owned the facility this has been our space for the last 3 years.

How have you seen the CrossFit industry grow in Hong Kong? If you look at the number of affiliate gyms, you can see that there are 8 or 9 now. Each facility has a growing membership which has been a great thing. The more awareness and the more people that are doing this means a bigger community, which allows us to leverage off of it like organizing events, bringing people together, and raising awareness of health and fitness. The fitness industry in terms of education, what's available to the consumer, and the amount of people partaking in exercise has come a long, long way since I first started. What does CrossFit bring into your life? Well, it's my livelihood, really. As a business owner, CrossFit is a very large part of what we offer here at Coastal Fitness and running a business which offers a CrossFit service. And I guess the second for me, using CrossFit and the ideas of its methodology, I'm always learning new things, I'm constantly improving and the cool thing about it is I get to compete IN it against people around the world. It's replaced that bubble from competitive sport to be able to compete in a different sport. I've always been into competitive sports. How much of Coastal is CrossFit vs. regular workouts/PT? It’s hard to quanify because CrossFit is a group class membership but we have over 70 PT clients here at Coastal who are all training more than twice a week with us, plus we also have individual clients who train overseas and around Hong Kong where we actually do program design for them. We have clients all across the UK, Guam, Philippines, New Zealand...we work with athletes in a vast array of sports from rugby to tennis to swimmers to power lifters.

That’s incredible! How do they find out about you? Research is one way but if you look at the history of our marketing strategy, a lot of our business comes from word of mouth. It also helps that all of our coaches come from athletic backgrounds—that has a potential allure to other athletes as well. What do you do in your downtime? Personally, I'm at home to eat and go to bed. That's my downtime. When I get home I'll probably spend the first hour doing admin work, program design work—any work I need to do to finish off the day, but my policy sf that I try to do anything to do with technology by 9. After that, the computer screen gets turned off and I don't watch TV. From 9 p.m. on it's chill-out time or sleep preparation. I read books, listen to Podcasts (note from editor: that’s technology, but we’ll let it slide!), stretch...I'm currently enrolled in a course in business systems so that's taking a lot of my time. I'm typically in bed before 10. Any guilty pleasures in terms of food? I love burgers. I'm just a burger guy.

Fair enough. Where’s the best burger in Hong Kong? I'm a big fan of Stone's in Tai Hang.

The staff at Coastal are some of the friendliest in the city and the music they play is always on-point. We highly recommend heading over to their facility and taking a class with these guys. For their schedule, services, and plenty more information, check out their website.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...BounceLimit

For Lucia Tan, some of the most significant events in her life were born out of unplanned circumstances—take, for example, how she met her husband, and how the idea for BounceLimit, Asia's first rebounding trampoline fitness studio, came to be.

We sat down with the former dancer to find out more about the benefits of trampoline therapy and which big-time celebs are fans of the springy treatment!

Please tell us a bit about yourself! What brought you to Hong Kong? I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. I moved here about 7 years ago in search of a dance partner—I was a professional ballroom dancer before and held the Canadian title from 2001-2006. My partner ditched me just before we were about to go to the world championships so I went off to find a new partner. I spent a couple of years overseas in France and England, and when my visa started to run out, I hopped over to Hong Kong because my mom was from here...but no luck, no partner!

Oh dear! What happened then?

Well, I started teaching dance at a corporate gym and then they asked if I wanted to switch over to fitness—TRX, viper training, weight training, rehabilitation training, Pilates—I managed to get my hands on 25 certifications over the span of 4 years! So why did you end up staying? I met my husband here. He was one of the managers at the gym I was working at. How lovely! And how did you discover trampolining? So I was injured for about 4 months so I went abroad to visit my parents in Toronto and on while I was there, I had to see a physio—he introduced me to regaining my muscles through mini-trampolining. At first we weren't jumping, we were just doing balancing and physio exercises, then once I got stronger, we started doing simple movements and rehabilitation skills to rehabilitate my ankles. It healed the fastest compared to other techniques I had tried in the past. From there, I began to inquire more about this.

What are the benefits of trampoline rehabilitation? You can help injuries with normal people—rehabilitating muscle mass, athletes with past/present injuries, children with disabilities... When did this exploration begin and how did it grow? About 1.5-2 years ago. I started researching it more and more and learned that NASA has done research on this and astronauts use it to recuperate, that Madonna, Beyonce, and Gwyneth Paltrow all do it! It doesn't hurt your knee joints. And at the same time it massages your lymphatic system, so it's a detox as well as a cellular exercise.

And how did it evolve into a business idea?

So I started thinking...when I was working at the gym, a lot of people would tell me about their injured knees, or that their muscles were so tight to the point that they weren't working for them and I also know that when you teach 50-60 people per class, you're not able to correct anybody. My husband and I thought this would be a great way to encourage exercise! For example, my mo doesn't believe in exercise. A lot of locals still don’t! When did you open Bouncelimit? Last year! In December 2014. What challenges did you face opening Bouncelimit in Hong Kong? What we’re trying to is educate people on what it is, what it can do for you. People are stubborn so they only view it as what they want to see. So you're not like other trampoline studios/parks around the city? No. We've got individualized trampolines for each person so it doesn't affect the other person when you jump. It's not too soft that you'll roll over your ankle but it's not too hard that it defeats the purpose of low-impact movement.

How many trampolines do you have in total? We have a total of 27. We have 6 in one room and 21 in another room but we can open the wall up to make one giant room. You offer individual rehab and group classes, right? What are your classes generally like? All our classes are instructor-led with music. There are 10 different programs and each program targets the body differently and works the system differently. What are your most popular classes? I'd say Combat Bounce and Bounce Pilates. What is your client base like? It's mostly female, very few men. Quite a number of lawyers, actually! I'd say the age ranges from 18-45.

How often do you bounce? (enthusiastic) Meeeeeeeeee? I often bounce about 10 hours a week. Do you do any other exercise aside from bouncing? Not yet! Last week I tried to sign up for Wing Chun (with ClassCruiser) for some stress release—I wanted to learn a little bit more beyond my scope of knowledge but I couldn't make it because of work! Any rules for food before and after bouncing? Not too much food before bouncing. Lots of water. Keep drinking water. People drink a lot of coffee! As I said, it detoxes your lymphatic system and if you don't have enough water to detox it then you're going to get a headache throughout the day. Every two minutes of bouncing detoxes your lymphatic system for one hour. Any cheat food that you run to at the end of the day of bouncing? Chocolate and pizza!

Visit their website to get started today!

[classcruiser]

Introducing...URSUS Fitness

“We met in Lamma flipping tires.” - Santina “Bam” Philips

“We,” of course, refers to both Santina and Gary Manwaring, co-founders of URSUS Fitness, the latest addition to the growing hotbed of everything from boutique eateries to wellness stores that is Sai Ying Pun.

But here, we’ll let them tell you more about how flipping tires turned into a full-fledged workout that is now drawing curiosity from fitness fans across the city.

Please tell us a bit about yourselves!

G: I am originally from the UK, just north of London. I came to Hong Kong to work at a Muay Thai gym in Central.

S: I'm originally from southeast London! I came to Hong Kong after university as my family moved here whilst I was studying and whenever I came to visit I loved it. Now I don't think I'll ever leave!

How did you first discover "strongman" workouts? Boxing?

G: Strongman was just a stepping stone for me from weight training over 15 years—I wanted more to my workout than just lifting weights in a repetitive way. I boxed and did Muay Thai in Thailand for 10 years and had a gym called Naga Muay Thai on a small island called Koh Samet.

S: I first tried strongman training in the Lamma jungle and after that, I was hooked! It’s a great test of strength and endurance—I view strongman as training for those adventure/obstacle races such as Spartan Race or Tough Mudder—it’s all just so much fun!

Can you explain what exactly "strongman" means in this context?

G:  It basically means being a strength athlete who likes to compete in lifting heavy weights or objects.

S: Strongman is also called Strength Athletics which I think makes it more self-explanatory. Strongman is like the Highland Games which dates back centuries, there are records of old-time strongmen achieving great feats of strength. Personally, I associate “strongman” with weird and wonderful equipment that’s great for functional and strength training. 

How did you meet each other?

G: We met 2 years ago through a friend who introduced us to each other, then we decided to train in strength and conditioning workouts together.

S: We met in Lamma flipping tires! If I’m to be honest I don’t remember too much about the first time we met other than that he was quite shy. I think we are an odd partnership but somehow it just works and we get along great!

How did the idea for URSUS come about then?

G: We used to run out door activity trainings throughout Hong Kong, but when we finally got tired of fighting the rain, mosquitoes, and the logistics of all our equipment, we decided to open an indoor venue for our clients.

S: We tried to run outdoor training sessions for a while but with just the two of us it became difficult to move all the equipment around—we have up to 400 kg tires, kegs, hammers, and hundreds of kgs of sand! It was a workout in itself just moving the equipment from the delivery truck to the training site.

Wow! Sounds like a lot. Can you explain the meaning behind the name?

G: “Ursus” is Latin for bear. We run sessions called Bearcamp.

S: “Ursus” means bear in Latin, and our Strongman Conditioning sessions were called Bearcamp as we have this animalistic, raw feel to our training—although that’s not meant to scare anyone off—we are very kind really!

Why the strongman-boxing combo?

G: My background is in boxing from the old-school days when boxers and fighters had to run 10k a day to get fit—actually, this made fighters weaker because it was exhausting. So I decided to make the boxing combo and the strongman movements to combine functional strength training for all types of athletes, from fighting sports, rugby, soccer—it fits with anything! People get strong from all angles, not just in a straight line as we do when doing basic, bench, squat, dead lift movements. What we do allows for the individual to become strong, flexible and much more explosive. Just look at all of the top world-class fighters and you will see they have all switched to this type of training!

S: I think the boxing and Muay Thai gives us an edge—most gyms in Hong Kong are either just Crossfit, Muay Thai, or yoga, etc. whereas we have a real mix. 

Do you see a real market for strongman fitness in Hong Kong? Why?

G: 100%! It’s new, it’s fun, and there are no rules as to who can participate. We don't say you have to wear a certain style of shorts, shoes, or socks to take part. We are the first real strongman gym in Hong Kong and more will follow as people see the gains and improvements in the athletes.

S: I do, as no one else here can offer it! We have a 4,000 sq. ft., ground floor location where we can make noise and lift heavy objects! Our classes are busy and everyone seems to enjoy themselves. We like to train hard but my main goal is to ensure everyone leaves with a big smile!

How physically fit do you need to be in order to do these strongman workouts?

G: We have everyone from paid athletes to total beginners and more women than we ever expected! They love the rawness of the sport.

S: It’s all scalable. We have equipment that ranges in weight so that everyone can take part! We have a proper mix of people from really petite girls and big, big guys training at the gym.

What are the physical benefits of strongman? G: We don't only do strongman training—we have devised a circuit-based training system that is programmed to specific needs of the people we train. We hit the body from all angles—power, strength, flexibility, explosiveness—people will overcome their fears, set new goals for themselves, and see that their bodies are capable of things they never expected. Mentally and physically, much tougher.

S: There is an article on a great website that explains everything perfectly.

How has business been since you opened? G: It’s always a worry when opening this kind of business in Hong Kong: high rents, location, noise complaints from dropping weights. We spent 6 months looking for the right location, and after just 6 weeks we have seen a massive influx of people from all walks of life joining our gym. Business has been great—the people of Hong Kong are very versatile and adaptable!

S: Good! It’s been 6 weeks and everything is going very well. Both Gary and I are really happy with the progress and we are starting to build a nice communal feeling in the gym and amongst members.

What's your most popular class?

G: Hmm...Bearcamp, boxing, and Muay Thai, are always full. Strongman workshops and time trials are also very popular.

S: Bearcamp—it’s Strongman Conditioning, essentially—it mixes both strength and endurance. There’s a real team spirit in the class and everyone cheers each other on—it’s great!

What’s the male-to-female ratio like in a gym like this?

G: It’s 50/50! Women just seem to not be able to get enough of something once they see how it can induce changes in their bodies and it’s a great release from a stressful schedule!

S: I’d say about half-half, which makes me really happy. The only class where it’s mostly guys is the Strongman but I’m determined to get more girls in. I do it all the time and it’s a great class to build real functional strength.

How many hours a day would you say you spend working out?

G: I’d like to say 3 but I actually only do 1 hour—try any of our classes and you will see that 1 hour in a gym working at 90-100% is more than enough! Most people think they have worked out hard yet they have not even put in 60 % of their maximum effort to a workout. We will push you to new limits and show you how your body can adapt and change.

S: Daily? Maybe 2. I rest 2 days a week though, as it’s really important to make sure you allow your body to recover.

What's your diet like?

G: I go through phases—I always buy good quality food like fruits and vegetables but don't always eat when I should; in saying that ,the last 5 weeks I have eaten 5 times a day with a good mix of proteins, carbs, vegetables, and fruits. My diet needs to have what works for me—no one person is the same, but more importantly, NO AMOUNT OF EXERCISE WILL OUT-WORK A SH*T DIET!

S: Not too bad, although I’m a sucker for chocolate. I eat lots of veggies, quality meat and good sources of carbs. I drink Maximum Vibrance every morning for breakfast which I would recommend to anyone!

Any guilty pleasures to confess? G: Cheese! I love the stuff—it’s one thing I have to stop myself from buying daily, but a weekend treat never killed anyone.

S: Well I’m not so sure it’s a guilty one as it’s not bad for you but it tastes like it should be—I love the Paleo Pieces made here in Hong Kong by Ice N’ Lean! It’s made of frozen nut butter topped with dark chocolate and is insanely good. They also make protein ice cream which is great post-workout!

Sold. On everything. We would definitely, absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend stopping by URSUS and taking a class—any class.

If not for fitness, then for fun! When was the last time you tested your strength and endurance? Alright then, off you go, Cruisers!

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Ceroc

Here at ClassCruiser, we’re all about discovering new and interesting ways to keep active, hence our tagline #workoutYOURway.

Perhaps some of you have heard of or already been practicing Ceroc for years, but we were completely new to this global dance phenomenon until last week when we sat down with Katie Targett-Adams, the pioneering founder of Ceroc’s Hong Kong chapter, and dance (+ music + more!) enthusiast.

Hi Katie! Please tell us a bit about yourself. I'm from Edinburgh, Scotland. I'm actually a musician—I play the Scottish harp. I sing and play. I moved here 8 years ago to pursue my musical career in China because I had been performing there a lot for the Scottish government, tourist board, British royal family...I sang for the British Ambassador at the Beijing Olympics! So what happened to your musical side? I'm still performing like a maniac! I'm going to Shanghai to give a concert to 2,000 people next week and I'm playing at the Peninsula's Tree-Lighting Ceremony for their Christmas Launch. Also, I'm giving a charity concert for Angels for Orphans at Salon de Ning on the 2nd of December.

That’s a stacked schedule! Now tell us, what is Ceroc? It's a fun and easy social dance to all popular music! It was started in the UK about 30 years ago by this guy named James Cronin. He went to France and everybody was socially dancing—it's a good skill to have—so he and his wife turned it into a dance form. It's "C'est Le Rock" shortened. How did you discover it? I was in Edinburgh and a few friends said "You should try it!" People say something enough times and you do try it. As a musician it's really fun because you're just dancing to music but it's also like having a conversation with somebody without talking. It's a really nice way to communicate with people.

Why did you decide to bring it to Hong Kong?

Right before I moved, I had just started learning Ceroc and really enjoyed it. Once you get addicted, you just need to dance! When I came out here, I wanted to continue dancing Ceroc. You'd think everything is on offer in a metropolis like Hong Kong!

What was the process of starting up Ceroc Hong Kong like? Because Ceroc is a worldwide dance school, when I put out an advert in HK Magazine, quite a lot of people came forward who said they'd done it in Australiz, New Zealand, and the UK, so we already had a few people come out of the woodwork. From that initial group where we taught 8 classes over 2 months, I trained one of the girls who was a great dancer so she became the first "other" teacher besides myself. It's very community-based so you have what we call a "Ceroc Crew" who will help the newbies to learn and feel more comfortable.

You don't need any prior dancing experience, right? You don't need a partner, you don't need dancing experience, you can just rock up alone! You don't learn it by yourself—we swap it around so everybody meets different people throughout the night—but you can come alone! We do a lot of first wedding dance classes as well.

How is it different from dancing at a club? People normally dance by themselves or in a group around a handbag. This is proper connection—the guy will lead you and you will follow. Why does it have to be a/the guy who leads? It doesn't have to be! We just had a championship competition and there was a "Battle of the Sexes" portion where the guys battle girls or the girl has to lead the guy. But in general, it's an essential social skill because everybody should know how to do this; you could be at a wedding and it's just something nice to have a basic knowledge in. It's not a basic dance like the Waltz or Salsa. It's a much easier dance for people to enter into. There's no fixed footwork. People can  just move to the music. It's quite easy to be your own personality and be expressive, and the focus is on the fun! What are “Ceroc Nights” all about?

They're done in social environments, a night out with drinks!

"Ceroc Nights” are currently held at Six Degrees on Wyndham Street every Tuesday night from 8-11 p.m. It's $75 for just the class or $120 including a drink.

What kinds of people dance Ceroc? We have a half-expat, half-Chinese crowd which includes 25-65 year-olds. The nice thing about Ceroc is that it's very inclusive and not too clique-y. People of every age, race, and dance ability are welcome. Did you have to get certified? Yes, you get certified in the UK. Beginners is a 5-day course. Intermediate is another 5-day course, followed by Advanced. How much of your time is devoted to Ceroc? Well, aside from our weekly dance night, we run Sunday workshops twice a month and we do private classes which are often people training for their wedding first dance. It does take up a fair bit of time. We do Pan-Asian Championships once a year. It's really growing across Asia—there's a real momentum picking up. Everybody is becoming friends across those three dance regions: Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore! So what does the future hold for Ceroc in Asia? I think that it will keep growing across Asia! It'd be interesting to know where the next place it'll pop up is! Someone has to be passionate about it and living in Asia. They've got to pop their hand up and say "I'll run it! I'll build a community in my country/city!" What's the most popular song that people like to dance to? I like dancing to Robin Schulz' "Sugar!" That's quite a fun one.

In your off-time what do you like to do? I started another company which came out of both the music and the dancing called "SuperStyle." That is a personal branding consultancy which means that we teach people how to better present themselves in terms of body language which I had started to notice through dancing. And because I have to project my voice and use it, I have to know how to better communicate with people and present myself even if I'm not feeling confident, so we decided to create courses to help build peoples’ confidence levels. We consult people on image but we also consult people on more unusual things like how to walk in high heels so that they look and act well at work. How to pose in photos, how to look good in every photo, also "Move With Style" so female-expressive dancing. Tango, burlesque, all low-impact but the emphasis is on how to isolate different parts of your body so you can carry yourself with more grace and ease. The focus is on improving peoples' self-confidence. I'm very passionate about it! Any guilty pleasures? I love food! Maybe it's lucky that I'm a dancer. More and more, I'm into superfood stuff! So I'll hop from one superfood place to the next and I'm always curious about what's new. It's not so much that I eat out so much...I'm into smoothies and juices, things like that. Hong Kong makes it easy to experiment with those kinds of things.

Sounds fun, right? If boot camp and weight training are too hardcore for you, then perhaps you’d like to boogie on down to one of these “Ceroc Nights” to give it a shot! Just in time too, because tomorrow happens to be Tuesday!

For more information, visit their website.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Evolve PT

Daringly yet conveniently located smack dab in the middle of Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong’s always-bustling Central district is Evolve Personal Training Studio. Nestled high above the friendly melee of enthusiastic bar-hoppers that seem to flock to this curvaceous party zone, on the 12th floor of a non-descript building that we have probably walked by dozens of times, will you find this solid team of workout-enthusiasts who have created this space for friends and similar-minded individuals alike to keep those muscles toned and bodies strong.

We sat down with one of them, Ben Rimene, to find out more about what exactly Evolve PT is all about and has to offer.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what brought you to Hong Kong! I'm from New Zealand. I came to Hong Kong in 2009 partly for rugby—I was on my way back to the UK and stopped here then never left. I got a job at Pure as a personal trainer. While I was here, I'd organized an interview with them so I stayed—plus I had a bunch of friends who were already here. Eventually, I ended up playing for the Hong Kong Sevens! I had to wait three years for that because if you're not from here, that's the rule. When did you start Evolve? It must have been in about 2012.

How did the idea come about? We were all working in gyms for other people and decided to try our own. I started it with two friends who are also from New Zealand. We were also playing rugby together, and we also knew each other while we were in New Zealand—we lived together! That’s an incredible amount of closeness! So how is business going? It's been just over three years, and we're always getting a steady flow of clients. General expat office types that are looking to get fit, healthier, lose a bit of weight. Great. What’s your client base like? Bit of a mixture of men and women, I'd say about 50/50. Can you tell us more about the services you offer? We've got personal training—one-on-one or groups, and there's set ways of doing things so we'll use different training methods depending on the needs of the individual.

We understand you also operate in Happy Valley? We run scheduled classes on the race course on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 7 a.m. Do you get many people who are new to fitness? Yes, and they're probably the ones that have misconceptions about training. For example, girls think that if they lift weights they might think they get really big. Another misconception is nutrition and lifetsyle—they think juice diets are the way to go. These myths/fads on how to lose weight, how to get in shape...there's not really a quick fix. Changing habits and lifestyles and behaviours and consistency. That’s what it’s all about. Do you have a personal mantra? Don't take anything too seriously. Also, I am into punctuality and have told people that “If you're on time, you're late.” How often do you get to work out personally because you're working so much? I'm full-time on the Sevens squad so as a result I work out full-time every day, but it would change depending on what might be coming up. If you train on a Friday and play on a Saturday, you're not going to annihilate yourself on a Friday. It all really depends on the game schedule.

Do you ever get a break? From rugby? We get weeks/blocks off, and that's a chance for us to go on holidays. But we've got clients so we don't want them to suffer. Going away every few months for a week or so is pretty good in order to refresh. What is your diet like? It changes depending on what I'm wanting to do but generally it's whole foods. Nothing too fancy, no fads. No juice cleanses. Lean meats, carbs, veggies. Do you have any guilty pleasures? I don't "plan" eating cheat meals but I eat whatever I like normally. It’s definitely not a cheat meal but I always buy grapes when I feel like something sweet. Nothing too exciting but seems to be what I always get. Any advice for people wanting to come through but may be apprehensive? Yeah, come in with an open mind. You don't know until you try! Everyone wants quick results but that doesn't generally usually happen. You've gotta work at it just like anything, really.

You heard the man. Whether you ride that elevator up to the 12th floor of that non-descript building in the middle of LKF, or show up to the Happy Valley racecourse at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, the initiative—the effort—is all on you.

Happy workout, Cruisers!

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Surfset Hong Kong

Mark our words, Hong Kong! We’re sure this is going to become one of the city’s hottest new fad workouts—and we say that in the most positive way, because there is nothing un-hip, uncool, or unfashionable about working out and keeping fit.

Without further ado, let’s give a warm, ClassCruiser welcome to Cherilyn Chow of Surfset Hong Kong, a fun and challenging way to tone your upper body and maintaining that beach body year-round without getting wet!

Surf’s up, dudes and dudettes!

Aloha, Cherilyn! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm from Toronto! I was born there and I came to Hong Kong 12 years ago because I had friends here and liked the lifestyle here more.

How did you get into exercising? I wasn't working [when I first moved here] but I was always into exercise. I did yoga, swimming, boxing—I just picked them up as hobbies!

Can you explain what Surfset is to us? It's like an indoor, surf-inspired fitness program. It focuses mainly on body control, balance, stability, etc.—there are different programs. It builds good core strength. Core is the powerhouse of the whole body so if your core is strong, you can adapt it to many kinds of exercises. How did you discover Surfset? My partner (Ricky) and I saw it online and thought it was quite interesting so we actually went to Singapore to try it out first. It started in the U.S. but the closest one there was to us was there and we liked it so we contacted the headquarters in the U.S. to discuss some terms and contracts and we got it in! Amazing! When was that? That was in...say, July. It's very new! We started discussing with the U.S. in July and then the surfboards came in September so we officially just started little over a month ago!

And how has reception been? It's been good! It's something new. You really have to find your balance on the board—you have to build strong muscles before you can really stand on the board and get that exercise. Some people don't have the patience to try it out for a few classes but many people like it because it's quite challenging and fun. It's different from your normal exercise routine—a different kind of program! How have you been marketing Surfset here in Hong Kong? We have our own students from the boxing side, we have some people who have seen our posts on Facebook, through people sharing on social media. We're doing a Groupon next week so that should be good for a new brand like us! How has the program helped you, personally? I feel that my core is stronger, I feel my muscles are more defined. My abs, my arms, my legs, my balance is better.

How often do you practice a day? Now I just do the classes—before the classes I practice a little bit. Was there any sort of formal training involved? There's an online program and then you do an examination. That's the written part, but then there's an online training program, and you as an instructor have to pass. If you can't do it, obviously you can't teach a class. The written/oral thing is just a certificate. It's how you teach and how you can do the poses... Are you hoping to expand? We're looking to open another location on the Hong Kong side, maybe in Central in a few months. Let's just get established here first!

Surfset Hong Kong is now up and running—or should we say floating—and still in its baby days, so you can say you were a part of its inaugural movement to Hong Kong and help spread the word! It shares a space with popular establishment, Hanuman Thai Kickboxing & Fitness Centre out in Hung Hom.

Exact location details here.

[classcruiser]

Introducing...CrossFit 852

Alright boos and ghouls, it’s time to work off all those scary excess calories consumed over the weekend!

Have you tried a workout at CrossFit 852 yet? Is that a line you’re still waiting to tiptoe over?

We’d like to introduce you to Teddy Lo of CrossFit 852 who will tell you more about his own personal transition into the phenomenon that has now swept the world.

Tell us about yourself! I was born in Hong Kong and grew up here before I went to study in the States. I went to Carnegie Mellon in Pennsylvania for engineering and management. For most of my life I was pretty unfit and I played a lot of video games while in school, so when I came back to Hong Kong after graduating I thought I should probably fix my life! So I started going to the gym. I’d do random stuff—I copied whatever I could find online. How long ago was that? That was 4-5 years ago now. I graduated in 2009. What prompted you to make this switch? My dad is really fit and he always wanted me to race with him and I couldn't! When I was in primary school I could, but then I stopped. So one day, I just decided to do it for my dad and for myself.

How did you transition from regular gyms to CrossFit? At the gym, I started getting interested in Muay Thai. I did that for a year and went to Thailand for some training camps because it was cheap and a fun experience. While I was there, they had a CrossFit class and I decided to try it. It was pretty fun! I liked the ideas behind it and how it was very group-oriented and then started thinking about how I could bring it back to Hong Kong. That was in 2011/2012. What was your first CrossFit experience in Hong Kong? Well, I would do it on my own at Pure and it was really awkward because nobody knew what I was doing! Then I met my current partners (Jamie Lee and David Chang) through mutual friends. They went to the same high school as me and had been doing CrossFit in the States.

What made you guys want to open your own studio? We'd been seeing how successful it was becoming and changing not only our fitness but that of others as well, and thought we could bring this to Hong Kong—it fits into the busy lifestyle and is new and exciting and changes results. That was in 2012.

What kind of clients do you get coming through? We get a lot of bankers because of our location—mostly expats because they've had some sort of experience with CrossFit before but we're happy to see that we're getting a lot more locals because they're interested in trying this new-edge style of workout.

Tell us about how CrossFit 852 grew from what it was then to what it is today. So, back then we thought it'd be great if it was succesful—if not, we'd just have a place to work with our friends. Our first location was in this same building, but in a 2,000 sq. ft. space on the 13th floor. It became such a hit with our friends that they started telling their friends and suddenly we had built our own community. We started with 2-3 classes a day to 7-8. That was in 2012 and within 3-6 months we ramped up to a full-fledged business! People who were into CrossFit who were moving (back) to Hong Kong and spreading the word. It was very clear that CrossFit was going somewhere. So in 2014, we opened another spot in Causeway Bay in order to expand our influence. And then in June of this year, we moved down here! We'd always been looking to move and were just waiting for the right space to become available so we bought two floors. We like this building. A lot of new facilities have moved in since we've moved here in 2012. What is your take on the whole "cult" aspect of CrossFit? We like it! It just shows that people are passionate about something. And, you know, when people start trying it, it's just a matter of time...

What does CrossFit do for you, Teddy? CrossFit has now grown itself into a sport in the last couple of years and a lot of people now see it as a sport—they train in CrossFit and they do it to compete IN CrossFit. But at the beginning, it was a training regime, a way for you to maintain your health and help you pursue your other goals. A GPP ("general physical preparedness”). The idea is that you do CrossFit to build up your fitness so you can excel at your original sport. Personally, I'd always wanted to be a performer. I liked the idea of being on stage, so now I've gotten into circus arts. I work with Aerial Arts Academy a lot—I do mostly crobatics with them. I've done multiple shows with them! What do you do on your down time? I like to keep active with other sports or arts, so I've gotten the confidence to go dance as well. I like contemporary or ballet! Do you have any guilty pleasures in terms of food? Oh, I like to eat everything! If I have a performance coming up, I'll be stricter with my diet, but most of the time because my activity level is quite high, so I eat whatever I like. I work out to eat! Fried chicken and ice cream!

Who doesn’t love fried chicken and ice cream? Besides vegetarians and those who might be lactose-intolerant, of course...

Teddy and his friendly staff of CrossFit trainers ready to start you on YOUR journey into the abyss (where toned muscles and 8-packs roam wild) tucked away in this glam, two-storey “box” in one of those alleyways just off of Queen’s Road Central. Click here for the exact location.

And, of course, for more details on CrossFit 852 visit their website.

Good luck! And enjoy your WOD.

[classcruiser]

This Halloween, FEAR IS NOT AN OPTION!

With October 31st falling on a Saturday this year, the crowd-favourite holiday we call Halloween seems to be bigger and badder than ever before. In a city like Hong Kong where dress-up themes seem to be weekly common practice at birthday parties or leaving-dos, and something like Pottinger Street—a cobblestone hill lined with hundreds of costume options—is a year-round business, it’s no surprise that many of us have found ourselves battling a heavy October in hopes of getting in shape so we can look amazing in that costume we’ve had planned out for weeks now.

Not to mention the aftermath of having to work off all that excess sugar consumption that will no doubt be happening this weekend—both in alcohol and candy form, of course.

Here at ClassCruiser we get it. We’re all about fitness, but we’re all about fun too, and we encourage the holiday indulgence, so here are some tips on how to survive what will no doubt be a MONSTER weekend in this frenetic place we call home:

Overcome that initial fear.

Exercise can be intimidating, and the fitness industry is only getting more diverse. Where do you even begin? Who do you listen to? What works? There’s also the issue of how to do X pose or use Y equipment, and now, what to wear? When did keeping in shape become so complicated? Well, that’s where we step in and take this opportunity to remind you that we’re here to let you know that it’s good to have options, and we’ve gone out and done the dirty work for you. With over 80 of Hong Kong’s best boutique studios and gyms to choose from, you’ll have nothing to be afraid of because you’ll be too busy testing out all these amazing classes. The power is in your hands, and you are in total control.

No time. There’s always something going on in this city, and more often than not, we too find ourselves having to say “no” to attending one of the many events that are going on during the week. With such a demanding social schedule, how are we ever supposed to squeeze in that 6:30 p.m. yoga class or meet our friend at the gym before a light dinner on a weeknight? Well, you know what we at ClassCruiser believe? That you make time for the things you want to make time for. So if you really want to work out tomorrow, you’ll find a way to make it happen. We know you will.

That goes for eating well, too. There are numerous healthy spots to choose from around town, we won’t go listing off the usual suspects because if you’re reading this blog then chances are, you’re already in the know. But just as exercise is at your fingertips, so is healthy eating, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to whip up a simple salad.

Don’t hate the game. We know you’re loving all those new ice cream flavours at Emack & Bolio’s, and that’s cool. We’re not here to judge you. In fact, nobody is. Eat what you want, and do what you feel like, but there’s no need to pretend that you don’t like to work it off with a good run on Bowen Road or a TRX session in the park. There’s no need to pretend to be one thing or another, you can be everything and work out YOUR way! Don’t hate, participate! And be proud of who you are. And remember, yogis are people too. Haha.

Patience. “How long have you been doing yoga for?” We know that you want to see results PRONTO, especially after a heavy month like October, especially being capped off with this weekend’s madness! But need we remind you that all things worthwhile take time? You’ll get your results, but you’ve gotta put in the work. A healthy mind and body take time to cultivate, and ClassCruiser is here to be a part of your life. Bootcamp won’t do squat for you if you only go once—try it out, decide you like it, and then make a habit of it. Forget fad diets. Visit one of our partnering health food stores and learn how to fend for yourself instead of relying on a juice cleanse every time you feel like you’ve had a heavy weekend of partying.

It’s expensive. Hong Kong is an expensive city. But then again, you could say the same thing about anywhere else. Fact is, you’re here, and you’re probably here because you want to be here. All we’ve gotta say is, 899 HKD is a heckuva good deal for having access to over 80 of the best studios and health-related businesses in the city. Do you know how many options we’re giving you here? The math does itself .

Your health is worth the investment, always. And you set your own priorities!

One is the loneliest number. It’s true that in many ways, working out with someone is more fun! Plus it’s always nice to have that added motivation, so join ClassCruiser with a buddy or two, and coordinate a time to give kickboxing a try. If you can coordinate a Halloween costume or a happy hour session, then we don’t see why you can’t do the same for a workout!

Hopefully this loose guide to survival will come in handy beyond the parameters of Halloween weekend as well, because hey, you never know when the next Zombie Apocalypse might hit…

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Flex Studio

You’ve probably heard their name mentioned before.

Flex Studio is Hong Kong’s most comprehensive Pilates, yoga and barre studio, offering complete training in Private Pilates, Group Pilates, Yoga, Xtend Barre®, Cardio & Conditioning, and even customized FlexKids after-school fitness classes for children, along with Physical Therapy.

With two locations in Wong Chuk Hang and Central respectively, and going strong since 2005 (2005!) we asked co-founder, Heather Thomas Shalabi some questions about her ever-growing, ever-evolving business.

Hi Heather! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m originally from Upstate New York, and have a background in dance and yoga. I started practicing yoga for fun when I was a kid, watching Lilias Yoga and You on public television! I also studied ballet quite seriously from the ages of 8 to 17. Following graduation from university, I spent a number of years working in the corporate and non-profit sector. I moved to Hong Kong in 2001, and prior to that was in Tokyo for 3 years. My husband Hani was sent to Japan from New York where we lived before coming to Asia, on a supposed initial 6-month assignment! I was finishing my graduate thesis and working in development for a large non-profit. When it became clear Hani’s job would keep him in Asia, I followed him to Tokyo in autumn 1998.  

What inspired you to open your own (Pilates) studio in Hong Kong, of all places?

After moving to Hong Kong, I became pregnant with my first child almost immediately. All my working career I had kept up my yoga practice, and while pregnant, I started practicing Pilates—it felt very intuitive, given my dance background. After my daughter was born, I knew I didn’t want an office job—I wanted to follow my passion! I was surprised at the relative infancy of the fitness world in Hong Kong back in 2002 and the lack of fitness services on the south side in particular. I enrolled in a Pilates Studio training course, and in January 2005, opened Flex in a small space in Stanley above Pacific Coffee. The rent was so affordable that I decided to take the leap!

When did you open each Flex Studio location?

After nearly six years in Stanley, Flex moved to The Regency Centre in Wong Chuk Hang—that was in 2010—then relocated to One Island South in the spring of 2013. Flex Central followed in the summer of 2014.

Can you tell us a bit about the concept for the space/design?

Given the cramped, dark spaces one often finds in Hong Kong, we’ve tried to incorporate as much natural light and space as possible, using renewal materials such as bamboo for the floor, mirrors to create spaciousness and incandescent lighting—not LED—to create the warmth of sunshine. We’ve also incorporated a bit of a Japanese theme with our sliding doors, which give the feeling of shoji screens. Our carpets and the Pilates equipment are lovely natural wool and wood, and we only use Jade natural rubber mats for yoga classes. We’ve really tried to create zen oases for clients so they feel comfortable hanging out before and after class. Washrooms have to be spotless and inviting! The changing rooms, shower and locker rooms were designed to give a spa-like feeling to the spaces with softer lighting, dark wood and pale tile walls.

What kind of products are you selling at Flex?

We sell amazing workout brands sourced from overseas including Beyond Yoga, Splits 59, and VIE Active. We also sell lululemon, which is always a consistent favorite. Jade Yoga products are also stocked, as are various proshop items including foam rollers, Therabands, Pilates rings, massage balls, etc. We also sell Yamuna Body Rolling products and DVDs which are amazing. Finally, we have a few staples for the ladies including workout socks and “novelty” items from the USA!

Is there a mantra you like to live/work by?

Yes. Quite simply, “What are the top 5 things I can do today, which will have a positive impact on tomorrow?”.

Which sorts of activities or exercises do you do to keep active?

In my next life I want to be a Flex client! I love all our classes, and regularly practice barre, yoga and all types of Pilates. I also enjoy running when I have time, and walking/hiking with my dogs. Rejuvenation is also very important and I enjoy deep tissue work such as Yamuna Ball Rolling.

What is your most popular class?

That’s such a hard and nearly impossible question to answer, as all our classes are really packed! We have amazing yoga teachers at Flex—we’ve really hit our stride with yoga classes, and they are all regularly full. People love Detox Flow and Recharge & Restore, which are very unique classes. Speaking of unique, people love our specialty classes such at Fat Burn Allegro and TRX® Allegro which are only available at Flex.  Likewise, Xtend Barre® is extremely popular in all its forms, including Cardio Blast Xtend and Xtend Barre Stick in addition to Levels I & II and Multilevel. Our Flying Pilates classes are super popular and again, are unique to Flex in Hong Kong. Of course people can’t get enough of our signature Pilates classes, particularly the Trios which take place in the equipment room and are tough workouts.

What kind of clients come through both locations of Flex?

We have such a diversity of clients! In One Island South we have many people who work in the area and building, and they have all become devotees, typically taking class at least 5 times a week. We also have women of all ages who come usually to morning classes, and not uncommonly take 2, even 3 classes in a row—they’re in fantastic shape! We also have men coming—sometimes early morning, but mainly after work and weekends.

Central has a slightly younger, working crowd I would say, and classes are very busy from early morning through to evening. We have a balance of both men and women clients in Central.

What does the future hold for Flex?

Hmmm. Good question. The great part about my job is that inspiration is never-ending—I still have so many ideas about new programs for clients, different methods of content delivery and of course, space opportunities are always on my mind. Suffice it to say, we won’t let any of our clients get bored or plateau in their workouts!  

Do you take classes at your own studios?

Yes, as often as possible! I truly enjoy experiencing the different types of classes and teachers.

When you aren't busy managing the studio or handling Flex business, how do you like to "relax" in Hong Kong? Where do you go? What do you eat?

I enjoy my time off in different ways. I really enjoy cooking, and now that we have an outdoor BBQ, I often grill outdoors when the weather’s nice. I also love Hong Kong’s natural beauty, and love running at the beach. Equally however, I enjoy the city’s amazing art scene and really like checking out galleries and exhibitions. Often fun festivals and outdoor markets pop up on the weekends, and those are always fun to check out too. Restaurant favourites include Grassroots Pantry, Nur, Gaia—we always go to Christmas dinner there, Mana, 22 Ships, Mott 32, Chachawan and for a real treat, One-Thirtyone in Sai Kung.

Fantastic, fabulous, first-rate interview with Flex, no? We thought so too. For more information on classes and upcoming workshops, visit their website.

BONUS: in case you didn’t do the mental math, you read correctly—“...in 2005...” means Flex turns 10 years young THIS YEAR and will be celebrating accordingly:

[classcruiser]

Introducing...Charlotte Johnson Yoga

You’ve probably seen her face...on our website!

Yup, that gorgeous creature you see on our landing page, dressed in bright yellow, head cocked up towards the sky, arms pulled back tightly to give those shoulders a good stretch, Hong Kong Island chilling casually in the background...that’s Charlotte Johnson of Charlotte Johnson Yoga.

Hi Charlotte! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m from the UK! I lived in London for 10 years before moving to Hong Kong. I needed to escape the cold, miserable English weather. I had always wanted to emigrate and Hong Kong ticked all the boxes for a place that could offer me a piece of everything that I wanted from a city.

How long have you been in Hong Kong for now?

I've been here for 6 years now. I love the weather, the accessibility to country parks and beaches, and how you can be in the pulse of the city one minute and out in the wilderness the next. Transport is cheap and efficient. You get to meet so many different people from different backgrounds that you wouldn't normally interact with back home. 

How did you first discover yoga?

I discovered yoga in my first year of university! I remember being very skeptical when my friend convinced me to join her in a class—I loved it instantly! I had always loved gymnastics and dance as a child at school, so yoga just felt great in my body and I connected to it straight away.

How has yoga transformed your life in Hong Kong?

I teach a lot of yoga outdoors so I spend most of my time outside—I get to connect with nature on and off the mat. I see a whole different side to life in Hong Kong that most people either never see or only see on the odd weekend. I get to meet so many different people through yoga too and feel part of a wonderful community of yogis now. Where and when did you get certified?

I got certified with Frog Lotus Yoga in Southern Portugal while I was still living in London back in 2009. How often do you practice yoga?

Not enough! I practice 2-5 times per week? It all depends on my schedule as I teach a lot of private clients so it varies each week.

How often do you teach yoga?

6 days a week, so between 14-17 classes. Private and group. Where do you normally teach?

I teach yoga for Bikini Fit in two of their locations. The rest of my classes are privates in my clients’ home or clubhouse, or small group classes in Sun Yat Sen Park and Hong Kong Park. What is a typical day in the life of Charlotte Johnson like?

I get up early to start teaching at 6, 7, or 8 a.m. I’ll grab breakfast and check emails after that, then head off for a hike with my dogs usually up to The Peak and around all the trails up there, or depending on my schedule head over to a beach for the rest of the day. I sometimes take my mat with me and practice—if not will make some time in the afternoon to practice at home.

If I'm not teaching in the evening, I'll either chill at home with my dogs on the couch or meet up with friends! Best yoga experience to date?

Undoubtedly my 7-day Ashtanga Intensive Teacher Training with David Swenson a few years ago. Favourite place to eat after a great practice?

I go to my favourite local restaurant on Gough Street called Shanghai Lane. It’s one of the few places that I know of in Hong Kong that does homemade vegetarian dumplings where the soup broth is also vegetarian too. So I'll have that with a side of choi sum and green tea. It’s really cheap too!

Speaking of food, any guilty pleasures?

Being English, I have afternoon tea' ingrained in my (almost) daily habit. When 3/4 o'clock comes around, I’ve just gotta have my tea and cake! How would you define a "balanced" lifestyle?

By eating healthy and doing regular exercise but also allow yourself to let go once in a while without judgement.  

What "kind" of yoga do you teach?

I teach a dynamic Vinyasa flow to my group classes. With my private one-to-ones, I always teach a shortened Ashtanga primary series and will sometimes vary the seating poses depending on the needs of each client.

Catch one of Charlotte’s more powerful yoga classes with Bikini Fit or check out her Facebook Page to arrange for a private session! Either way, tell her ClassCruiser sent you. She’s got our seal of approval!