#upsidemotion

As we are waving goodbye to the first half of 2016, it is now time for a quick recap and progress-check what we all had set out to accomplish. This week, we spotlight on Emma Pickering, our RUMI lucky draw winner in Sixteenfor16 challenge back in January. This easy-going Californian has grown much love over the past 5 years residing here and dearly called Singapore her second home now. Emma and her husband got hooked on the constant excitement of dipping themselves into the Asian cultures, going to new places and meeting friends from all over the world. Much of her old lifestyle have been left behind, but not Xtend Barre. Up till now, she’s been with Upsider family for more than a year.

UM: Hi Emma, could tell us about your experience with Sixteenfor16 challenge?

Emma: This is the very first time I’ve ever done a fitness challenge, and also the longest one. It’s basicly 16 classes in the period of 4 weeks. So if you divide it out to get an equal frequency, you need to attend at least 4 times a week. Usually I attend once or twice during weekdays and once or twice during the weekend, but honestly the challenge is the huge incentive to keep you coming back because: you paid for it! *laugh*. And I like it that I can do my workout at both studios. After the challenge, I could feel that my muscles are more toned and defined. I’m definitely more fit.

UM: So after the challenge, do you come as often?

Emma: Honestly, I’ve tried to! You probably can check my attendance *laugh*. But the challenge was a helpful push!

UM: Other than attending Barre, do you do any other form of exercises?

Emma: Playing tennis and running. For a non-sport activity, I’m usually more relaxed - especially with Barre workout which requires a coordination of different muscle training techniques that I wouldn’t be able to do on my own.

UM: Do you have any friends who joined you for the challenge?

Emma: During that period, my friends were all travelling and couldn’t join. But usually after work we do barre together and head for a cup of coffee afterwards. I really hope that the next challenge fits our schedule better. I love how you track the progress of all challengers with those little blue dots on the board - look at it and I kind of remember the names and faces. Even though the challenge is mostly for yourself but it’s fun to be competitive and see who have done the most so far!

As an end note, here are some of the fun facts you will remember the next time you see her at Upside Motion and stay tuned for another exciting challenge coming your way soon!

1] Things she always get excited about:

Adventurous activities and on the road exploring new places with her husband.

2] The most memorable places:

Burma and Sri-Lanka.

3] Morning ritual: 

Coffee and exercise

4] Night ritual: 

Be mellow and switch-off-the-brain activities.

5] At work: 

If she’s not out seeing clients, Emma is at her desk reading and working with numbers.

6] On a weekend afternoon: 

Errands, friends, tennis, barre, sometimes a spa retreat.

7] Favourite local dish: 

Everyday kaya toast with the soya sauce.

8] Fitness brands she wears: 

Lululemon, Sweaty Betty, Nike, Athleta

Enquire front desk or email us at [email protected] to enrol!

Want to know more about the experience? Watch the video below:

This week, we are back with 10 things in 30 minutes series with Nicole Diane Kaw - an Upsider mom-to-be as she shared with us her advice and experience while expecting her first child.

No. 01 // Nicole’s love for dance started when she was little. She was a part of school representative dance troupe and cheerleading squad until high school. She took a break during university to focus on her studies. She finally rekindled her love for dance after moving to Singapore, signed up for jazz dance class and then Xtend Barre. She ended up dropping the dance class and sticked with Barre since then: “Xtend Barre has captivated me with the dance and ballet elements as well as the upbeat tunes that energize you to keep going”. Can you spot Nicole in her dance troupe back from the highschool days?

No. 02 // Nicole joined our Upsider family in June 2015. About a month later, she discovered her pregnancy.

No. 03 // Nicole always maintains an active lifestyle – be it running, wall climbing, tennis, pilates, going to the gym, dancing or Xtend Barre. So even after finding out she was pregnant, she had continuing her fitness routine with prenatal safe workouts.

No. 04 //Luck is on her side! Nicole doesn’t experience any morning sickness, sleepiness, fatigue, powerful cravings, etc. Nothing unusual except for her continuously growing belly! “Attending Xtend Barre classes regularly has possibly helped me combat any “negative” sides of pregnancy.”

No. 05 // She always keeps her routine checked with regular Barre class, proper eating, vitamins and Elacyl stretch mark cream before bed. Her dose of healthy goodness is a glass of Avocado milkshake with Banana. 

No. 06 // Nicole used to attend classes 3-4 times a week but cut back to once a week during her first trimester. Now she’s back to 2-3 times a week and may continue until her 36 weeks of pregnancy.

No. 07 // Her take on exercising during pregnancy: “Listen to your body and don’t push it if you are not comfortable”.

No. 08 // Most of Nicole’s fitness wear still fits her so she prefered not to spend so much on unnecessary maternity wear (or maternity fitness wear). Instead, Nicole decided to save for crucial spendings after the baby is born.

No. 09 // Weekend afternoon is “we” time for Nicole and her husband.

It has been a week since Avryl has left the sunny homeland to move on with her new journey in Queensland. Utterly fresh out of her NUH training at the age of 23, she possesses the strength and clear vision of how to live a good and meaningful life. As we wave our goodbye to this cheerful and lovely Upsider, here are 10 amazing facts about her in our 30-minute conversation:

No.01 //  Avryl decided to be a nurse when she was fourteen! One day, she made up her mind: “I think it’s my calling. I want to be a nurse.” When asked why not the other professions and whether she was sure about the tough career of being a nurse, Avril said she knew about the hardship and enjoyed the challenge.

No.02 //Joining our Private Reformer routine was actually...by mistake. Avryl was randomly looking at Instagram and wanted to try our Xtend Barre class. She came in thinking she needed to have some Pilates experience to join the Barre. After her first Pilates experience on the reformer, Avryl got hooked!

No.03 //Her Upsider weekly routine: one private Pilates session on the reformer and two Xtend Barre!

No.04 // Avryl practiced her Pilates routine everyday for a month when she was on holiday oversea trip visiting her aunt. She simply couldn’t stop doing it: “I was afraid that I’d lose the momentum and my body wouldn’t be able to get used to the movement anymore.”

No.05 // On the experience of being with Upside Motion over a year, Avryl said: “As a nurse, I tend to bend my back a lot and my lower back used to hurt after work. After learning how to protect your back using your own body mechanics with Pilates and Barre, I don’t feel that pain anymore. My legs were like jelly before and now, I can feel that there’s more muscle definition!”. Yay!

No.06 //Avryl is fondly known as “The Pancake Queen” by her friends. She loves cooking and baking even though she doesn’t have a sweet tooth.

No.07 // Avryl’s tips on baking healthy goodness: Cut down on sugar and instead, use agave nectar. She also experiments with different kinds of organic products and flours. “Organic products create a wholesome and rich taste that is very different from what you normally get outside.”

No.08 // Her night ritual: Forward roll and backward roll. Finished by a spinal twist to stretch your back muscle. Avryl feels that it’s important to release all the tension in your body before you sleep.

No.9 // Favorite magazines: Kinfolk and Frankie