Health & Fitness

Monday June 28, 2010

Getting Fit The Fun Way

By Punitha Yogaratnam

Exercise. It's a word we all dread. But exercise doesn't necessary have to be a torture. It can be fun! That's what Malaysian Fitness Champion (1993), Candi Soo is trying to tell the masses.

Fitness doesn't have to be those boring push-ups or those tiring one-hour run on the treadmill. It can be dancing – you learn something new, you have fun and oh yeah, you lose weight. It's that simple.

Founder, director and co-operator of the Candi Soo Fitness and Candi Soo Fitness Training Systems, Candi has been in the fitness business for over 30 years.

"I started with Joanne Drew, one of the first fitness centres in Kuala Lumpur in the late ‘80s. I was conducting up to six aerobic classes a day and loving every minute of it. After I won the Malaysian National Championships in 1993, I left for Australia to learn more and the rest is history," Candi says in an interview.

Working out doesn't necessary have to be boring. It can be fun, especially if you put a little step into it.

Today, there are six Candi Soo Fitness centres in Kuala Lumpur, one in New Zealand and several independent fitness centres in throughout the country, in Brunei and Singapore that are using her programmes on a licensing basis.

One of the hottest program Candi has developed is the Masala dance – a hot and rekey dance move that's straight out of a Bollywood movie. In fact, Candi and her dancers (both professionals and volunteers) recently danced the Masala in The Star Online's Techniversary launch at GSC 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya last week.

The dancers totalling more than 60 from as far as Penang took part in a Jai Ho flash mob just in front of the cinema's ticketing area.

Candi leads a group of 60 during the Jai Ho flash mob at GSC 1 Utama.

Candi's Masala dance is a hot favourite with crowds. The fitness guru has tied up with several companies like Watson Pharmacy and Shape and Health Today Magazine for their Health and Fitness Roadshow.

Earlier in May, Candi previewed the routine, one of the latest in the Aero Dance series by Candi, to a rave reception at the Women's Sports and Fitness Federation of Malaysia Coaching and Fitness Convention. Over 500 seasoned fitness professionals pushed the limit with a non-stop, energetic Bhangra session that left many -- both participating and watching -- breathless.

In an interview with Candi, she tells us that she believes fitness should be fun but she also stresses that you have to put a bit of work into it before you can have fun.

Is learning Aero Dance difficult? Could someone who has no training or who is not coordinated enjoy this workout?

You have just got to like to dance and be prepared to put in the effort to get in shape. Anyone with a sense of rhythm can do it, but you need the discipline to get yourself in shape.

Have you always been interested in aerobics and dance?

I've always loved to dance. And when I discovered how fit you get from regular dancing, it was a natural progression.

What made you want to start the Masala dance?

I learned a lot during my years in Australia. I learned about science and physiology of fitness training and it was obvious that you could get all the strength, stamina and body toning benefits from carefully put-together dance routines. Bollywood music and movements are great for this. Just look at the shape of those girls performing it. The secret is dancing hard. And it's so much fun you just wanna come back for more.

Ok, dancing is fun, but does it really help you lose weight?

Dancing is fun! But it's also tiring.

Oh course. It's an hour of solid dancing. You burn a lot of calories doing that. We have clients losing up to 20kgs in just six months.

What types of fitness programmes do you offer?

Aside from the specialist classes like Masala and Marguerita, we also have our yoga based classes, resistance classes (using barbells), and flexible resistance classes (Gymstickin') for posture, poise and grace. Our outlets also run a fine assortments of "normal" classes like kickboxing, hi/lo and step. Our main strength, of course, is in the personal training department. All our programmes are sourced directly from Australia, so there is no worries with quality and effectiveness.

Do you find more people joining gyms these days?

Well fitness is being promoted harder today than before, so there are alot of first timers. But the question is do they stay on? There are a lot of horror stories out there about people paying gym fees for years without ever showing up. We try to rule that out of our business.

What's the difference between your fitness centre and the other commercial gyms in town?

Privacy and personal attention. If big gyms were warehouses, we would be a boutique. And we make a genuine effort to offer value for money.

Does your fitness centre cater to those seeking more private one-on-one training?

Our one-on-one service is extremely popular because of our commitment to the customer. Everything is done in private. You don't have to wait for equipments and there are no prying eyes. A client can and should expect our full commitment for service and results.

Why do you think more people are interested in dancing as a form of exercise?

Dancing is so much fun and it's very effective. You just want to come back for more.

If you are interested in Candi's Masala dance programme or any of the other programmes she has, call Candisoo Fitness at (03) 2300-1253 or (03) 2300-1574.