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AFTNews, Features Hong Kong

Island Shangri-La Launches Themed Room Experiences in the Hotel’s Newly Enhanced Guest Rooms and Suites

Following on from the introduction of its newly enhanced guest rooms and suites, Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong has launched a series of unique themed experiences that are sure to delight guests of all ages.

As well as enjoying a host of upgraded features and amenities, families checking into the newly renovated rooms can choose from four themed experiences—Princess World, Space Travel, Safari Park and Northern Lights—each of which features a captivating set-up that includes an in-room tent, special decorations and an overhead projector, transforming the room into a magical wonderland that kids will be thrilled to explore.

The recent renovation of the rooms and suites was led by renowned French designer Tristan Auer, whose previous projects include the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, the Mahanakon Sky Bar in Bangkok and the Cotton House hotel on the private island of Mustique in the Caribbean. Drawing inspiration from Hong Kong architecture and culture while deftly blending contemporary Asian and Parisian aesthetics, Auer has succeeded in creating rooms and suites that are as distinctive as they are sophisticated, and which inspire an exalted sense of calm and well-being.

Perfectly reflecting the modern traveller’s desire for luxury and convenience, the generously proportioned rooms and suites include multifunctional in-room pantries, adaptable desk tables and seamlessly integrated technology, all of which help to create a versatile space that is ideal for families. Each room also has a beautifully upholstered, made-to-measure daybed that provides the ideal space for parents and kids to unwind upon while also offering the flexibility to accommodate two additional guests.

Colour palettes, meanwhile, have been chosen to harmonise with the different vistas visible from the windows, with each room “Framing the View” in a way that heightens the interplay between the exterior landscape and the interior decor.

The newly renovated rooms and suites are available from HK$ 4,800+ per night, which includes a complimentary hotel credit of up to HK$ 2,000 (depending on room type) and a free upgrade to a themed experience. Bookings can be made online through the hotel website. For more information or reservations, please contact our Reservations Team via e-mail at reservations.isl@shangri-la.com or call (852) 2820 8333.

About Shangri-La
Shangri-La, an iconic flagship brand of the Shangri-La Group, puts heartfelt service at the core of its distinctive Asian hospitality experience. Through imaginative and nature-inspired design, delightful culinary and cultural experiences, and its authentic and thoughtful service, the brand enables guests to realise their own moments of Shangri-La.

Today, the brand experience is brought to life in over 90 deluxe hotels and resorts at destinations around the world, including Australia, Canada, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sultanate of Oman, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Shangri-La Circle is a transformation of Shangri-La Group’s award-winning Golden Circle loyalty programme – a new contemporary Asian travel lifestyle platform built on the idea that life is meant to be fun, limitless and full of possibilities. Shangri-La Circle offers members a world of enhanced benefits at every point of their journey at over 100 Shangri-La, Kerry, JEN and Traders properties worldwide, along with the Group’s portfolio of restaurants, wellness facilities and family experiences. Specific details of these new benefits and enhancements can be found  here. For more information, please visit  Shangri-La.com.

 

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AsiaFitnessToday.com Island Shangri-La Launches Themed Room Experiences in the Hotel’s Newly Enhanced Guest Rooms and Suites is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. Source: https://www.australiafitnesstoday.com/2023/04/14/island-shangri-la-launches-themed-room-experiences-in-the-hotels-newly-enhanced-guest-rooms-and-suites/

AFT Features, AFTNews, Sports

TaiSPO 2023, Sports and Fitness Taiwan Opens a New Chapter After a Glorious 40 Years with New Strategies to Create Business Opportunities for the Industry

TaiSPO organized by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) takes place at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2 from March 22 through 25, 2023. The exhibition, formerly known as Taiwan Int’l Sporting Goods Show for 40 years, will be unveiled this year as TaiSPO, Sports and Fitness Taiwan to reposition itself in alignment with global trends in fitness and sports technology, focusing on three major themes–sports & fitness, sustainable lifestyle and smart technology while facilitating exhibitors to materialize business opportunities in international markets.

Simon Wang, President & CEO of TAITRA, suggested at the pre-opening press conference on the 14th that this year’s exhibition will promote three new strategies—new ecosystem, new trend and new alliance. In implementation of the strategy of “new ecosystem,” the exhibition will be zoned according to sport environments instead of product categories as in previous years, which will expand imaginative possibilities of an ecosystem in the fitness and sports industry and bring together diverse product offerings in the same sport environment. For example, this year’s Outdoor Taipei will gather exhibitors of outdoor leisure products, which range from campers, tents to fishing tackle, and cross-country bicycles and recreational vehicles to conjure up an outdoor leisure space for parents and children to spend quality time together, presenting multiple facets of an outdoor sport and recreation culture.

To ride on “new trends,” two brand-new pavilions will be added to TaiSPO 2023. The Pavilion of Sports Tech will showcase fitness & sports products and services designed with concepts of AI, big data analysis, and cloud computing. Taiwan’s world-famous fitness equipment manufacturers, Johnson Health Tech and Dyaco, will both provide exhibition visitors with opportunities to experience performance-upgraded intelligence products. The All-age Fitness Zone features children’s play equipment and gym design for seniors, where visitors can find products and services that are instrumental in new life solutions that promote lifelong fitness and mobility in prevention of the need for long-term care.

TaiSPO is also keen to create new dynamics in the sports & fitness market through cross-sector alliances, collaborating with international sport competition organizers and celebrating concerted efforts of industry, government and academia. 2023 NPC Worldwide Muscle Contest organized by Fitness Factory, which will gather contestants and judges from around the world, is set to take place at TaiNEX 2 during TaiSPO and expected to raise the profile of the exhibition even further and advance international exchanges. The exhibition will also attest to the vigor and strength of Taiwanese startups in the sports industry as entrepreneurs incubated by the IAPS Tech Startup Accelerator at Yangming Chiaotung University are engaged as exhibitors and the achievements of the sports science research bridging project co-sponsored by Taiwan Normal University and the National Science and Technology Council are presented.

The new strategies have enabled 2023 TaiSPO to deliver promising results even before it officially opens. There are 43 first-time exhibitors, accounting for 25% of the total. Not only has the exhibition expanded its diversity with their participation, but it has also grown twofold in the overall scale from the year before with as many as 800 booths. In addition, it has also seen a significant increase in international participation, with multiple world-class sports and fitness organizations represented by high-level delegates, including WFSGI (the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry), FESI (the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry) and the Singapore Fitness Federation (SFA). In-person B2B matchmaking meetings are also coming back. So far nearly 600 international buyers from 50 plus countries have registered for a visit, and the number of private business meetings is expected to exceed 50.

TaiSPO 2023 will host a lineup of entertaining and informative events, including Taiwan’s first “Digital Sports Meet for Influencers,” where eight top sports influencers and players will compete on stage in four digital sports events—Stampede, SmartBoard, uGym 3D Rowing and VAR BOX shooting games and the Forum on Development of Sports Technology—Resilience, Sustainability and Beyond, which will be attended by business leaders from FESI, FIT Summit in Singapore, Johnson Health Tech, and Taiwan’s startups— IMOTEK and Uniigym.

This year’s TaiSPO has undergone a makeover from previous years to mirror the latest trends in the global market, connect technology and humanity, and foster exchange and partnership. TaiSPO is the annual must-attend trade show for everyone in the sports and fitness industry, where you will find most innovative solutions for smart sports and life. The exhibition starts on March 22nd and runs until 25th. Businesses are welcome to register online in advance for entry with business cards. It is scheduled to open to ticketed visitors on the third and fourth days. For more information about the exhibition and relevant events, please visit the official website: www.taispo.com.tw.

 

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AsiaFitnessToday.com TaiSPO 2023, Sports and Fitness Taiwan Opens a New Chapter After a Glorious 40 Years with New Strategies to Create Business Opportunities for the Industry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. Source: https://www.australiafitnesstoday.com/2023/03/13/taispo-2023-spor…for-the-industry/

AFTNews, Features Malaysia, Upcoming Events

Malaysians move it for health at Move8 for Malaysia Day Walkathon

#Move8 Fitness Movement encourages anyone and everyone to move it

In the spirit of celebrating diversity this Malaysia Day, people from all walks of life are invited to move it at the premier #Move8 for Malaysia Day 7KM Walkathon held in conjunction with the KL Car Free Morning on 16 September 2018 flagging off from Dataran DBKL in the capital city.

Pronounced as “Move It”, #Move8 Fitness Movement (www.move8.org) encourages people of all ages to start moving. The World Health Organisation has determined that Malaysia has the highest obesity rate among its regional neighbours. It’s no wonder as Malaysian food is simply irresistible but it’s so rich in carbohydrates that Malaysians need to move it more in order to stay healthy!

#Move8 for Malaysia Day Walkathon at the KL Car Free Morning 7KM route – www.klcarfreemorning.com

The #Move8 Walkathon series will be held quarterly kicking off on Malaysia Day, 16 September 2018. 7KM is equivalent to 10,000 steps, the recommended minimum number of steps one needs to take daily to achieve optimum health (estimated duration to complete the walkathon is 90-minutes). Some of the most popular streets in Kuala Lumpur capital city of Malaysia will be closed off to traffic during KL Car Free Mornings and the road will be shared between runners, walkers, cyclists, skaters alike! Enjoy the sights of old and new KL city as you’ll walk from the confluence of the river city to the sky reaching KLCC Twin Towers. Don’t be surprised to see horses pulling a carriage, tandem cyclists and more!

“#Move8 is a drive to encourage people of all ages to get moving and using a walkathon to achieve this objective; everyone and anyone across all ages can participate. Our inspiration is the community of fit seniors we know personally who hike, walk and run. Learning from them, we inculcate strong community values wherever we go and therefore at each event we produce we pledge to contribute to humanitarian aid charities. This Malaysia Day, we’ve selected the Malaysian Medical Relief Society (MERCY Malaysia) as the beneficiary,” said AsiaFitnessToday co-founders Jasmine Low and Nikki Yeo.

“Move8 Fitness Movement was initiated by AsiaFitnessToday.com – an online platform for corporate companies to book fitness activities for their employees, or for the general public to book group training. We wish to foster good relationships in the communities we live and work in by using fitness events as a means to stay healthy and make new friends while doing good for society. We believe with #Move8 Fitness Movement we can align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Goal #3 Good Health and Well-being for People. There are so many marathons and fun runs weekly, yet there are still many Malaysians who do not participate simply because they’re not interested nor fit enough to get started. A walkathon makes it easy for anyone and everyone to join in and we encourage corporate citizens and government agencies, athletes and sportsmen to step in as fitness advocates and sign up their family and friends for a walkathon,” adds Low.

The #Move8 for Malaysia Day Walkathon will be the first in a series that will be held throughout the country including Penang, Langkawi Island (State of Kedah), Cameron Highlands (State of Pahang) and Kundasang (State of Sabah). There are also plans to expand the walkathon into the ASEAN region. Each edition of the #Move8 Walkathon will be made appealing to international and domestic travellers as the selected locations are also some of Malaysia’s hottest tourism destinations. Each #Move8 Walkathon in the series will also hold a different theme in accordance to location. Participants who successfully complete the entire walkathon series will receive a special prize to mark their achievement by Malaysia Day in 2020.

The #Move8 Fitness Movement is conceptualised by AsiaFitnessToday.com (AFT) – a fitness startup incubated by experiential events company GoInternationalGroup.com, a Cradle Coach & Grow Program grant recipient.

#Move8 Malaysia Day Walkathon’s official partners are KL Car Free Morning, Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) and MultiGreen Events, the initiators of KL Car Free Morning. Prize sponsors include Amnig, ICON Fitness, Jump Street Asia, Meesha Sukira and Nusantara Bullion Exchange. Meanwhile, event partners SonneAire hybrid air-conditioning systems and award-winning portable toilet Ecoloo (both Cradle CGP recipient companies) have joined in to assist #Move8 event organiser GoInternationalGroup.com in providing sustainable events solutions.

Participation fees are RM50 for all participants and they will receive a commemorative 999 silver coin, breakfast, a goodie bag as well as an entry to a lucky draw. From the fees, 10% will be donated to MERCY Malaysia, a non-profit organisation that provides humanitarian and medical assistance in Malaysia and overseas. Closing date is on 12th September 2018 and tickets can be purchased online at: www.move8.org.

AsiaFitnessToday.com coach Adam gets people moving on the 1st Sunday of the month at KL Car Free Mornings

Aside from the #Move8 for Malaysia Day Walkathon, AFT also hosts free Zumba on the first Sunday of the month at the KL Car Free Morning in Kuala Lumpur and the 100 Day Fitness Challenge where groups of 30 people will be coached to be fitter and healthier versions of themselves in 100 days by certified fitness trainers.

Photos: All rights reserved, 2018, Go International Group Dotcom Sdn Bhd.

Fitness, Upcoming Events

#Move8 for Malaysia Walkathon

We walk for you, and with you, Malaysia.

An independently organised 7km walk for Malaysians and friends of Malaysia on Malaysia Day in conjunction with KL Car Free Morning.

Date: 16 September 2018
Time: 7:00-10:00am
Venue: Dataran DBKL

Cost: RM50
Rewards: Commemorative medal, breakfast, goodie bag and lucky draw entry

Supported by: DBKL
Partners: Ecoloo, Sonneaire, Amnig, IconFitness, JumpStreetAsia and more!
Organiser: GoInternationalGroup.com
Initiated by: AsiaFitnessToday com

Sign up: www.move8.org

Facebook Events: https://www.facebook.com/events/1902822140021079/?notif_t=event_calendar_create&notif_id=1535593063854509

AFT Partners, Fitness

An interesting class at BEYOND MOVEMENT

Ong gives easy to follow instructions

Set above a bustling row of restaurants, BEYOND MOVEMENT is quiet and serene making them the perfect place for a peaceful workout. Although at first glance the studio may look bare, it is in fact filled with perfectly arranged equipment.

When we stepped foot into the studio the instructor, Ong, was in the midst of having a private Pilates class. So we were invited to sit nearby until the class was over. However, there was no time to chat as she moved on directly to the group GYROKINESIS® class.

 

What is GYROKINESIS®

For those who have not heard of GYROKINESIS® before the explanation is clearly defined in the GYROTONIC® website. It states:

“The Gyrokinesis Method is a movement method that addresses the entire body, opening energy pathways, stimulating the nervous system, increasing range of motion and creating functional strength through rhythmic, flowing movement sequences. It is an original and unique method, which coordinates movement, breath and mental focus.”

If that sounds like a boring Yoga and/or Pilates class to you, you would be wrong. The similarity of flowing movement ends there. For one, you begin a GYROKINESIS® class by sitting on a stool with your feet firmly on the floor or mat. Second, you have already done the movements involved in your daily life so you basically will have no problem doing it, such as yawning.

 

Ong helping our tester with a movement

The Class

Our tester today is a male in his 40s who does calisthenics exercises regularly with some kettlebell exercises. Was he sore after the class? Not quite, but he was surprised at the intensity of the class as he sweats more than he thought he would.

With that in mind, men will have to note that the only problem they may face during a GYROKINESIS® class is not being the token male; it will be pointing their toes.

The class seems easy to an observer as Ong gives out easy to follow instructions with descriptive explanations such as kayaking, hummingbird, and hands in pocket. These memorable instructions allow participants to perform the movements correctly.

Ong does not hesitate, however, to help participants who have problems performing a movement. She will instruct, position and explain until the participant is able to do the movement.

 

Our tester performing a movement

After the class

There is no Namaste ending after a GYROKINESIS® class. Participants simply say “Thank you”, and proceed to clean the provided mats and put them back in their place. Ong stays back to engage with students by answering any questions they may have.

As mentioned earlier, almost all students end up sweating after the vigorous workout. Ong says that GYROKINESIS® helps not only with blood circulation but with moving our joints as well. This is important as most of us are sedentary at the workplace.

“By doing more exercise correctly, you can do more,” she says.

 

The verdict

Our tester said he didn’t expect the GYROKINESIS® class to be that vigorous but he appreciated the guided explanation and breathing that accompanied it. Sometimes, just as he thinks he has the movements down pat Ong appears to assist him and he realizes he was doing it wrong.

But the assistance helps him improve and he says, “I moved muscles I never knew I had.” He also mentions how parts of his body opened up and he feels as if his body is somewhat lighter. He does say to not underestimate the class though.

Ong is an excellent instructor albeit with the ability to be no-nonsense at the same time. But as she constantly reminds participants – most of the movements are movements that we are already doing every day.

So, should you attend a GYROKINESIS® class at Beyond Movement? You definitely should. But to fully utilize the experience, use the classes as a complementary exercise to what you’re already doing.

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An interesting class at BEYOND MOVEMENT is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. Quote Source: https://www.australiafitnesstoday.com/2018/08/28/an-interesting-class-at-beyond-movement/. First published 28 August 2018. Photos: All rights reserved, 2018, Go International Group Dotcom Sdn Bhd.

Editor's Note, Fitness

Different ways to move (Editor’s Note)

There are many ways that we can move to achieve our fitness goals. Everyone have a choice of CrossFit, TRX, yoga, zumba, weightlifting and many more. But the very basic that’s recommended is achieving 10,000 steps a day.

 

Achieving this is extremely unrealistic, says Stuart Heritage in his article in The Guardian. In the article, he suggests another alternative towards achieving 10,000 steps per day and tracking those steps using a fitness tracker. He also said SHAME should be our greatest motivator.

As blunt and direct Mr. Heritage is, I would have to agree. Being and keeping fit is not merely about meeting your daily step goals. I use Google Fit to track my steps and other exercise apps that are connected with it. However, Google Fit is unable to track how many random push ups I do per day. It also occasionally tracks me as running or riding a bicycle when all I’ve done is walking. I can’t have been walking that fast!

Now, putting your step tracking activities aside, there are different ways that we can move in order to achieve our fitness goals. These exercises do not have to be boring though. What counts is that you move – playing with your toddler, walking around in circles while on your phone, and more.

This week’s articles will introduce two different ways to move your body. We have Gyrokinesis review from Beyond Movement and a review of Jump Street. Both reviews feature different types of movement.

We also have an article of KYDRA sports apparel and a rehabilitative method called Rolfing. The latter is extremely difficult to describe but is extraordinary in helping people out with injuries and more.

Keep moving, dear readers! #Move8

Fitness

Should you exercise on an empty stomach?

Exercising on an empty stomach may be able to burn fat faster but there are processes your body goes through to achieve this.

Exercising your body is good for your health and aids in weight loss. However, does exercising on an empty stomach burn more fat at a faster rate?

When you exercise after a period of fasting, your body falls back on some backup mechanisms to ensure your body has enough fuel to sustain you during your workout.

When exercising on an empty stomach, your body will first draw fuel from the sugar store. This is not stored sugar.

When the available sugar store has been used up, your body will turn its focus to stored fats or muscle protein. It’s not as scary as it sounds. Your stored fat will be turned into sugar, which helps fuel your workout. The same process happens to the protein taken from your muscles.

It is because of this process that the theory of burning more fat at a faster rate started. There are researches on healthy young men regarding this. One research found that stored fat are used faster during aerobic activities when done on an empty stomach. This is due to the reaction of the body towards low insulin levels that happens during a fasting period.

Another study found that exercising on an empty stomach produces changes your metabolism so that your body is able to use insulin more effectively. This could prevent or delay diabetes.

Yet there are no conclusions on whether exercising on an empty stomach can enable you to lose weight faster as studies on these are few.

There was a study that observed 19 young men who exercised during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan when people fast from sunrise to sunset. While everyone did lose weight but those who exercised more lost just slightly more weight and body fat.

William Kormos, the editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch suggest that one should not be thinking too much about working out on an empty and simply focus on your regular exercise routine.

Editor's Note, Fitness

Is a fitness hero/idol important? (Editor’s Note)

Allow me to get straight to the point – a fitness hero or idol is someone who we aspire to be or has become the inspiration for the person we would like to become. Who is your fitness hero?

 

How we met

Mine came to me when I was still in primary school. At the time, I was doing the tournament rounds for tae kwon do and I got used to be the “cute” one at tournaments as well as being the youngest (usually). I also had to fight above my age level as they were the closest to my age. So imagine a short 10-year-old me having to compete in the Under-15 category (I’m still short, by the way).

The girls were big and tall, and hard to beat. It was hard for me to be able to score points although I always ended up on podium. That was a lot of work!

At the time, my parents didn’t even want me to do any martial arts. They think it would make me more masculine and learn less on how to be a lady. But I was a tomboy and I loved how I was able to focus. Heck, I wanted to be a boy!

Okay, I’m lying. It was not fun being screamed at to kick harder and faster. To do 50 – 100 push ups as fast as you can. To keep throwing punches until you feel you can’t lift your arms anymore.

But that fateful day when I was in Primary 5, I met this lady while I was being taken care of by other female competitors in their 20s. My parents never attended any tournaments, or so they said.

 

The fight

The lady in question was a brown belt, 25 years old and said she was working for Malaysian Airlines as a stewardess. She said she knew she was going to be able to participate in the tournament during the time.

She had long curly hair and wore red lipstick. “Who in their right mind would wear lipstick in a tournament?” I asked myself. She giggled a lot and kept cooing at me. I hated it.

Then she was called to fight. She turned, giggled (again) and ran with such a girlish saunter that made me wonder why she had participated in the first place. All the ladies suddenly sat upright and quiet while telling me that I had to see her fight.

I shrugged and wondered how long it would last. The moment the referee said “fight!” she hit her opponent with a spinning back hook and was K.O.-ed. She did this with a determined face and strong masculine stance.

While the referee counted down on her opponent, she switched back to that girly girl and if she could twirl her curly hair, she would. When it was pronounced that she was the winner, she ran back towards us in her light ball-on-mat run while her hair swayed side to side a la Baywatch.

 

The realization

It was during the K.O. that it occurred to me a girl can still be a girl when she’s doing martial arts. Not just martial arts – a girl can achieve anything she sets her mind to without losing her femininity. She is still my hero, especially fitness hero, because despite looking like she was so weak and dainty, she still could throw a mean kick to save her life.

I stopped resenting having guys as sparring partners. Instead I look at them as challenges. I learnt to overcome obstacles from this. I learnt that I had to be fitter than them to beat them.

I also learnt that being fit does not necessarily equate to huge bulging muscles.

I never knew her name but lady, you’re the inspiration for everything I have done, achieved and overcome. That one K.O. was more than enough to tell me I’m good. I’m ok.

Fitness, Fitness at Work

Lose Belly Fat with the Plank Challenge!

Do you dream of having a flat stomach? We have the solution for you!

AsiaFitnessToday present to you a challenge, over 30 days, to strengthen and tone your stomach.

The Plank Challenge is fairly easy to follow, even for beginners. Begin by holding the recommended timing for each plank, each day. It is recommended to perform the plank three times a day, excluding rest days. By the end of the Challenge, you should be able to hold your plank for 4 minutes.

30-Day Plank Challenge

To improve your quest for a flatter stomach, we recommend you to include lemon juice in your daily diet.

This post was written by Lauriane Nativel, AsiaFitnessToday.com‘s intern from La Salle Saint-Charles, Reunion Island.