So … you want a slimmer waist, leaner legs, a tight butt, and an end to bingo wings?
Our advice is to follow in the footsteps of Reese Witherspoon, David Beckham, and Lady Gaga and find yourself a structured exercise plan taught by professionals who get to know their clients.
It’s time to visit Flex Studio.
“Fads, quick fixes, or a one size fits all approach when it comes to working out is a waste of your time and money and could also result in injury,” says Heather Thomas, Flex Singapore founder.
“We know what works, how it will best work for you and your body’s requirements, and how you can go about realizing your potential,” says Heather.
“If you want results, you need expert guidance and an enjoyable process to ensure continued motivation.”
At Flex, we offer a system called Classical Pilates. This flow of exercises has been producing fantastic health and fitness benefits for a century, is a favourite of multiple celebrities and famous sportspeople, and gaining general popularity every year for a reason.
For example, Pilates is the fastest-growing exercise genre in Australia and New Zealand, experiencing 250 per cent growth in the 12 months to September 2022. Its popularity is 2.8 times that of the next-best genre in Australia, which is yoga, according to Forbes magazine.
There are, however, common myths still abounding when it comes to Pilates, two of them being that it doesn’t help you lose weight or build muscle.
“In fact, Pilates is functional exercise, in that it strengthens and elongates muscles that we utilize in our everyday life, sports or any physical activity,” says Heather.
“Involving focus, breathing, adherence to the system, establishing a strong knowledge of the core, and a tailored approach to what you need, the entire body benefits from the Classical sequences.
“As a result, Pilates exercises accentuate the length of the limbs and changes bulky muscles into longer and leaner ones. In general, Pilates exercises should lengthen your muscles and make you look taller as well.”
At Flex, we see all shapes, sizes and fitness levels, and everyone who sticks with the program sees marked change.
“Over time, you tone, firm and sculpt every muscle of the body, especially the waist, as much of Pilates is focused on constant engagement of the core muscles, primarily as they protect the spine,” adds Heather.
“But alongside this, you reduce pain, improve posture, and gain strength. That’s why its popularity continues today.”
But don’t just take our word for it. According to Medical News Today, Pilates is designed to “build strength and muscle tissue”. It adds that this is something referred to as body recomposition, which helps people build lean muscle mass and raise their basal metabolic rate (BMR), enabling them to burn more calories, including when they are static or resting.
“Improving body composition through consistent muscle strengthening techniques can help build lean muscle and reduce body fat, also often resulting in weight loss.” The article states. “This is something that Pilates can facilitate through its core movements and philosophy of mindfulness between a person and their body.”
As for the Holy Grail of a slim waist, if you’ve just had your first baby, Flex Pilates post-natal classes are the place to go.
In 2023, BMC Women’s Health reported the findings of a study between researchers in Seoul, and Hong Kong on the effect of Pilates on post-partum females’ abdominal muscles.
The study investigated the effects of a Pilates exercise program based on breathing and core training on inter-recti distance, rectus abdominis muscle thickness, waist circumference, and abdominal muscle endurance in women who had undergone their first childbirth.
“The study showed that the Pilates exercise program significantly improved the inter-recti distance, waist circumference, and abdominal muscle endurance in primiparous women, and the Pilates exercise program is recommended as a way to recover from or prevent diastasis of the rectus abdominis in postpartum women,” the study concluded.
As Heather says, Pilates was not originally designed for aesthetics, yet the highly effective, carefully designed and historically proven format has a brilliant side-line in helping people tone, slim, and sculpt, safely and in a supportive environment.
“It’s low impact, so is gentle on the joints,” Heather concludes. “But instead of mindlessly doing crunches or running on a treadmill, you’re getting out of your head and into a state of complete focus on your body alignment, as well as what exercise is coming next in the sequence.”
Once you start, you’ll be hooked!
Have You Tried a Class Yet?
Get 40% off Classical Pilates Mat or Classical Reformer Trial or 25% off Classical Pilates Trio Trial.
Flex Studio Hong Kong
Central : 3F Man Cheung Building 15-17 Wyndham Street, Central
T: 2813 2399 WA +852 5740 5103
Island South : Shops 2205 & 2209 One Island South 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang
T: 2813 2212 WA: +852 5740 9420
Flex Studio Singapore
Orchard: 390 Orchard Road 05-02 Palais Renaissance S 238871
WA: +65 9111 6855