We caught up with Prem, who fell in love with us at first sight (her words, not ours). When she’s not running a Spartan Race (Prem ran 3 in 2019!), she works as a Dentist. We asked her about her training, and how it’s evolved across her time at Level.

What made you decide to train at Level?

My first experience with Level was through Classpass. I attended John’s Tuesday 6 pm class and thoroughly enjoyed it. After that, I signed up for Level Spartan classes as I had already intended to run the Spartan Race. I found the trainers to be dedicated and they genuinely cared about the well being of every person attending the class. They took the time to explain each workout and corrected my posture if I was doing something wrong. I personally felt I was starting to understand how each exercise could help my body, what was my strength and weakness. It was no longer about just doing the exercise for the sake of doing it. I also liked how friendly the staff were, always greeting me with a smile when I entered the studio, addressing me by my name and saying ” Have a nice day” as I left. The small things make a huge difference for me.

Is this your first time working with a personal trainer?

No, it isn’t, I previously had a personal trainer for 9 months. I then took a sabbatical for 7 months. When I came back to Singapore, I found personal training financially unfeasible for me.

What were you hoping to achieve with personal training?

I had just completed my first Spartan Race with Level team back in January 2019. I was not able to complete certain obstacles such as the monkey bar, rope climb, multi rings and to add to that, my cardio was almost non-existent. Let’s just say I did not think my body was built to run! After my first spartan race, I decided to sign up for the second race which was in August (call me crazy but I am the type of person that loves a good challenge), I knew however, that I needed help.

When Alex proposed the idea of SGID, I signed up without thinking twice. SGID (also known as Small Group Individual Design) allowed me to have a structured and personalized program that was specific to my goal, a trainer that would keep me in check and it didn’t break the bank! I trained twice a week. My primary goal was to become stronger while my secondary goals were more specific to the challenge that I wanted to complete at that moment (i.e. monkey bar, rope climb, multi-rig, endurance run). Fast forward to August Spartan Race Super (13km obstacle based run), I completed the rope climb and monkey bar! *YAY*. Not to mention I completed a 13km run! (I guess my body is capable of anything!)

My initial goal of becoming stronger was evidently being met and I could have not been happier with the progress I was making. It did not stop there for me, I moved to the next challenge which was the Spartan Beast. I have been doing SGID for 1 year now and my approach towards personal training has changed. The purpose of doing personal training for me now is to create a sustainable healthy lifestyle that will allow me to enjoy my life in a more holistic manner.

This is a typical workout session:

What have you gained from your personal training experience with Level? and are you doing anything different/ moving differently as a result of your level training?

My personal training experience with Level has impacted my life in many different ways. Firstly, I feel stronger physically. I feel more energetic and I am more comfortable in my skin than I have ever been. This also translated into my work life. As a dentist, I’m mostly sitting all day. Sometimes, I have a tendency to hunch or have an improper sitting posture which can result in neck, shoulder and sometimes lower back pain. However, by building a stronger core through strength training, I no longer experienced these discomforts. Work became a lot more enjoyable!!

Secondly, it has had a profound effect on my mental and emotional well being. I was going through a low point in my life when I made the audacious decision to sign up for Spartan! I was trying to find a way to connect back to my inner self. PT helped me gain a whole lot of SELF LOVE!! Our body and mind are much more intertwined than we might know. As I started to notice the exterior changes in my body, I started feeling a newfound self-confidence simultaneously. I begin to pay more attention to my eating habits and lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong I still enjoy my sweet treats and wine! It’s all about having a balance. My mindset towards exercise shifted from “I should exercise” to “I want to exercise”. I felt confident to explore other types of workouts such as Pilates, boot camps, and HIIT sessions because I knew I had the proper basic knowledge and foundation on how to perform exercises without injuring my body.

How is training at Level different from other gyms?

One thing I noticed at Level: because the number of people to a class is limited, there is always extra attention given from the trainer to make sure you are performing the exercises correctly and safely. The classes, Structure, Sweat and Skill, specifically focus on certain exercises and skill levels. This makes it easier for you to opt for workouts that are best suited to your level of experience while getting the same guidance, therefore, gaining better results. Moreover by having classes that are small in size, it creates a community-like atmosphere!. You learn to see your trainer in a different limelight. You get to know their taste in music for example or that they, just like you understand the aches and pains of leg day!.

This community-like vibe also creates a supportive network. I cannot count the number of times when I am struggling to complete the last round of exercise at SGID or Georges Sweat class, and watching my friend (or even a stranger) finish it gives me the motivation to complete it.

Would you recommend Level to a friend/ family and why?

HELL YES! Quality over Quantity is how I would describe it. I would say that at Level you get top-notch fitness instructors that know how to inspire! The studio has a modern aesthetic and pays extra attention to cleanliness ( something that is super important in this present time). At Level, the client experience is important!!! I have had only positive experiences, even to the extent that some of my close-knit friendships I have in my life I have LEVEL to thank for!!

Prem is one of many who have managed to find that fine line between work and life through the medium of fitness. To experience that for yourself, drop us a message at trial@level.com.sg

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