INSTRUCTOR OF THE MONTH – SOUTHEAST ASIA (May 2024)
In this new regular feature, we’re highlighting Instructors from Australia and Southeast Asia who demonstrate exemplary commitment to their Les Mills Instructor career (i.e., consistently buying new Releases and attending Quarterly Workshops and events). And thanks to our friends at Fitness Audio, each featured Instructor receives a microphone case and belt valued at $75. To kick off this article series, we’re shining the spotlight on Wong Hui Fang from Singapore.
In the beginning
Fang’s journey to become a Les Mills Instructor began over ten years ago, after her friends became certified.
“My fellow gym friends attended Initial Training and came back with such great stories about how they learned better techniques and formed camaraderie with others – it convinced me to give it a go.”
“My Initial Training was an eye-opener and my introduction to the Les Mills world. At that time, I was feeling stuck in my corporate job and was considering a career switch; and after the training, BODYCOMBAT was the only thing I was interested in! So, after the training, I took the plunge and auditioned at the local gym.”
“It took a few months of team-teaching and the rest, as they say, history!”
“What I love most about being a Les Mills Instructor is the people – from fellow Instructors to the members – every class, every workshop, every interaction and every time we do BODYCOMBAT together. Because I know for that 55 minutes we’ll work as a team, sweat as a team, and I have made someone’s day just a bit better (because exercise creates endorphins and endorphins make you happy)!”
Quarterly Workshops
Like all of our Instructor of the Month recipients, Fang also consistently attends Quarterly Workshops. The key benefits of consistently attending includes “being the receiver of the amazing class energy; experiencing the fresh Release as a participant, which helps me to understand where and what I should look out for when delivering the Release; being with fellow Instructors; the great vibes and good catch-ups; and the education sessions that are informative and useful.”
“What I love about In-Person Workshops is that they always include our favourite local Presenters. Seeing them interact with overseas Presenters brings a refreshing exchange of stage performances and energy.”
“The fact my fellow Instructors make the extra effort to take time out from their daily work schedule shows just how passionate they are about teaching – it’s so good. And for those who can’t make it to In-Person Workshops, the Online eWorkshops are a great alternative because they’re accessible, so can be done at home or even while travelling.”
Jo Tan is a member of Les Mills Asia Pacific’s Trainer and Presenter (TAP) team and Fang’s partner. “She has been the rock and pillar in my life since day one,” Fang says.
“In September 2018, a freak bus accident saw Fang break her tibia and fibula,” explains Jo. “This left her unable to teach classes for a whole year. It also robbed her of the opportunity to apply for try-outs to become part of the TAP team. However, the injury didn’t stop her from continuing to show up for Quarterly Workshops – even in that very same month of the accident!”
She adds, “Fang is a constant figure in Fitness First’s Quarterly tuitions. In the year that Fang was unable to teach classes, she continued to put in time to mentor new Instructors and upskill existing Instructors through her role as the Program Coach of Fitness First.”
“More than 10 years after passing her first Initial Training, Fang is still regularly attending Quarterly Workshops and she even shadowed on stage for BODYCOMBAT 67 in 2017 after achieving an Elite in her AIM2 assessment! Fang is a true role model for many of us Instructors in Singapore!” Jo says.
Quarterly Release Kits
Fang consistently purchases Release Kits every Quarter. “What I find most helpful about the Kits is the choreography notes. I learn better knowing exactly how many sets and counts the block requires, and the breakdown of coaching layers helps me to script better and clearer.”
To learn the new Releases more easily and effectively, Fang offers these tips:
Always ‘eat the ugly frog first’! You may be tempted to learn your favourite track from the new Release but if you learn them by sequence, you will notice a pattern where movements develop.
Always read the ‘TRACK FOCUS, FEEL, MARTIAL ARTS’ (for BODYCOMBAT®). This gives you bite size info to the type of track including the direction of your coaching.
Move when you are learning, it helps create more lasting muscle memory.
The future
Fang says she wants to keep connecting better with the new friends who join the gym or take a BODYCOMBAT class for the first time. She also says she’ll remain committed to staying up-to-date with her current Les Mills programs, as well as venture in to explore the newer Les Mills programs.
To anyone who’s considering becoming a Les Mills Instructor, Fang says, “Try! Be passionate and hardworking and when you give it your all, you’ll find out more about yourself through the journey.”
“There are bound to be some bad days where the class didn’t go as you intended. And there are good days where you are reminded why you became an Instructor. Focus on making the good days more than the bad ones. And even in those bad days, remember that you are still the Instructor they came for!
To follow Fang’s Instructor journey, find @fang_whf on Instagram. To create a fitter planet and help more people fall in love with fitness – just like Fang does – consider becoming a Les Mills Instructor. To find out how visit www.lesmills.com.au/instructors.
Or if someone you know has a passion for teaching Les Mills programs and a consistent history of buying new Releases and attending Quarterly Workshops, training and events, then submit a nomination for Instructor of the Month. To do so, simply email your name and Customer ID to marketing@lesmills.com.au.
