“This event was incredible!” says Ryan Hogan, Chief Executive Officer of Les Mills Asia Pacific. “Last year, our LES MILLS LIVE Singapore event was at a different venue, which limited how many participants we could accommodate. This year, at this one-day event, we welcomed 6,600 session participants, who took part in 7 different Masterclasses - broken down as follows:
- BODYPUMP®: 600 participants
- LES MILLS PILATES™: 550 participants
- BEST OF BODYCOMBAT®: 1,300 participants
- BODYBALANCE®: 600 participants
- LES MILLS DANCE™: 650 participants
- BODYJAM®: 800 participants
- BODYCOMBAT 100: 1,800 participants
- BODYCOMBAT 100 LIVE-STREAM: 300 participants.”
“Each session was led by a team of highly experienced and incredibly passionate international and local Presenters. With so many people in the room for each class, the vibe was high all day long, the excitement was electric, and the energy truly tangible.”
If you’ve never attended a LES MILLS LIVE event, it is best described as your favourite group exercise class blended with a rock concert-like experience. “We use premium sound systems and lighting - on par with what you’d find at your favourite rock concert. This ensures every session is a truly immersive and unforgettable experience,” Ryan explains.
Approximately 17,400kg worth of SMART TECH equipment was moved in and around the hall, for the BODYPUMP session. “Our passionate team of 150 volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure a seamless experience for our participants,” Ryan adds.
VIP EXPERIENCE ADD-ON PASS
New to this year’s event was the VIP Experience Add-On Pass. “We welcomed 150 VIPs at LES MILLS LIVE Singapore - recognisable by their special orange lanyards,” says Ryan. “Each of whom received gold-star treatment that included priority access to each Masterclass, an exclusive Meet and Greet with Presenters, an adidas swag bag, and more premium offerings.”
BEST OF BODYCOMBAT® AND BODYCOMBAT 100
This event also celebrated some major milestones; one of which was the 100th Release of BODYCOMBAT - celebrating 25 years of the world’s favourite martial arts-inspired workout. This special 90-minute celebratory workout was extended from the typical 10 tracks (55 minutes) to 15 tracks.
“It was sensational to have Rachael Newsham and Dan Cohen - BODYCOMBAT’s Program Directors (i.e., the people who design and choreograph each new quarterly workout from scratch) - on stage to lead these celebrations alongside other international Presenters and our local Presenter team from Les Mills Asia Pacific,” Ryan says. “There is nothing like seeing 1,900 participants all kicking and punching in unison and to the beat of the music - it was definitely an experience that every person in that room will remember forever.”
Earlier in the day, a ‘BEST OF BODYCOMBAT’ class was held, where participants had been invited to nominate their all-time favourite tracks from the past 100 Releases. It was from this list that the playlist for the ‘Best Of’ session was created. The ‘Best Of BODYCOMBAT’ session attracted 1,300 participants – many of whom were visibly (and audibly) emotional as each ‘blast from the past’ track commenced. “It was amazing to hear the cheers of recognition as the first beat of each track dropped,” recalls Ryan.
Of her BODYCOMBAT 100 and LES MILLS LIVE Singapore experience, Rachael adds, “This is up there with the best of all time!”, while Dan shared his sentiments on the Instagram Broadcast Channel, writing: “To everyone who joined by purchasing a ticket, your energy and enthusiasm created a vibrant and unforgettable atmosphere. This was the largest LES MILLS LIVE event in Singapore to date, and it was a huge success thanks to each one of you.”
LES MILLS PILATES™
Another milestone at LES MILLS LIVE Singapore was the debut of LES MILLS PILATES™, which is a brand-new Limited Edition Collection program that is launching in Australia and Southeast Asia later this month.
“This fresh take on Pilates capitalises on the current trend and renewed member demand for this mind/body workout. LES MILLS PILATES takes traditional movements and adds Les Mills’ magic and exercise science to make the classes more fun, accessible, and with broader appeal,” Ryan explains.
Featuring magical choreography, hypnotic music, and the latest exercise science, LES MILLS PILATES is a 45-minute mind/body workout designed to improve strength, mobility and happiness. Using slow, simple movements to tone your abs, glutes, back, and hips, Instructors provide expert guidance to build technique and control while modern breathwork creates renewal and bliss.
“It’s traditional Pilates meets the Les Mills experience, enabling participants to feel strong, uplifted, and calm.”
So, how does LES MILLS PILATES differ from other Les Mills mind/body and core-focused programs - LES MILLS SHAPES™, BODYBALANCE® and LES MILLS CORE®?
“LES MILLS SHAPES™ features elements of Pilates mixed with power yoga and barre. The focus is on external motivators like burn and pulses to target and strengthen specific muscles. This is different from LES MILLS PILATES, where the movements are purely Pilates, and the focus on your breath brings you into an internal space and fosters a mindset where you focus on mind/body awareness,” says Ryan.
“Alternatively, BODYBALANCE™ delivers a similar mind/body and core strengthening experience as LES MILLS PILATES. However, BODYBALANCE has a strong yoga skew and is more about flexibility, whereas LES MILLS PILATES is more about mobility and abdominal intensity.”
“In contrast, LES MILLS CORE™ is all about building core stability and it doesn't include the unique breath or mobility focus you get during LES MILLS PILATES. Of course, the best way to really understand the difference between all our strength training workouts is to try a class first-hand for yourself!
LES MILLS FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH™
Also running alongside LES MILLS LIVE Singapore, was the Fitness & Wellness Expo (FWE), where Les Mills Community Classes were held. “The Community Classes were designed to introduce local Singaporeans to the world-class Les Mills workouts, so they can fall in love with fitness and, hopefully, continue to enjoy these workouts on an ongoing basis at local gyms in Singapore,” explains Ryan.
One of the classes on offer was LES MILLS FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH™, which is a science-backed, full-body workout that builds athletic strength, increases muscle tone, and pushes participants to get fitter and stronger for everyday life.
“This brand-new program will officially launch in Australia and Southeast Asia later this month, so these class participants were among the very first people in Southeast Asia to try this cutting-edge program, which was really exciting!” says Ryan.
Presenters Kaylah-Blayr Fitzsimons-Nu’u (from New Zealand) and Michael ‘Chids’ Chidley (from Perth, Western Australia) delivered this at-capacity, debut class to the 45 people in attendance - around 50% of whom were Instructors, and 50% who were not.
“LES MILLS FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH is a really innovative workout that combines two things I love - strength training and sweat! The exercise supersets pair-controlled compound exercises and explosive functional exercises to level up our athleticism. In less technical terms, it’s a really challenging equipment-based workout that delivers outstanding results. The music is epic and the option to insert the handle of a SMARTBAND™ into the barbel gator clip brings an exciting element to strength training and adds a whole new dimension to the workout.”
As with all Limited Edition Collection workouts, clubs can launch these programs at speed, thanks to quick and simple Instructor training (involving a five-hour online training session, as well as pre and postwork).
