What Lee loves most about being a Les Mills Instructor is the passion, sense of community and genuine connection with others.
“Being a Les Mills Instructor has taught me the importance of being real. By being real, we become brave enough to show our true colours. You can be consistent in your workouts or teaching classes, but if you’re not being authentic then people will not experience a genuine connection between you and them. As a Les Mills Instructor I also love being able to share the movements with music – I really love music. And given it’s matched up with best choreography to deliver amazing results, it really is the best job ever!”
“I originally joined a gym in Singapore as a member around 2002. I just did workouts on my own but, to be honest, I wasn’t self-motivated enough because I didn’t know much about fitness back then.”
“During the six months I spent doing my cross-training routines, I kept seeing a group fitness class that was always packed full of people who were punching and kicking; the music kept pulling me in to see what kind of class it was. I was so hyped to learn that the class was called BODYCOMBAT®. I ended up joining classes for a year, sometimes doing even three or four in a day, and all these years later I am still that BODYCOMBAT freak!”
“When I went back to Jakarta, I took out a gym membership right away so I could do Les Mills classes, and eventually this led me to get certified to teach. After almost three years of teaching – both RPM® and BODYCOMBAT by this stage – I got lucky, because there was an audition to become a Les Mills Presenter. I tried out, and I got in for both programs! The people who selected me were Kylie Gates, Tracy Minnoch and Judy King!”
"My WHY for becoming a Les Mills Instructor is to change the world by helping people be healthier in their body, mind and soul. Remembering my WHY helps me to keep doing what I love to do."
"One of my favourite moments is when the people in front of me have the greatest smiles on their faces, because it shows me how happy and satisfied they're feeling. We never know what other human beings have been through in their daily life; however, I believe every time they join my classes, I always give them the best that I can because I know I'm helping them to create memorable moments through the workout and, of course, the music."
To anyone considering becoming an Instructor, Lee says “be brave and don’t be shy to show the world who you are and what you are capable of.”
Lee is proud to be part of the LGBTTQIA+ community. She says, “It means lot to me because I can finally express my true self, and feel proud about it.” Lee believes the fitness industry is a great environment to work in, as it enables LGBTTQIA+ community members to be as authentic as they want to be, without having to hide. “In fitness, we should be able to express and not feel ashamed about who we are. Furthermore, it would help to open the eyes of the world that we can be successful in the fitness industry, as well as any other!”
“Of course, there is still work to be done – work on ourselves, so we can believe in ourselves; as well as more unisex clothing designs, so I can express the real me! I would also love for more members of the LGBTTQIA+ community get more opportunities to express themselves to the world and to openly share their passions.”
Lee says she feels lucky and thankful that her role as an Instructor, Presenter and Trainer with Les Mills Asia Pacific, has enabled her to travel the world and help lots of people in their own life as well. She says her “why” for teaching is to share her experiences and spread the feelings that people experience from Les Mills programs. Lee says, “If I can do it, then everybody else can too – just trust in yourself!”– and she’d be right!
You can follow Lee on Instagram at @leemovement
