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AFT Features, AFTNews, Beauty & Health, Features Singapore, Fitness, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

A moment with Will Skinner, CEO of UFIT Singapore

The CEO of UFIT looks so young you may mistake him for an inexperienced person trying to make it in the fitness industry. However, Will Skinner has more experience than you and I combined. This former professional rugby player brings over his years of rugby experience into the commercial aspect of fitness. Of this, he says “I feel like I never made a switch.”

“Yes, I was in the office a little more, but I was still involved with something I love, and so always want to do my best and expect the best from others,” he added.

He says that there is a lot that can be learned from sports and business, and he doesn’t think his approach to business is any different from during his sports days. “I’m sure all the guys I work with get fed up with me using sporting analogies day-to-day – whether it be recruiting and growing a team or academy like Alex Ferguson or developing our own culture like the All Blacks – sport-to-business synergies and comparisons are endless. If it makes me think I’m managing Manchester United or the All Blacks then I’m happy, too.”

Physical Exercise

The main gym at UFIT Club Street

As for physical exercise, he says “Physical exercise is highly important as part of a wider approach to general health, but it’s also equally important to get the balance right. We encourage everybody to also look at their nutritional journey and that is why we have a team of nutritionists on-hand at every (UFIT) Hub to get you on track. Whether you need advice on weight loss, clinical nutrition or sports nutrition, this type of holistic view of looking at fitness will enable you to ignite that fire and take you to the next level.

However, if you are new or hesitant to begin exercising, don’t despair. Will says that UFIT understands your struggles. All you have to do is to take the first step to go to UFIT and they will help you. “We have the ability and skill to support and guide you and to make that journey fun, so that you want to stick to it and keep coming back for more,” he says.

It may sound dubious to some but don’t let that stop you from getting healthier and fitter as UFIT is systematic and starts from the very basic.

The Approach

Step into UFIT Club Street Hub to begin your transformation journey

UFIT’s approach is not strictly focused on fitness alone but on one’s overall health. They believe that everyone is unique and therefore requires a unique approach accordingly to their needs. It is safe to say that UFIT is not your typical one-size-fits-all gym, but rather one that offers a full end-to-end service.

“Everybody starts with a health consultation with the Hub Manager. This is an in-depth analysis of their body composition and identifies various health metrics to highlight any imbalances in their body and discrepancies in lifestyle. With this data, we are able to suggest an appropriate fitness and wellness plan as we have the best information to plan this person’s journey. Our holistic approach allows us to determine whether we need to take them back to a position of health and/or fitness or to take them to that next level if they are an elite athlete and have the ability to dedicate themselves to a sports performance lifestyle.

Our clients also undertake mobility tests at their first session with a trainer or therapist and this helps to identify imbalances that might impede their progress or that we have to be mindful of.

Everything we do is bespoke and enables us to test and track a person’s progress whatever stage of the journey they are at.”

Injuries

Now, if you have had prior injuries UFIT would be able to assist you too and it is something that Will Skinner knows a lot about as it was a neck injury that put him into early retirement from professional rugby.

“Rehabilitation and recovery have always been a part of our services. Our trainers are highly qualified and take this approach very seriously with regards to ensuring everybody performs exercises correctly, takes time to recover and gets the right level of professional support when needed. We opened our first dedicated Physiotherapy Clinic at Raffles Quay in 2016, went on to open one-north UFIT Clinic in 2017, and Orchard UFIT Clinic in 2018. This allowed us to build a team of the absolute best Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Sports Massage, Pilates and Rehab specialists in Singapore, on hand at all times to help recharge our clients.

The three new Hub destinations are also carefully structured so that Physio and Rehab services are fully integrated into our offering, with Club Street having nine dedicated treatment rooms within the same building as our fitness studios. Therapists and Trainers share patient notes and can easily refer clients back and forth between teams, using our bespoke UFIT Online Coaching Platform, for the best care they can provide,” says Will.

The male changing room at UFIT Club Street

Founded in 2011, UFIT was set up to deliver a higher level of personal training than what was available in Singapore at the time. Starting with one gym at Amoy Street, it quickly expanded to become the country’s largest independently owned fitness community. The business is multi-award winning and offers Personal Training, indoor and outdoor Group Training, Physiotherapy and sports rehabilitation related services, and Nutrition alongside its other businesses, Youth Academy, Retreats, Education and Corporate Performance.

Recently, the fitness centre celebrated a decade by opening its new integrated Hub at Club Street, Singapore.

Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

The Silent Enemy: Fight Joint Injuries Together

Kordel’s has been the main sponsor for Arthritis Foundation Malaysia (AFM) for 11 years running and they have recently collaborated with local sports associations, both professional and amateur athletes as well as Sports Medicine Specialist at University of Malaya Medical Centre, Dr. Muhammad Rahmani Jaffar to raise awareness on the threats of silent joint injuries and how to reduce the risks and take preventive measures. 

The purpose of this collaboration is to educate the public on the rising epidemic of arthritis, and the types of joint nutrition they could take early on before it seriously impacts a person’s health and lifestyle. 

This partnership came shortly after the appointment of Dr. Benjamin Cheah as the new President of the new Arthritis Foundation Malaysia for the period of 2019 till 2021. With over 23 years of experience in the medical field, he is also a Consultant Physician and Rheumatologist in Pantai Hospital and Consultant Rheumatologist in Parkcity Medical Centre and IMU Healthcare. 

According to Dr. Benjamin, although joint ailments can affect everyone from every walk of life, it is not clear exactly what causes osteoarthritis as age, weight (obesity factor), past injuries, family history as well as bone deformities are all part contributory to the onset of osteoarthritis. 

While it is commonly associated with the elderly, athletes and younger adults can also be afflicted with this degenerative disease. When osteoarthritis strikes, the cushioning material (cartilage) that covers the ends of the bones breaks down. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, crunching or grating sounds (when the joint is flexed), swelling and loss of flexibility. When cartilage wears away completely, the bones rub against each other, which can be even more painful and debilitating. 

 

Research has suggested that athletes and sports professionals are more prone to osteoarthritis than the general population. “Athletes constantly push their bodies to the limit, therefore serious wear and tear is bound to occur,” continues Dr. Benjamin. 

“In my younger days, I injured both my knees while doing sports and I’ve endured pain ever since. We shouldn’t wait too long to take action as we can prevent further damage with the right nutrition and practice,” shares Mike Mahen, Mr World Champion 2016 -2018. 

“Many patients as young as in their 20s to 40s suffer from painful arthritic conditions. Education and awareness on how to recognise the symptoms are as important as taking preventive steps,” weighs in Dr. Muhammad Rahmani. 

Backed by the latest research on nutritional healing and disease prevention, Kordel’s has introduced Eggshell Membrane plus Boswellia in their Joint Care range. It is formulated with a blend of hydrolysed water-soluble eggshell membrane, and added with Boswellia an extract which contains boswellic acids. This daily joint nutrition supplement has a Triple Actions Formula that can help to (1) repairs and protects Tendon and Ligament, (2) repairs and protects cartilage and joints, and (3) anti-inflammation thus helping in joints recovery early at the early stage. 

“Should anyone sense any discomfort in moving or stretching, it could be a symptom of early osteoarthritis, especially those who are above the age of 30 or those who does a lot of strenuous activities. Prevention is always better than cure,” mentions Mr. Zid, brand manager for Kordel’s. 

Kordel’s Eggshell Membrane plus Boswellia contains 2 unique patented ingredients which are the patented Biovaflex from eggshell membrane that provide 6 bioactives ingredients to nourish and regenerate joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments, while the patented Boswellin is an extract from the Boswellia plant that acts as a natural analgesic to stop inflammation fast and effective without side effects. 

As part of their corporate social responsibility efforts, Kordel’s will be having their annual Family Charity Walk on the 8th September at Padang Merbok, Jalan Parlimen in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This 7km walkathon is a charity drive to increase public awareness on joint health and raise funds for Arthritis Foundation Malaysia. 

For more information, please check out at Facebook “2019 Kordel’s Family Charity Walk”.