Get Stronger at UP

GROUP TRAINING CLASS

Class size: 10 Duration: 45min Toughness level:

A performancebased gym, Ultimate Performance (UP) specialises in functional training – with exercises to give you better agility. Though personal training is the main programme here, it has equally rigorous group training classes. After a speedy warm-up, trainer Chu assigned us to different machines. I started with the hanging leg raise, but the next exercise at the cable machine was by far the toughest station for me. Prior to Chu’s class, I found face pulls not only intimidating but also awkward. (Face pulls target the smaller muscles in your midback and rear deltoids.) Executing a proper face pull at the cable machine with a small load of 7kg made my upper back tremble. Working out a smaller muscle does not require a heavy weight, Chu reminded us. Instead, endurance and a slow release are

needed to fully activate these muscles. Halfway through the first set, Chu challenged me to use heavier weights (actually, she insisted). By the end of that one minute, my arms were fully worked. For legs, there were dumb-bell reverse lunges and leg presses. While dumb-bell reverse lunges are not difficult to execute, Chu wanted everyone to do them slowly to give our legs the full stretch. Definitely felt it.

Verdict: The class was tough because the instructor set different goals for everyone. Personally, being able to complete a set of chest presses with more than 5kg of weight was quite the achievement for me. Happy to have crushed it.