With over 17 years experience in sports, Seelan is an ex-athlete who represented Federal Territory, The State of Pahang and The Country in numerous major athletic championships. He was one of the first ever athlete to get a 2 years sponsorship contract from PUMA and was running under the PUMA Racing Team Malaysia. With the experince gained now he is into fitness and has been a fulltime professional fitness trainer for the past 8 years.

His qualifications include Sports Science from The National Sports Council and ACE. Currently he is into the Brazilian Martial Arts -Capoeira and he is also a TV personality.

Email
seelan_kutra@yahoo.com

Contact Number
+60 16 381 0110

Primary Areas Of Interest
Fitness Educator, Mind/Body, Older Adult, Special Pops, Sports Performance, Weight Management, Youth

Preferred Client Type
Athletes, Healthy Adult, Older Adult, Overweight, Post Rehab, Special Pops, Underweight, Youth

Hourly Rate
Call for details.

After the relay, we are organising a distribution of wheelchairs to special individuals/homes and your effort in participating in this Relay will be motivating us to organise more such activities.

Organiser: Kuala Lumpur Masters
Date: Sunday, 31st January 2010
Venue: Bukit Jalil Sports Complex
Closing Date of Registration: 15th of January 2010

For more information, view the entry form here.

Date: 6th February 2010 (Saturday)
Venue: Perbadanan Putrajaya And Makhamah Kehakiman
Starting Times: 8.00PM (Marathon), 8.30PM (Half Marathon), 9.00PM (7.7km), 9.15PM (5km)
Joint Organisers: World Action Sports Sdn Bhd, Twenty First Century Sports Sdn Bhd & Perbadanan Putrajaya
With Support From: Ministry of Federal Territories & Ministry of Youth And Sports
Sanctioned By: Federal Territory Amateur Athletic Association (F.T.A.A.A)

We are privileged to have Ben share his insights with us here at FitnessIdeas.

FitnessIdeas (FI): Hi Ben, thank you for taking some time off your busy schedule. Can you tell our readers your educational or previous training background?

Ben: Hi there, thank you for having me here at FitnessIdeas. My name is Ben Yeoh, founder of Freedom Kinetics – Core Performance Studio and BodyRelaunch.com. Where do I start? I was involved in weight training for over 13 years. During the course, I decided to understand more in depth on our body, and it’s movement in relation to health and fitness. I went on to pursue my degree in Human Kinetics in University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. I’ve travelled to some of the most beautiful places in Thailand and India to learn the art of Thai massage and Hatha yoga. I’m also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach (CSCS-NSCA), Personal Trainer (CPT-ACE), ITM Level IV Instructor, Certified Yoga Instructor and Golf Conditioning Specialist. Health & fitness is a huge field, it’s a never-ending learning process for me. Currently, I’m pursuing a few interesting courses in this field.

FI: In a nutshell - What is your training philosophy?
Ben: My philosophy is simple – “Train the way we move and play”. This means that it should be functional and fun, and translates into our everyday life. You have to learn to enjoy what you’re doing; the same goes with exercise & training. I’m an advocate in bodyweight training, with the use of some tools such as resistance bands, TRX, medicine balls, balance boards, etc when necessary to achieve certain goals and add variety to the workouts.

FI: What are your goals as a Personal Trainer/Coach?
Ben: My priority is to empower my clients and educate the general public on the right health & fitness information. With so much content available today, who should you listen to? Most people are misguided and misinformed. For my clients, I’m there to streamline that process - I’m determined to help them reach their goals all the way, challenge their bodies, while coaching them on the ‘why’s and how’s’ regarding their workout routines and exercise program. Most of all, my goal is to make their whole experience enjoyable and incorporate an active lifestyle. This will empower them with life-time exercise tools & fitness knowledge to continue on their fitness quest and carry on their own even when I’m not around.

FI: Who else in the field has influenced or helped you?
Ben: Pretty much everyone. My strength coaches, university lecturers, peers and definitely my clients. They have all inspired and assisted me to become a better trainer and coach myself.

FI: What are the three best general training tips?
Ben: There are so many I would like share with you, but I’ll go with the first three. And if time allows, I’ll add in a couple more if you wouldn’t mind.

1. Learn to enjoy – As mentioned before, you need to enjoy your exercises or else you’ll be dreading and dragging yourself to each workout session. Find a workout buddy to motivate and cheer you while keeping you accountable. Feel the benefits of being active.

2. Stay Consistent – You want to be performing your workouts regularly to achieve respectable results from your training efforts. Even if you are on a busy schedule, don’t skip your workout sessions. Sweating it out for 10-15mins would be more beneficial than not doing anything at all for extended periods.

3. Keep a journal – If you’re not keeping an exercise journal & food diary, start now! It really helps keep track on your current routine, and serves as an important platform to determine your workout progressions, such as exercise loads, sets & reps, intensity, etc. By recording your logs, you’ll be able to determine the key variables and adjust your workout program from time-to-time to maximize your training efforts and achieve your goals far more quickly. In terms of food log, you’ll get a better idea and more conscious of what you’re consuming throughout the day (bad foods to avoid, portion size, what you should be eating more, etc), making required changes towards your health & fitness goals.

FI: Do you train or rehabilitate females any differently from males?
Ben: I train individuals differently and customize their programs based on their goals. In other words, there are no gender specific workouts unless bounded by physical limitations. There’s always a concern in the female’s mind that if they perform a ‘men’s workout’ or engage in resistance training, their bodies will become like them – huge muscles, etc. In fact, muscles are higher density tissue, which means they take up less space as compared to fat of the same weight. You will only look lean and achieve the ‘toned’ look with muscle building exercises. Fat is the actual culprit. So, for ladies out there, if you look any bulkier as you go on your training regime, either 1) you have way more adipose tissue (fat beneath your skin) to lose, or 2) you’re taking steroids.

FI: Can you describe what a typical training session consist of for your clients?
Ben: I always start my clients with a 5-10 min dynamic warm-up to get their body ready for the session. We’ll then proceed to the actual workout – functional strength building exercises and cardio intervals. Depending on their goals and fitness levels, I would structure the exercises to challenge my clients and tweak their workout duration / intensity accordingly. Training usually ends with static stretch routine and simple breathing exercises, or I would assist in stretching up my clients if they’re totally wasted from the workout (but feeling happy & satisfied)!

FI: Who are your typical clients?
Ben: Most come to me for fat loss, to lose weight and get into their best shape ever. I also work with clients who want to elevate their performance and take their game/sports to the next level.

FI: Do you use any supplements?
Ben: Yes, I do take a multivitamin and flax seed oil every morning. And I strongly recommend that to all my clients. Some may disagree that it’s unnecessary and a complete waste of money if you eat a balanced diet. But I believe that supplements are necessary in society today. This ensures we supply our bodies the vitamins & minerals to function optimally - especially when you engage in regular exercise and physical activity. Unless you’re scrutinizing your food intake, there are bound to be some deficiencies in certain nutrients. We’re just making sure we don’t miss them out!

FI: Ben, thank you for your time and knowledge. Do you have any comments you would like to add to our readership?
Ben: Yes, I want to emphasize that exercise is indeed a lifestyle, not a chore. You should enjoy doing it. Share your goals with your friends and family. Begin your journal. It really cements on your conscious what you write down. Besides tracking the exercises and food intake, journal about how you feel too. This gives you more clarity and understanding on your path, which leads to better results in less time. It’s amazing! If you need help on how to go about it, or simple strategies you could implement right away to accelerate your training results, grab your free complete workout & nutrition journal at bodyrelaunch.com.

By the way, if you’re interested in indoor boot camps, I’ll be launching a program in Jan 2010 - previously only available to my private clients. Visit my site www.bootcampkl.com for more info.

Again, FitnessIdeas.org has excellent resources, so look no further! Feel free to blast me with any more questions which I’ll be glad to answer. I can be reached via email. Thanks for having me here.

To contact Ben or to know more about his services as a Personal Trainer, you can email him at ben@bodyrelaunch.com.

FitnessIdeas would like to thank Ben Yeoh for his time and having contributed to this interview. Stay tuned for more interviews with the big names in the Malaysian Fitness Industry - only at FitnessIdeas.org! Subscribe for free updates at the top of the page.

Fit Tip 8 - Good Cholesterol (HDL), can be increased via exercise.

We all know that good cholesterol helps to keep heart disease away - but exactly what, how, and why?

HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), sometimes called the “good” or “healthy” cholesterol, is responsible for the transport of cholesterol from the blood and artery walls to the liver where it is converted to bile to be used for digestion or disposed of by the body. This ‘transporting process’ is what is believed to be helpful in preventing or reversing heart disease.

To be precise, studies have shown that the risk of Coronary Heart Disease increases by 2 to 3% for every 1.0 mg/dl decrease in HDL-C.

Simply said, exercise increases the activity of several enzymes that enhance the cholesterol ‘transport process’, to alter the levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Individuals wishing to increase their HDL levels ought to exercise at least three to four times per week, and the exercise sessions ought to last for at least 20 minutes (though 40 would be better!).

Are you getting anything close to the recommended levels of exercise as suggested above? If not… it’s still not too late to start.

FitnessIdeas Weekly Fitness Tips are contributed and sponsored by dailymuscle.com.

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This page is sponsored by FiT Malaysia. See below for an Early Bird Offer!

Why ACE?
Founded in 1985, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) is one of the largest fitness certification, education and training organizations in the world. ACE currently has more than 40,000 certified fitness professionals in 107 countries. ACE certification, continuing education and training are among the most respected in the fitness industry.

There are over 300 fitness certifications available today, and the ACE certification is 1 out of 10 which are accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agency (NCCA) in the United States.
The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and the Medical Fitness Association (MFA) both recommend that club owners and medical fitness facility operators only hire fitness professionals with certifications from agencies accredited through NCCA or an equivalent accrediting organization.

Why FiT?
Fitness Innovations Malaysia is the country’s First International Standard Training and Certification Centre for Fitness Professionals. FIT Malaysia is also a sister company of Fitness Innovations Thailand and Singapore. Over the last 2 years, FIT Malaysia has assisted more than 80 Personal Trainers to get ACE-certified in Malaysia and is still continuing to raise the international standard bar of fitness training in Malaysia.

Also available is a student library, and facilities for accessing digital and print materials to keep up with fast-moving developments in the fitness and wellness industries.

Classes are fun, interactive, hands-on, and conducted by experienced facilitators.

FiT graduates also get to be part of the exclusive FiT Personal Trainer Network – helping graduates immediately start off their career as Personal Trainers by offering placement opportunities, ready access to new clients, and workout facilities to utilize.

Course Objectives
The aim of the Personal Trainer pre-certification programme is to instill professional, standard processes and techniques to enable participants to provide safe and effective exercise to their clients as well as prepare them for the ACE Personal Trainer Certification Exam. Participants will have an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage by “standing above the crowd” with a professional certification and become Fitness Professionals that are highly in demand here in Malaysia.

Course Outline
Participants can choose what’s convenient for them - daytime, evening or weekend programmes. This 75-hour course covers the following:

• Basic First Aid - CPR
• Practical Training for Personal Trainers
• Introduction and the Role of the Personal Training
• Code of Ethics, Professional, Legal and Business Issues
• Teaching, Communication and Goal Setting
• Behaviour Change & Motivation
• Client Health Assessment & Fitness Testing
• Fitness Testing (Practical)
• Principles of Exercise Programme Design
• Weight Management - Body Composition and Nutrition
• Cardiorespiratory Training - Anatomy and Physiology (+Practical)
• Cardiorespiratory Training - Principles and Guidelines
• Strength Training - Anatomy, Physiology
• Strength Training - Biomechanics and Kinesiology
• Strength Training - Principles and Guidelines
• Strength Training - Principles and Guidelines (Practical)
• Flexibility Training - Principles and Guidelines (+Practical)
• Programme Design for Special Populations
• Musculoskeletal Injuries & Emergency Procedures
• Programme Design for Healthy Adults
• Programme Design Application (Simulation Practice)

Early Bird Promotion!
Sign up 30 days in advance to get:
• FREE CPR certification (RM200 value)
• FREE Fitness Instructor Skills Course (RM960 value)
• 25% discount on the ACE exam fees (Usual Price USD219)
• RM100 rebate from course fees when your friend signs up with you
Course Fees:
RM3,750 (inclusive of study materials)
4-month Interest-free Installment plan available
Intake dates:
January 2010 intake (weekend): 9th January 2010
February intake (weekday): 22nd February 2010

Interested to know more about the ACE Certified Personal Trainer Preparation Course? Then submit your details in the form below and a representative from FiT Malaysia will contact you as soon as possible.

You can also contact us at +60-3-7726 0030, or visit us at www.fitmalaysia.com.

Fit Tip 7 - Too much salt in your diet can cause your body to retain excess water

Have you ever had one of those days when you ate out, or ate something different excessively, and the weighing scale shows a dramatic increase the very next day? Chances are high, that it’s water retention, caused by the excessive sodium (salt) in what you ate.

Typically, it takes an excess of about 3500 to 4000 calories for you to gain a pound of fat or lean body mass. So if there’s a 2kg increase on the weighing scale, there’s no way it could all be fat because you could NOT have eaten 16,000 calories in a day for you to experience that weight gain - it’s most likely just water retention. Relieved?

However, that doesn’t mean it’s okay to pig out! Everything in moderation.

For more info on the effects of eating too much salt, take a look at Fit Tip #1.

Watch your portion sizes. Be more aware of your salt intake. Go easy on the salt shaker, and on soy sauce! Read the “Nutrition Facts” panel on food labels to see how much sodium you are eating - you may be shocked.

FitnessIdeas Weekly Fitness Tips are contributed and sponsored by dailymuscle.com.

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Fit Tip 6 - Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper

There is much truth in the popular saying above by Adelle Davis (American Nutritionist and Writer, 1904-1974). Our bodies can tolerate more nutrients/calories earlier in the day (which is when we need them), rather than late at night. So the best way to eat for a better body will be to end your day with the lightest meal (but ensure that all your meals are balanced, of course).

And if you’re a breakfast skipper… you’ve got to stop sabotaging your physique!
A study once conducted found that although skipping breakfast may ’seem’ like a good way to eliminate calories, breakfast skippers tend to be fatter than breakfast eaters. And when people eat a larger-than-normal breakfast, they end up eating almost 100 fewer calories by the end of the day, which can help your weight loss efforts.

FitnessIdeas Weekly Fitness Tips are contributed and sponsored by dailymuscle.com.

Make sure you don’t miss our awesome upcoming Fit Tips - Subscribe for our free update with your email address below:

SUBSCRIBE TO FITNESSIDEAS

*Privacy Notice: we do not share email addresses with anyone. You will receive the FitnessIdeas email update, and you may unsubscribe at any time.

Held for the first time in Malaysia @ Taman Lembah Kiara, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. With two distances, a 4km distance for those who are new to off-road running, or just wanting to have a fun time in the trails; and a 10km distance for those who want a bit more pain - the run is set to be a great morning out in the hills of the well-known Bukit Kiara.

RACE DETAILS
Date : Sunday 6th December 2009
Venue: Car Park, Taman Lembah Kiara, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, KL
Distances: 10km and 4km

For more information and to register online for the race, visit http://www.quickrelease.com.my/xtrail/