Movement Labs

Scenes from my bathroom floor one night last week:

The clothes I’d put on at 7 AM planning to go for a run after breakfast and school drop.

Lying on the floor after I stripped them off for a quick shower at 10 PM, dirty from the day but not sweaty from a run. (Wasted running bra, IYKN B BY

Sick kids. Work emergencies (mostly your spouse’s). Year-End Shenangians. Aging parents.

Life keeps lifing - and folks, we’re HERE for it.

Get started,
Restart as needed,
Keep showing up -

We see you, we’re cheering for you, and we sure as heck believe in you.

Because it’s not about making every single run.
It’s about missing one, substituting a walk as needed, and still lacing up a few days later to try again.

Whatever it is today, you’ve got this. 🌟

My 2024 June Holiday Flex: My body didn’t hurt.

Did some quick shower math last night calculated that, prior to this trip - the last time I’d traveled when I WAS NOT pregnant or within 1 year postpartum…was in 2018. Holy cannoli.

Pregnancy and early postpartum (yes I consider one year to still be “early” postpartum) are full of aches and pains as bodies expand, lactate, contract, carry, lift, stretch, isometrically hold, and often subsist on insufficient sleep and fuel.

[YES these can be reduced and managed, but I think we can agree that all the changes often impact how our bodies feel, and not in a great way. So my body didn’t feel great while traveling? Well it didn’t really feel amazing at home either so what?]

But now - BIG SIGH - two years after delivering my third and final baby - we took a trip, full of moving and carrying and different beds and lugging and kayaking and being slept on by kids and swimming for hours and strawberry squats and I had capacity to actually lift weights a few times too - and my body felt good. Great, even.

I was sore from workouts, but not much else. My shoulders were chill. My low back didn’t ache. My hips did their thing. AMAZING.

The thing is - I hardly realized it until the end of the trip. The absence of aches and discomfort and pain…is much less notable than its presence.

I remind clients of this every time they return from a holiday feeling good. The work you do in sessions - improving movement patterns, increasing range of motion, and BUILDING MUSCLE. Pays dividends in daily life INCLUDING helping you enjoy your holidays.

So…are you ready to get started? 😉

Four weeks ago, I (Holly) was on a plane, about to land in New Jersey to spend a few weeks with my family.

The trip, while much-needed personally, didn’t come at a great time for the studio. There were staff transitions, a pile of new client inquiries, and current clients who wanted a few sessions before their July travels.

The over-achiever voice in my head told me that everyone would feel abandoned by and/or resentful of my long absence. But I have to practice what I preach - including slowing down, honoring family, and enjoying time with my kids. 

So I prepped the best I could, and stepped on the plane. At the studio, a few trusted colleagues stepped in and up to keep a reduced schedule running. I gave some clients workouts for home, a few joined me on a weekly Zoom, and others enjoyed a short break from personal training. 

And just like my prior trips, pregnancies, and maternity leaves - clients didn’t even flinch. Everyone sent me off with a - “GO! Of course you have to see your family!” 

You all proved to me, once again, that operating with clearly-stated values, firm boundaries, respect, and support - is mutual.

I received the same encouragement and cheerleading I routinely give - “Don’t worry about us/your workouts - just enjoy your trip, you’ll be back before you know it!”

And of course - I was. Our time in the US passed in a flash - with lake swims, fireflies, cousins, s’mores, and REAL pizza. [IYKYK.]  And now I’m back in Singapore, happily settling into the routine of school, clients, and life - with refreshed determination and ideas on how to improve our systems and grow offerings.

Thank you ALL for your love, support, and for all the ways you show up for our awesome, unconventional movement community. We couldn’t do this without you!

(Cont’d in Comments!)

Sunday-turned-Monday post.

After I locked up the studio on Saturday afternoon, I put away my phone and leaned hard into being present with my kids.

I said yes.

I let go of The Plan.

We visited a colleague of K’s, and I supported & supervised the kids do r the entire evening - then put everyone to bed, cooked myself dinner and ate alone. I felt…oddly neutral about helping the kids regulate all evening and missing dinner with the adults.

I laughed with (and sometimes at) the kids’ antics and quirks.

I let them cry and affirmed their feelings without trying to minimise, rationalise or justify.

I solo’d Sunday Morning and we were just 5 min late for church.

I SUNK into parenting, walking WITH them, and letting them grow into themselves rather than my vision of who they should be (but also to raise decent human beings). I loosened my expectations of all of us, ordered food when it made sense, and even had a lovely discussion on values-based decision making with my eldest.

Rather than trying NOT to feel angry or frustrated or upset…I queried the root of the problem (my expectations) then tried to ADD helpful strategies - flexibility and curiosity.

[We move focus from what you can’t do, to what we can ADD to your repertoire.]

It was a good weekend to do this - we were healthy, family schedule was light, and my hormones (which have been a rollercoaster lately) chilled out.

[Set yourself up for success - Plan your workout for a time you feel good.]

And so - the edges of my intensity as a human person…were more rounded. I was more measured, slower to react, and more open to changing situations. K asked if I was ok, because I seemed…off.

“I’m trying to be less intense this weekend.”
“Oh.”
I guess it was working? 🤣

Will I repeat next weekend? Not sure. Every bit still counts.

[Yes a 5 min workout counts!]

Are there some lessons here?
Absolutely.

Does parenting in slightly different ways let us explore and grow? Totally.

[Does moving in different ways let us explore and grow? Totally.]

Here for it all, my friends.

What did you ADD to this past weekend that was good for it? Let me know. 💞

[Do fitness analogies help me in daily life? 💯]

Hi, it’s me. And this is my usual “10 Things” Lunar New Year post….2 months late. 🤷🏻

1️⃣I’m 40 years old with a 10 month old baby (our third, and final). I have one foot in postpartum and another headed for perimenopause. It’s trippy. And, I get you wherever you are on this spectrum - or beyond.

2️⃣ Acapella Billy Joel is a sure way to my heart.

3️⃣ Over 2 years ago, 6 months into the pandemic, I quietly opened a weird little niche-y space. Nowadays I am unapologetic and loudly proud of being at the helm of a radical fitness space in Singapore. We’re anti-diet-culture, size inclusive, gender affirming, working to check our ableism, science-advocates who believe fitness is just a small part wellness - and is inherently political.

4️⃣ Co-sleeping with my third baby has been great for my mental health and horrible for my shoulder. 🤣

5️⃣ I made pickled okra (ladyfingers) last week and it was both transformed and transformative.RECOMMEND.

6️⃣ My first car was a Buick Skylark, with blue velour seats.

7️⃣ I have two surnames and will absolutely choose to use whichever will get me an easier/better result in any particular situation.

8️⃣ I worked a short summer stint as a waitress at a ‘50s style carhop in high school. (Had to get gas in that Blueick somehow!)

9️⃣ I can wiggle my ears.

🔟 My 5 year athletic goal is to go trail race something awesome in Hong Kong.

There you have it: me, my crew, my business. I’m also a recovering perfectionist, the entire ML social media team, and posting this with a teething baby attached to my breast in bed. ✌🏼

Anything you want to know, drop it below. 💕

Solstices at the equator often feel like a non-event. We enjoy ~12 hours of daylight all year long, and average monthly temperatures vary no more than a few degrees. There is no winter hibernation, not for the wildlife and not for us.

Perhaps that’s one reason I’ve grown to love returning to the northeastern US in Nov/Dec - even though I swore I wouldn’t miss the cold, dark, snow when I left upstate New York 11 years ago.

But I do. I miss the seasonality. I miss hunkering down. I miss hot soup on a cold day. I (nostalgically) wish I’d leaned into hibernating a bit more when I lived through the seasons.

So when we’re here visiting, we hunker. We spend time with my immediate family. We eat warming food. We slow the eff down in a way that feels impossible in Singapore.

This is probably the last year that the studio will pull back so hard in December. It felt perfect last year, as folks were caught between restricted travel, omicron, and fear. It felt pretty good this year as our family wraps up our final newborn season.

But that whisper of bigger, brighter stuff is getting louder. Taking Movement Labs to the next level. Building our base, growing our instructor team, and expanding. With that comes responsibility - including reliability and presence.

So I’m soaking up our last day or two here, as some weird weather rolls through. I’m anticipating what 2023 has in store. I’m scared and excited and open to possibility.

And to my northern hemisphere friends, who are just entering the winter season …take heart. The coldest days and biggest snows are yet to come AND the days are already getting longer.

As I reread that last sentence, I hear a broader lesson. With growth come both storms to weather and brighter days. We’re here for both.

And for our Southern Hemisphere friends, who are heading into shorter daylight hours but relishing the beauty of warm weather…enjoy! Slightly less daylight doesn’t make those warm days any less celebratory.

Happy Solstice, to all. ☀️❄️

Sundays are for family, so just gonna toss a quick love note to each kiddo here. Big milestones for this crew lately, and we’re growing with enthusiasm, love, and of course our fair share of power struggles.

Big One: What a model of love you are, as you shower care on your brothers and younger classmates every day. Z wants to be just like you, and the baby lights up when he hears your voice.

The way you play with younger kids, and also how you invite them up to “bigger kid” play is the coolest, and it’s easy to see why the N1 & N2 kids adore you. I can’t wait to see how you embrace the opportunities for growth that YOU will have this upcoming year.

ZaZu: Going from little to middle at exactly 3 years old was a big ask. But you are growing into your role of big brother, teaching yourself how to care for the baby just by watching the rest of us.

I’m grateful for our early morning Mommy-Z time, and the chance to chatter with you about your current favorite books, Dinos, and muffin recipe. I’m excited to see you blossom and step out from Big Sister’s shadow as she moves out of your school this coming year.

Mochi: Six months, dude! We did it. We’ll, there’s a lot more to do but we’ve gotten through some of the hardest parts for Mom.

Thanks for being a quick eater, decent co-sleeper, and loud giggler. We didn’t know we needed you, but we did. Not sure what the coming year will bring for you, but hopefully you’ll keep sharing those smiles at the studio and just maybe…figuring out how to nap there a little better. 🤣

It’s been quite a ride so far, kidlets. Here’s to bigger kids and bigger adventures (with a bit less luggage?), soon. 🥂 🥛

Friends,

I am so freaking grateful for all of you.

I left the house early this morning. I nursed the baby back to sleep, got Z (middle kid) his breakfast, and was on my way before 7 AM.

I saw two clients solo, then my husband had some meetings, so he brought A over to the studio.

A hung with me for my next two client sessions. In fact, he was swept out of my arms by said clients, who arrived early and snuggled him while I wrapped up the session I was in.

He and I were back home before noon, and I put him down to nap. I plopped down next to him on the bed, on “Paci Replacement Duty”, while doing some admin on my laptop.

I traded this pic with a client who was happily nap trapped himself.

As we chatted, all I could think was: What an effing privilege to walk with you all.

Thank you for trusting me with your bodies.
Thank you for trusting me after the fitness industry has hurt you somehow.
Thank you for believing I’ll honor your body, history, and brain.
Thank you for practicing at home.
Thank you for signing up.
Thank you for referring your friends and neighbors.
Thank you for rolling with schedule adjustments when my kids are sick.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I have the best job, rockstar clients, and have actually built a space that is human. The world is messed up, but the microcosm of community we’ve built here? Un-freaking-believable. I cannot wait to continue growing this space that honors us as whole humans. If this speaks to your heart, join me. I’d love to get to know you.

Love you all,
Holly

Lab #

We're kicking off our Anniversary Weekend celebrations with Children's Day events on Oct 7!

10-11 AM : Kids' Lab for ages 4-8

Not sure what to do with your kids at home on Children's Day? Come on by the studio for an exploratory movement session! We'll be playing with some "hows and whys" of movement - including movement to manage anger, to play/connect with others, and to rest/relax.

$20 per family (an adult must accompany children) for a 60 min session + snacks afterward

4:30 PM: Family Nature Walk (FREE!) at WINDSOR NATURE DRIVE (30 Venus Drive)

Kids walk/hike better together. If you want to get outdoors and into nature, but don't know where/how - let's go together!

We'll have a short (~500 meter) and longer (~2 km) loop available. Adults should be able to comfortably cover this distance, including some stairs, uneven terrain, and stepping on rocks - and be able to help their own children if needed. *If you need help physically managing the child(ren) you're bringing, please let us know. We may have enough adults that can help!

Expected time: 1-2 hours
Things to Bring: Water, snacks, insect repellant, smart shoes, rain gear, sense of humor
Register to receive info on any changes or stormy weather cancellation.

Hope to see you at one of these events!

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Active Aging in August!

As my own position in the "sandwich generation" becomes quite apparent, the need for a supportive space for older adults to move has also become apparent to me.

Bringing Active Aging class back to the studio with has been a privilege.

The class is small and only offered in the studio (no Zoom). Jen is a masterful connector and educator. We planned for a focus m on helping folks in three areas:

1️⃣ Improve posture & balance;
2️⃣ Build strength;
3️⃣ Increase mobility and body awareness.

In addition, class gives folks a reason to get out of the house, navigate in the real world, and connect.

Honestly? This is the class I want my own parents to attend. Literally.

If you're in Singapore and have older adults in your life who want to move with more confidence and less pain - we'd love to welcome them into the studio.

Pre-requisites? Participants need a doctor’s clearance for gentle exercise, and to be able to follow basic verbal instructions (with demonstrations) in English. Anyone currently taking basic care of themselves would be a great candidate.

Check out the Active Aging page to see how to get a private assessment, to join class, or to join for the whole month.

We hope to see you on Tuesday!

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Well, Assistant Coach #3 (henceforth, “A”) missed the memo that Mama was working until end May. 🗓

Forever reminding us that we aren’t really in control, eh? 😉

Delivery was quick and intense, but we made it to the hospital (wasn’t even *really* a nail-biter) and both A and I are safe and recovering well.

[Sidenote: “Safe” should be the bare-ass minimum standard here. I should also note that I felt respected and support throughout this labor and delivery, and for that I’m immensely grateful.]

And, friends? I’m reminded, again and again, of the importance of the time and attention we invest in observing, cultivating, and connecting with our own bodies and rhythms. This matters.

Studio-wise, the June Holiday schedule will be published soon; classes will be reduced but continue. There will be a few new faces on stage. Keep your eyes open, and if you’re in town - we’d love to see you!

Finally: Feel free to ❤️ this post, but instead of a “congrats” comment, please go leave some support or love in the DMs or Comments of another Mama who needs it. It’s been a rough week for parents - especially in the US - and most won’t get to temper the tragedy of this week with a personal joy the way my crew now can.

Breathe deeply. Rest as you need. Love fiercely. Keep going.

I love you.