Score FitMob Body Combat 2015

//

One of my favourite cardio classes from Les Mills is Body Combat. I can’t do martial arts to save my life (probably literally) but I do enjoy the simulation of martial arts for cardio. There is something very satisfying about punching and kicking to release stress, even if it’s just punching and kicking air.

So when Score organized a FitMob Body Combat class, at the end of which each participant would get a medal, I thought hey, why not? It would be a medal very much different from all other medals I have received this year. I would admit I was initially quite hesitant, because I usually could barely last through a 60-minute Body Combat class. This large-scale class was going to go on for 90 minutes!

The Score’s FitMob event underwent several changes prior to the actual day. Initially supposed to be held at Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club, it was then changed to Stadium Merdeka in order to accommodate a larger crowd. However as the haze got progressively worse and refused to go away (leading to the cancellation of the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon the previous weekend), the organisers wisely decided to move the party to an indoor venue – and that was how we ended up at the Star Xpo Centre in Kenanga Wholesale City on Saturday afternoon.

Race pack collection was effortless. It was held at the 10 Boulevard which was just off the SPRINT highway leading to NKVE. Perhaps it was because I went at a convenient time, but I managed to park my car, go up to the office, collect the race packs for four of us, and leave within the grace period so I didn’t have to pay parking! Actually the security guard who had directed me to the parking machine helped me out. I was going to pay for parking but he quickly stopped me and told me that I could still leave as it was not 15 minutes yet.

The goodie bag was FULL of goodies from a lot of sponsors! I must say, this is one of the most heavily-filled goodie bag among all the events I have joined this year. Goodies included supplements from Shaklee, sample Oats bars from Nestle Omega, and lots of vouchers!

Our entry ticket was a paper wristband which we were to wear around our wrists.

FIGHT DAY 10 OCTOBER 2015

Getting into Kenanga Wholesale City was a little bit tricky because the roads in Pudu were narrow, and many participants were trying to get in. However, I was fortunate that there was still plenty of parking. I followed the signs and went all the way up to Level 7; and found that they had set up several booths at the car park area, just outside the entrance to the venue. I didn’t have time to check out the booths, unfortunately because I was in a hurry to get in; and after the event, the booths were closed.

To control the crowd, we had to go to the Star Xpo Centre through the car park at Level 7, and not from within the building. We just needed to put our names and contact info on a list, show the wristband entrance tickets, and then walked up the ramp to the next level which connected to the Star Xpo Centre. The exposition centre was a huge open space, with a stage set up at one end for the instructors to stand on.

Andrew, Zaz, Lara and myself took an area closer to the back of the hall so that we could see the whole stage. And also, so that we wouldn’t show up on any camera that may be filming the stage, because we were fairly certain that we would not look good when attempting the moves.

The Body Combat class started right on time, at 5pm. There was a large team of instructors standing on stage, and they rotated the lead for each routine between four presenters. In order to allow everyone to see the moves, a large screen at the back of the stage projected a live feed of the instructors, because from the back of the hall it was difficult to see the instructors themselves.

To be honest, I was already exhausted about 30 minutes in. Man, was I out of shape! But I still soldiered on throughout the remaining class!

Watching the instructors was quite an interesting sight, because all of them had to (obviously) know the moves, and they all moved in unison. It was like watching a team of synchronised performers moving on stage!

As for the participants, most of them were Body Combat enthusiasts, and many of them seem to know the moves even before the instructor showed them. This was probably because the routine and songs used that day were from existing Body Combat releases that were already used in gym classes, and many of them are regular class attendees. I was not familiar with the releases myself simply because I have not been attending Body Combat classes for over a year.

At the end of the class, the emcee announced lucky draw numbers, but none of us from our group won anything. In fact, we were… err… part of the unsporting crowd by going straight to the back of the hall where tables were set up for the medal distribution. The volunteers stationed there refused to hand out any medals until instructions were given. After the lucky draw was completed (and they were really nice prizes too…), they called the participants to gather near the stage for a large group photo, but by then a small group of us were lined up at the table and we refused to move, because we didn’t want to lose our spot in the line! The four of us were just behind two participants who had reached the table before us. We didn’t want to lose our very good positions in the queue! Yeah, we were that kiasu.

The medal was… different, alright. In a nice way. It was designed to look like military decorations awarded to soldiers to honour and recognise their contributions.

I did not stay for the party as I already knew that I would be exhausted by the end of the class. But I did hear the after-party was a blast!

The FitMob event entered the Malaysia Book of Records for the largest number of participants (2,632) in a Les Mills Body Combat class. It was certainly an honour to be part of this incredibly fun and momentous event! Thanks to Score for organising such a fun event, and congratulations on the successful attempt!

//

No, I’m not in the video (in spite of my bright pink pants!!!) 🙁