How I got my groove back

Fitness buffs are always in search for the El Dorado of workout regimens that will give them the body to die for. Last year it was pole dancing; the year before that, badminton. And for the last couple of months, it’s been running around and signing up for every marathon in town.

Seeing hoards of sprinters all over Salcedo Village has got me wondering why I stopped working out when I used to be married to my gym membership. 

And just like some relationships, good things never last. I started getting annoyed while waiting for people to finish their super sets. The programs I’d ripped out of Men’s Health weren’t as effective anymore. It also didn’t help that I used to have a friend who made discovering new restaurants an exercise in itself.

I looked down at where my six-pack abs once snuggly stayed and promised myself I’d get back into the program and try to make things work out again, pun intended.

The sad state of my gut inspired me to try out Plana Forma, a vibrant new series of 55-minute exercise sessions that draw inspiration from yoga, Pilates, dance, and the internationally acclaimed Physique 57 fitness system.

In class, students alternate between sprints of intensive aerobic exercise and slow recovery activity like stretches. This sequence builds muscle efficiently and strengthens the heart.

Developed and based in Manila, it uses more shapes and movements that stem from the training and experience of the senior Forma trainers who are all Professional Dance Teachers, Certified Yoga and Pilates Instructors. 

“On the Radar” recently sat down with Julie Alegde, co-founder and director for training at Plana Forma, and Tina Lagdameo, director of LC Corporation, the group responsible for introducing Plana Forma in the Philippines.

ON THE RADAR: What are the different levels in Plana Forma and what are the challenges for a first-timer?

JULIE ALEGDE: The pace of Plana Forma is distinct and first-timers will usually find the pace of the class fast. Some are fascinated with “burn” or heat sensation in their muscles. With this comes the expected Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, which can last for a few days. These are but a few of the strengths of garnering quick and visible results.

TINA LAGDAMEO: The levels we have here are Intro, Beginner, and Open level. What’s nice is that it’s not just one level. You really move up and challenge yourself, feeling more empowered each time you finish a set so before you know it, you’ve finished the class!

I noticed that during the class, the thighs were worked on the most.

JULIE: In every class you go to, there is a specific structure so even if you go to another instructor, they will still kill your thighs. More than anything else, you’re building bone density—strengthening the hip area and lower extremities. It’s usually from your core onwards that you have weight bearing. The whole torso all the way down relies on your core down. 

How fast before you see any results?

Forma works muscles to their optimal level then stretches it out to elongate the same muscle group causing it to change shape and give you transformative effects immediately with smaller waistlines, toned thighs, a rounded seat and flat abdominals.

JULIE: More or less a month if you go at least 3-4 times a week. My husband’s waistline went from 38 to 34 and he was only doing it intermittently twice a week and without a prescribed diet.

TINA: After I gave birth, I needed to exercise. I hated the gym so when I discovered this, it made me want to actually work out. After three sessions, I could feel the tightening already in my core so I really believed in it. My best friend who was taking it with me at the same time moved from a size 6 to a size 2 in a month!

So I guess after a few sessions, I’ll finally be able to run the shore as if I was on an episode of Baywatch. What are the benefits of Plana Forma?

TINA: We define thighs, lift seats, tone arms, and strengthen abdominals to create a lean and sculpted physique that is strong and efficiently mobile. Also, better stress management, increased lung capacity, metabolic rate, and bone density which is crucial to health maintenance, improved body awareness and posture, and stronger core and back muscles which reduces lower back pains.

Is this best paired with another workout?

JULIE: Ideally to get your results, it’s enough because if you’ve never done any kind of fitness program, you get into it and you’ll definitely feel a tightening of your core and muscles but of course you also want to get exposed to other fitness regimens. By all means, you pair it up but as it is, it already works.

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Plana Forma is located at 6th Floor, Jecoprime Building, 20th Drive, McKinley Business Park, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. For more information on Plana FORMA, log on to http://www.forma-asia.com or call 0917-8094392.