Bringing K-Pop Idol’s Self-Care Method to Auckland

SOFITNESS | 2 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010

SOFITNESSNZ

I’m sure we’re all doing some form of self-care one way or another even if it’s as small of a task as putting on moisturiser. Less of a trend now, self-care is more of a lifestyle in Korea. I don’t know about you, but for me, especially as winter hits, the cold makes me want to curl up and be a couch potato. Well in Korea, you’ll find them incorporating interesting and fun ways to keep fit for motivation - all of us could do with some! One of them being indoor workouts, more specifically Pilates!

Indoor workouts have been a huge trend in Korea ever since 2020. Youtube was one of the ways for K-personal trainers to train and reach anyone around the world. Even now, there are more and more coming! One of them is actually a Korean celebrity, Kim Jong Kook. With his gym body, you won’t believe he’s a ballad singer! But he actually started a Youtube channel sharing all his gym tips. Even K-pop idols and celebrities guest star to have a personal training session with him like Aespa, Seventeen members, Mingyu and Dino and actor, Kim Seon-ho 😍 But at-home workouts where Youtubes train us through the screen sometimes aren’t enough for me, to keep myself motivated which is why I turned to Pilates which happened to be a long-standing and huge trend in Korea! Many K-pop idols and celebrities are doing Pilates workouts too, including IVE’s Wonyoung and Yujin.  

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Most Pilates studios use equipment like reformers, cadillac and ladder barrels so the type of exercise and form you do is always changing. Pilates also offers you a totally different mindset which is why I think a lot of Koreans fell in love with this type of exercise. With more people and even K-pop idols preaching the ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ mindset, the focus of exercising is totally different. Pilates puts the attention on strength and resistance-training so you're able to gain muscle and feel strong. Many studies prove that this is actually the best way to build a healthy body. In turn this will make you feel confident, strong and beautiful too 💞 I love that this is now the most important! What’s more important than self-satisfaction, right?

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So if you want to try Pilates out yourself, there is only one place HIKOCO HQ staff will recommend, SOFitness. A Pilates studio located in Auckland CBD where some of the HIKOCO staff and I have actually been going since June of last year. Obsessed is definitely an understatement 😂 Remember how I said Youtube personal trainers sometimes aren’t enough for me to stay motivated? Well, it’s totally different when the SOFitness’ instructor is standing beside you, encouraging you through each exercise rep simply because they know you have the strength to push through it 💪🏻

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I’ve only been to SOFitness’ reformer classes but they have private lessons utilising their cadillac and ladder barrels as well. Their reformer classes last for 45 minutes but don’t underestimate this short time! SOFitness makes sure to fit in plenty of exercise sets so that it ends up being a full body workout. My legs feel like jelly and the next day I literally struggle walking 😆 As each class is planned with different exercises, not one class will bore you no matter how many times you go. Pilates helps to strengthen your core but I also like how SOFitness incorporates exercises that help to correct posture. As someone who spends pretty much the whole day sitting at my desk, I can tell you my posture really needed s.o.s from SOFitness to improve it!  

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Not only are you getting your exercise in but SOFitness also incorporates stretches towards the end to lengthen your muscles and increase flexibility. After doing Pilates for a little more than a year, I can totally see why Pilates has been one of the go-to workout options for many. So if you want to see for yourself why self-care with Pilates has been such a huge trend in Korea, definitely visit SOFitness for all the wonderful reasons. But remember to do it for you and yourself only 💕