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Cindy Khoo, Abu Dhabi

@core_values_pilates

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Gen X | Helping men & women 50+ stay strong, mobile & DO LIFE.
BASI Pilates Comprehensive + Mentor Certified.
Injury → Exercise & Sport

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𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗨𝗣: Pump Handle breathing in Stomach Massage Round position at the wall. Sit elevated on yoga blocks to facilitate a posterior pelvic tilt, lumbar flexion. Block between shoulder blades (scaps) against the wall. Pillow behind spine.⁣
⁣
𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗨𝗣?: For two results: directing the breath into the block between the scaps, expands and elevates the pump handle (sternum) which is part of 360°, circumferential breathing. This, and the pelvic position, also directs the breath into the pillow behind the spine for posterior rib breathing, a cornerstone breathing cue in Pilates.⁣
⁣
𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛: Breathing intermittently allows a final full breath in — to maximally breathe into the block and the pillow behind the posterior ribs SO THAT we can maximally exhale.⁣
⁣
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗕𝗦: “Fogging up a mirror” making the “HA” sound on the exhale while keeping the sternum up contracts the deep low abs spontaneously, naturally, and automatically. It’s the breath that contracts the abs that stabilizes the spine in Pilates, never scooping.⁣
⁣
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗬: 360° circumferential breathing mobilizes the rib cage → a mobile rib cage stacks more optimally over the pelvis → when skull, rib cage, pelvis and feet are aligned vertically, all the joints in the body rest in neutral → and a neutral joint has maximum range of motion.⁣
⁣
𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗗 𝗣𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦: The rib cage, denied internal expansion by scooping, migrates anteriorly and widens laterally. It stiffens. Without a mobile, properly positioned rib cage, there’s no Stack. No Stack? Dysfunctional alignment → impaired Pilates.⁣
⁣
𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡: To get the fastest and best results in Pilates, start with the breath. Always.⁣
⁣
𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣𝗦: DM me 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 to learn all about the Pilates Assessment Lab mentorship. How To Ass

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Before we did a single Pilates exercise, I gave Cindy the 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. Because if you don’t know how much 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 a client has to begin with, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴?⁣
⁣
Here’s why that rotation matters so much. This test reveals whether the 𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅. When the feet and femurs are fixed and the body turns on top of them, the test lets us see whether the hip is actually rotating internally and externally in the socket — and that 𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅.⁣
⁣
Since Pilates is predominantly hip flexion — the Roll-Up, the Hundred, the Teaser, Leg Circles, nearly everything we ask a client to do on the mat and the equipment — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀.⁣
⁣
Then we did the 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹 to mobilize her rib cage. And here’s why that How did that improve her rotation? A mobile rib cage can stack over the pelvis; a stacked skull–rib cage–pelvis alignment lets the joints rest in neutral; and joints resting in neutral have their maximum range of motion. So, her rotation freed up not because anything forced it, but because 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲�

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Bodies are complex. No two are alike — that’s what makes teaching Pilates fascinating and hard.⁣
Cindy knows this. 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗴 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁. 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.⁣
⁣
𝗪𝗵𝘆?⁣
⁣
Regressing and modifying the exercise didn’t help.⁣
⁣
But Cindy didn’t want to work around the click. She wanted to help her client where she actually was and get her better movement than she came in with.⁣
⁣
But she couldn’t figure out the ROOT of the problem, she couldn’t assess her client’s body, she felt stuck.⁣
⁣
So she joined 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯.⁣
⁣
Now she’s learning biomechanics through exercise, through movement.⁣
What she feels in her own body, she can start to “see” in other bodies. ⁣
⁣
And that’s the beginning of understanding assessments to get to the root of your clients’ problems.⁣
⁣
𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 to learn all about the Pilates Assessment Lab Mentorship. How To Assess What’s Limiting Clients, Understand Why, And Choose Specific Exercises To Fix Problems⁣

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What if standing on two feet and simply turning left and right could tell you how your client will do in Pilates — before ever touching the equipment?⁣
⁣
Here’s why the 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 is so important to understanding Pilates.⁣
⁣
𝗧𝗼 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗽 → the femoral head has to roll down, glide back, and internally rotate in the socket.⁣
Flexion isn’t possible without micro hip internal rotation.⁣
⁣
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗜𝗥 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗥) 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁. ⁣
𝗡𝗼 𝗜𝗥, 𝗻𝗼 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗼𝗻.⁣
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 ~𝟵𝟬% 𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼 𝗜𝗥 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 (𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻/𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁/𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻g).⁣
⁣
Which is exactly why the Standing Rotation Test is vital to predicting if your client has the hip range of motion required for Pilates — ⁣
when the feet and femurs are fixed and you turn, the SRT lets you see whether hip IR/ER is present or not.⁣
⁣
The test doesn’t read some abstract rotation; it’s reading the very rotation that determines whether the hip can flex, which determines how someone will do in Pilates.⁣
⁣
𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 ‘𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬’ 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ⁣
How To Assess What’s Limiting Clients, Understand Why, And Choose Specific Exercises To Fix Problems —⁣
Without Becoming A Physical Therapist⁣

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They came into The Pilates Assessment Lab with the same struggles, doubts and fears — no matter the lineage, certification, pedigree or years of experience.⁣
⁣
“I ask myself if it’s me who’s doing something wrong, if it’s her who doesn’t feel, if there’s something else wrong. And there, clearly, the doubts come in.”⁣
⁣
“That doubt makes you feel less skilled, not up to the mark. Maybe not enough.”⁣
⁣
“I’ve never felt 100% sure in myself that I know for sure, oh, this is the problem, or this is what’s holding them back.”⁣
⁣
“Something’s going on, something funky is going on there, but I’m not quite sure what it is that is causing that.”⁣
⁣
“𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗡𝗼.”⁣
⁣
“What manuals tell us to do and what the body in front of us can do — it’s a completely different story.”⁣
⁣
“My training was very good, but the assessment part — when a client is not able to do it per the textbook — that’s where the gap is.”⁣
⁣
“I don’t want the client to feel like, ‘Oh, this girl doesn’t know what she’s doing.’”⁣
⁣
“I know how I can regress. But how do I move forward and expand?”⁣
⁣
Now they’re learning what no comprehensive teacher training taught them — t𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆, 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵.⁣
That’s what makes them happy.⁣
⁣
𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 to learn all about the 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀�

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Thousands of miles apart, from all over the world, yet each teacher is trying to solve the 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: how to read the body in front of them to 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁.
This community is fast becoming the highlight of my career.⁣
⁣
I’m excited to help them, and hundreds more, change the way we’re understanding, teaching and doing Pilates from a broadened a scientific lens.
⁣
No matter where you were certified or have your studio and no matter how long you’ve been teaching, join the 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 to unlearn what doesn’t serve us in Pilates and learn what does.⁣
⁣
From the biomechanics of a Roll Up, to learning quick, simple movement tests to verify range of motion, to breathing drills and functional exercises to improve everything from alignment to muscle balance to strength.
𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁, 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.⁣
⁣
𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 “𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬” to get all the info.
Thanks!⁣

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Every run is another vote for the person you're becoming.🔥

#GRITitude #livelifeultra #coaching
#Motivation #trailrunning

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More than just a Pilates studio..

At Core Values Pilates Studio, every session is guided by comprehensively and clinically trained, certified Pilates instructors in small classes designed to provide personalized attention. Whether you're looking to improve strength, recover from an injury or simply move better, we're here to support your journey.

Experience Pilates the way it was meant to be.

#corevaluespilatesabudhabi #clinicalpilates #pilatesabudhabi #movebetter #harleystreetmedicalcentre

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Every great story begins with someone willing to tell it.

As Co-Owner and Executive Producer of one of the UAE's leading independent film and animation studios, Nathalie Habib @nathaliehabib76 has spent more than two decades bringing meaningful stories to life by creating original content, developing intellectual property, and producing educational media that resonates across generations and cultures.

In this clip from Culture Capsule (full episode airs on June 30, link in bio), she shares a belief that has shaped both her career and her life while answering to a question posed to her by my previous guest Cindy Khoo, Pilates entrepreneur and founder of @core_values_pilates.

"Tell the story of who you are, share it openly, and let it travel."

Nathalie's philosophy reminds us storytelling isn't just entertainment; it's how we connect, understand one another, and build bridges between cultures. In a multicultural world, especially in the multicultural UAE, real connection doesn't come from trying to fit in, it comes from being authentic.

🎙️ Watch the inspiring full conversation on YouTube on June 30 at 12:00 GST.

#CultureCapsule #Podcast #UAE #Storytelling #Animation #Film #CreativeIndustries #Media #IntellectualProperty

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Dai Dai happiness in Dance workout mode with @bollywoodgrooves_with_shoni ❤️❤️

Look forward to dancing with you all !

💃 WEEKLY BOLLYWOOD FUSION DANCE WORKOUT CLASSES Abu Dhabi💃

✨ MONDAYS
📍 Sand Castle Studio (next to WTC Mall)
⏰ 6:30–7:30 PM

✨ TUESDAYS
📍 Core Value Pilates, Harley Street Medical Centre
⏰ 6:30–7:30 PM

✨ WEDNESDAYS
📍 Inspire Sports Ladies Studio, Al Khaleej Al Arabi
⏰ 6:30–7:30 PM

✨ No dance experience needed
✨ Fun, easy-to-follow choreography
✨ Full-body feel-good movement
✨ Good vibes guaranteed 😉🔥

Wear comfy workout clothes and sneakers — or dance barefoot if that’s your vibe ✨

📲 To book: WhatsApp 050 876 0424

Follow us on Instagram: Bollywood Grooves with Shoni 💃✨

Thank you @dancefunfitness for the fantastic routine and inspiration!

@bollywoodgrooves_with_shoni
@sonam.bug1
@sandcastlestudioevents
@core_values_pilates

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A desert sunrise or sunset beach run in the UAE? 🌅 Because sometimes, the shortest answers reveal the most about a person.

In this quickfire round, Cindy Khoo shares her gut responses to 5 short questions revealing the habits, beliefs, and mindset that have kept her moving after 18 years in the UAE.

✨ Desert sunrise over beach sunset?
✨ The biggest Pilates myth Arabs still believe: "It's just stretching."
✨ Why she'll never give up exercising outdoors.
✨ Her advice for every expat living in the UAE: Don't let the heat stop you: start early in the day, adapt, and keep moving.
✨ And the message she'd put on the wall of her Boutique pilates studio in Abu Dhabi.

🎙️ Curious about the stories behind these answers? Watch the full episode through the link in my bio. 😊

#CultureCapsule #Pilates #AbuDhabi #UAE #Wellness #Movement #Entrepreneurship #Podcast #FitnessJourney

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