Interview Special with Wendy Le 

Wendy Le, 27, is currently working as an Assistant Relationship Manager in a foreign bank. She recently got engaged with her boyfriend, of whom she has been going out with since her university days. Like many other couples, their weekends were usually spent going to the movies, shopping or dining. Her fiancé, who is an engineer, loves to play soccer and dislikes shopping. 

Things change when Wendy started taking up sports. Not only did she and her fiancé discover a common interest, she finds herself benefitting from a healthier lifestyle too.

Q: What first inspired you to take up sports?
Wendy: I wanted to do something healthy on weekends rather than watching movies, dining and shopping, so I started taking up jogging and tennis.

I wanted to enrich my life further and decided to join my girlfriends in pole dancing. I was hooked after the first few classes. Every single part of my body feels awakened and it was also through pole dancing that I realised how weak my arms and abs were. To strengthen my body, I decided to take up a gym membership. To which I felt, every single cent and time I have invested to-date is worth it.

Q: Were there any difficulties that you faced on your journey to a sportier you? How did you overcome the challenges faced?
Wendy: A few weeks into my pole dance lessons, I realised how physically demanding some of the stunts were, such as lifting yourself up on the pole and trying to balance with only one leg hook to the pole. I was the only few in my class who had difficulty due to my lack of strength.

To strengthen my core muscles, I needed to do weights. But exactly how it should be done, I was not sure. I needed proper guidance and motivation to keep me going. I turned to my group of girlfriends for advice and decided to enroll in a gym. I took up a 3-year gym membership and this commitment has indeed benefited me. I can feel myself getting fitter and stronger each and every week. This has greatly enhanced my self-confidence.

Q: Do you exercise solo or with a partner? 
Wendy: I am not exactly a sporty person. To keep me going, exercising with a partner is very important. Endurance and perseverance comes with great motivation. A good partner is able to push you along.

Q: What does enjoying sports together do for you and your fiancé?
Wendy: It brings us joy, laughter and lots of fun. Having sports as our common interest not only helps us to save money but most importantly, it really brings back the sparks in our relationship and brings us closer together.

Q: How about with your girlfriends?
Wendy: It gives us a great opportunity to bond over sports.

Q: What has embracing sports as part of your lifestyle taught you about yourself?
Wendy: It has taught me to manage my time to the fullest. It has been a lot of hard work, sweat, perseverance and dedication, but it’s all been worth it.  I have newfound confidence and best of all, I feel good about myself.