As part of the 23rd Angkor Wat International Half Marathon that just finished on December 2, the principal sponsor of this marathon, Manulife, organised a three-day entertainment-and-health promoting zone in Siem Reap to engage with locals and foreigners visiting the historical province.
Tom So hosted the ‘Fitness Test’ tent at the 2018 Manulife Move Fair which started on Friday, November 30, and ended on Sunday. It was held in Lotus Garden, behind PreahAngChorm Park, as part of the festivities related to this year’s Angkor Wat International Half Marathon in Siem Reap.
The recipient of his advice, a Brazillian tourist in town to run his second half-marathon, was defeated. He had pushed all 6’4” of himself to the limit during the squat test.
“Most of the people who took my fitness test found that they need to make minor adjustments to their lifestyle which could have a (profound) effect on their health and wellbeing,” says So.
So’s booth was by far the busiest at the Manulife Move Fair. Scores of visitors lined up to do bicep curls, balance tests and squats after filling out a short questionnaire.
Admittedly, among the reasons for the crowd was the free t-shirts handed out at the end of the test. Hundreds of t-shirts were distributed by Sunday evening.
The t-shirts weren’t the only draw though. Attendees were happy to challenge themselves in a 100 metre augmented reality sprint challenge to see how fast they could run, have their faces painted, participate in yoga, Zumba, and Phare circus performance workshops, or have their cardiovascular and financial health graded simultaneously.
“It’s great to see people coming out and showing an interest in health and wellness. In the end, it’s all about making people happy, healthy and united in a worthy cause,” says Dance.
PisethLun, who founded United Yoga in Siem Reap and manages Karma Yoga in Phnom Penh, says his goal was to make his workshop fun and accessible for people who don’t normally practice the exercise form.
“It’s my strong belief that if people practice more yoga in Cambodia, they will become more mindful about life in the country, their families and the work that they do.
“I want to help people find their own freedom … because, that’s how yoga unites your body, mind, and soul,” says Piseth.
So says that most of the people he spoke to asked him for advice on how to lose weight.
“People’s diets aren’t consistent. Not only will someone eat a lot of junk food, but they’ll also eat at irregular hours. Most people have decent habits and just need to avoid sugary and fatty foods."
“I advise to eat moderately and at the same time every day. You will see results,” he says.
The Manulife Move Fair is held for the second time with the Angkor Wat Half Marathon.
Francesco Lagutaine, the chief marketing officer and an experienced design officer at Manulife Asia says the aim of the fair is to “promote a healthy lifestyle while also helping people make positive life choices.”
