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Veteran trainer specialized in aqua fitness
Vikki Jonied packs a punch as she leads a group of five middle-aged women in a vigorous Aqua Drum Vibes workout in the Pasir Ris Sports Center pool on Mondays.
Demonstrating the movements with a chair by the pool while his students did the same in the pool, he maintains his intensity and enthusiasm during the 20-minute workout, even as his class size has been greatly reduced amid the COVID pandemic. -19 in progress.
For the past 25 years, the 44-year-old has built a stable career as a fitness instructor in Singapore. He specializes in aquatic fitness (water aerobics) and has actively attended conferences abroad and obtained the appropriate certifications to enhance his chosen field of expertise.
The single mother of three young adults, ages 19-22, teaches about four aquatic fitness classes per day, and used to have as many as 30 students in each class. Along with additional work as a personal trainer, Jonied could get six to eight fitness sessions a day.
“And you don’t have to be an expert in every trade in the fitness industry, you just need to focus on a program that can deliver health benefits to those who train below you. I chose to focus on aqua fitness because it can help a wide group of people, whether they are old or young, men or women. “
Aqua fitness coach Vikki Jonied conducting her Aqua Drum Vibes class at Pasir Ris Sports Center. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)
Revenues were reduced by 60 percent during the circuit breaker
However, Jonied’s passion for aqua fitness came under great pressure when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the shores of Singapore in the first months of this year.
As the coronavirus spreads rapidly, older people were considered one of the main vulnerable groups that are most susceptible to contracting the disease. Social activities for this group of residents, including fitness classes, were ordered closed in March.
It was a massive blow to Jonied, as his monthly income was slashed by as much as 60 percent when he was told to close his senior classes. Then came the circuit break period in April, and her income took another hit when she couldn’t do her personal fitness training with her clients.
Faced with a long period of uncertainty ahead, Jonied admitted that there were moments of intense depression and despair.
“That usually happened when I looked at my bank account,” he recalls. “When you have to dip into your hard-earned savings just to support your family, it’s never a pleasant feeling.”
Inspiration found in chairs
Yet in the midst of those depths, Jonied’s instinct to get up and try to overcome his backhand took effect.
“It may be my experience as an athlete, but I always think there is no point in being depressed for a long time. You have to get up and work your way out of a problem, ”he said.
“Since everyone was connected when their workplaces closed, I started looking at my aquatic exercises and thinking about how to adapt them outside the pool.”
Aqua fitness trainer Vikki Jonied leading her Aqua Drum Vibes class at Pasir Ris Sports Center. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)
Your solution: chairs.
By sitting in a chair and lifting his legs, Jonied found that he could design exercises without affecting the limb joints – the same foundation that makes his water exercises suitable for older people.
Inspired, she began adapting her Aqua Tabata exercises (high intensity interval training originally developed by Japanese scientist Izumi Tabata and adapted for swimming pools) on chairs at home, writing down each step and planning the duration and intensity of each routine.
Once she had enough “Tabata Chair” exercises ready, Jonied contacted her close friend and also Aqua Tabata trainer Audrey Lim to rehearse together for the online classes. They then contacted their former students to join them in this new online training during the circuit break period.
Coping with the family situation
Slowly, the size of the duo’s online classes grew and the two finally became confident enough to teach lessons on their own. Jonied was also contacted by her manager at Bedok Sports Center to post her exercises online on the ActiveSG Circle digital platform for further audience exposure.
But as his online “business” began to take off, a stressful family situation emerged. Her 20-year-old daughter Iffa is a non-verbal special needs person and had a hard time adjusting to the family being home at all times during the circuit breaker.
“He would get overwhelmed when my kids and I were home 24/7 during that period, and he would act bad in so many ways,” Jonied recalled. “His home therapy sessions were also suspended, because the therapist was unable to make home visits at that time. So every time he had tantrums, it was very stressful for all of us at home. “
Once again, she took proactive steps: she started taking sports massage courses online so she could give Iffa relaxing massages to calm her down. She also tried to let her daughter do some simple exercises and activities to work on her cognitive and motor skills.
Gradually, Iffa responded, and the tantrums subsided, much to Jonied’s relief. He began recording videos of his activities with his daughter and shared them online with caregivers or parents who might be in similar situations during the circuit breaker.
“The videos were quite popular and seeing the positive feedback from other caregivers was probably the most memorable thing for me during the circuit breaker,” he said.
Since then, she has volunteered to host a Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds) Self-Care and Fitness Online Workshop for Caregivers, and there are plans for more collaborations in the future.
Aqua fitness trainer Vikki Jonied leading her Aqua Drum Vibes class at Pasir Ris Sports Center. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)
Learn to overcome emotional moments
With Singapore gradually resuming activities as it reopens from the two-month circuit breaker, Jonied was able to resume his aqua gym classes, although class size is now limited to just five students.
He continues to teach Chair Tabata classes online and is optimistic that he can find more job opportunities with his knowledge of sports massage, as well as with special needs organizations.
“You learn to be humble during this pandemic. Regardless of the income I get, I am grateful, ”she said.
“In a way, if it weren’t for COVID, I wouldn’t be forced to think outside the box and create the Tabata chair and those home videos with my daughter. Hopefully those may be new avenues for me in the future.
“Of course, those were emotional times for me and for everyone in my family. But the important thing for me was not to stay too long and always try to keep going. You have to look on the bright side, no matter how far away it is. “
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