https://empoweredbymovefree.com.sg/

Move Free, Mandai (2026)

01/05/2026

I’ve been dealing with plantar fasciitis for the past 1.5 months.

And honestly… it hasn’t been easy.

Walking 15,000 steps a day in school (which is literally part of my job as a PE teacher) with heel pain? Yea... it disrupts everything.

The posts I shared above are usually how I manage physical pain. But the truth is everyone’s tolerance and comfort level is different.

I know I have a higher pain tolerance. And at one point, I was tempted to just power through it and hope it would magically go away. Thankfully, that didn’t last.

Instead, I started taking action:
– strengthening the affected muscles
– modifying my training
– trying K-taping for support
– and seeking help from a sports doctor (shockwave therapy)

Am I fully recovered? Not yet. But I do feel better because I’m doing something about it.

Here’s the thing most people miss:

Pain is often a sign that something is not working well in the body. Weakness somewhere → compensation elsewhere → overuse → pain.

And the root cause?
It could be:
– too little movement
– too much load
– your daily habits
– your work environment
– even stress

Understanding that is the first step.

But more importantly, doing something about it is the next.No one knows your body better than you. It’s time to take ownership of your own health.

24/04/2026

"Nothing is silly" caught my eye when I first entered the space in , that definitely helped reduce the notion of judgements and fear of "stupid questions asked" everytime we go to a new environment with new people around you.

Besides being wow-ed by the cool makerspace environment, I was there mainly to attend PLAY ∞ LEARNING meet up facilitated by cool "playxperimenters". There were so many awesome and fun play ideas being shared that I was so inspired to try them out during my classes.

In a meritorious society like ours, play seems so frivolous but yet it is one of the key 🗝️ element in our life that sparks creativity and empathy,... which sadly in my opinion, seemed to be lacking in our productive, efficient nation. But at the same time, I am so encouraged to see many educators step forward in this meet up to play, so that we in turn, can encourage play amongst our kids. What better method than to be role models ourselves?

"Move, Play, Empower" has always been the guiding ethos to the pedagogy in the movement classes I conduct. With play and fun, people tend to stick to healthier habits like exercising/moving more. Hope to start using some of the play ideas in my classes/workshops that I conduct soon 🔥💯

Thankful for meet ups with playful ex colleagues , ex ex colleagues Hui Gyan 😂, like minded playful people Darren and Gen 🤩

Till the next play date!

21/04/2026

𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 "𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆." 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈

Most of us are stuck in a cycle: we’re too stressed to move, but we’re stressed because we don't move. Chronic pain loves a stationary target.

You don’t need an hour-long HIIT session to break the cycle. You need 10 minutes of intentional movement to tell your nervous system it’s safe to relax.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙜 𝙍𝘿𝙇 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙤-𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚:

It builds balance (which we lose when stressed).

It hammers the posterior chain (the antidote to sitting all day).

It requires focus, which forces your brain to shut up about work for a second.

Stop overthinking it and just start moving your ass. Your back will thank you later.

11/04/2026

I've been dealing with pain/injuries since young, from athlete days to the aging days currently 😂, and felt an urgent need to address the gap where everyone is told to rest fully after sustaining an injury. So here are my two cents worth of advice that I advocate strongly (disclaimer: not a sports doctor, but definitely supplement whatever they are telling you):

Not all pain means you should stop moving.

But not all pain should be ignored either.

One of the biggest mistakes I see:
People feel pain… and either avoid movement completely or push through without understanding what’s going on.

The key is knowing what kind of pain you’re dealing with.

Muscle soreness? → keep moving (just don’t go all out)
Acute pain? → modify and reduce load
Chronic pain? → build strength and movement over time

Your body isn’t telling you to stop.
It’s telling you to adjust.Learning how to respond makes all the difference.

If you’re unsure what your body is telling you, start simple, move gently, stay consistent, and build from there.

06/04/2026

One of the best things you can do for yourself after a long day of sitting and physical inactivity is to head to the fitness corner monkey/pull up bars and start your 🐒 🐒 🐒 business aka hangs, swings and knee/hip raises.

Spinal decompression, improved grip strength, improved shoulder mobility, posture, core and relieving tension in that stiff back are some ( I mean that's a lot) of the benefits that you can get purely from bar work.

well...see you at the bar? 😜

02/04/2026

If you have forgotten how to swing as an adult, head to the nearest fitness corner, hang off the pull up bar and do the DARN SWINGS!!

Guaranteed shiok spine decompression after a long day of sitting! 😉

28/03/2026

The empowering theme came out strong in this particular workshop conducted for kiddos.

The tasks given to them were rarely authoritative, but requiring the kiddos to plan, discuss, decide and execute to achieve the outcomes required.

It was chaotic but every kid got a chance to speak up and own their decision. There were moments of confidence and joy, but also tensions and frustrations when things don’t go their way. Isn’t this what life is? Scaffolding life lessons and facilitating their emotions is a powerful tool that we, as adults can constantly do to prepare our kids in the future. 🌱

Hopefully the kids get a taste of what it’s like to be empowered in their small ways through this Move Free enrichment class.💚💚💚

24/03/2026

I’ve spent years teaching movement to kids and youths. But recently, I’ve started focusing more on adults, as I’ve noticed that many, including my friends and family, have quietly stopped moving well.

Long hours of sitting, stress, and physical inactivity slowly take a toll on the body. Stiffness, low energy, recurring aches seemed to become the norm.

Most people don’t need more intense workouts. They need to reconnect with how their body moves. That’s what I’m starting to focus on now; helping working adults move, feel, and function better again.

Using a simple, play-based approach to movement, I hope people can find joy and reconnect with their bodies in a fun manner.

Will be conducting a play based movement workshop sometime in June. Watch this space! 😊

21/03/2026

Most adults move worse than kids.Not because they’re weaker. But because they stopped using their body properly.

Watch any child:
They squat, run, jump, crawl effortlessly.
Now look at most adults: Stiff hips, tight backs, constant aches.

Somewhere along the way, we traded movement for convenience. Sitting. Screens. “No time.” And slowly… the body forgets.

The good news? You can get it back.
Movement isn’t something you’re born with or lose forever. It’s something you practice.

Start small. Start simple. Start now.
If you want help, DM me “MOVE”.

14/03/2026

I was doing a recce and trying out the pull up bars when a kid that looked like 4-5 years old started showing me that she could climb up and reach the pull up bars all by herself. Subsequently, she climbed down the vertical bar nonchalantly like " Hey look at me, I'm good in this." If that wasn't confidence, autonomy and assessing risky play at its best, I do not know what that is 🥳🥳🥳🤩🤩🤩

Quoting "The Anxious Generation" --- Research has shown that a free range childhood is more likely to produce confident, competent young adults, with lower levels of anxiety, than a childhood ruled by "safetyism", fear and constant adult supervision. All children are by nature antifragile. Just as the immune system must be exposed to germs and tree must be exposed to wind, children require exposure to setbacks, failures, shocks and stumbles in order to develop strength and self reliance. Overprotection interferes with this development and renders young people more likely to be fragile and fearful as adults. 🌱

But I do get it that it is fearful to see your kids doing stuffs like that. My next question is how then can parents and educators reduce their fear and expose their kids to unstructured, unsupervised risky play in a gradual manner? 🚵🏻‍♀️🚴🏻‍♀️🧗🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️

Move Free Kids program continues to advocate for structured outdoor play, teaching the kids fundamental movement skills and values that can empower them for life. We serve to bridge the gap between "safetyism" and "real world", hoping to grow our next generation as competent, confident adults.

If your child has been spending a lot of time on phones or not getting enough outdoor physical play, drop us a DM for a trial class!! 🌻🍃🌳

05/03/2026

The Sport Education Model (SEM), developed by Daryl Siedentop, is a student-centered physical education curriculum designed to provide authentic sports experiences through season-based, team-oriented, and competitive learning. It emphasizes teamwork, responsibility, and skill development by assigning roles like coach, referee, and player to foster lifelong, healthy, and active lifestyles.

I was trying out the SEM model on a 13 year old, all girls class and was heartened to see that the kids actually self ran the whole mini league after 8 weeks of badminton lesson. To be honest, I thought not everyone was ready to take on roles and especially when they were not so familiar with the rules. However, emphasizing on
"Progress not perfection" during every class time proved effective. Everyone, even the very quiet ones were engaged in one way or another i.e. counting points, being the linesman or simply cheering their friends.

Coaches or teachers who has difficulty engaging a big class could give this Sports Education Model a go, with a long term goal of empowering the kids in pursuing a healthy active lifestyle.

17/12/2025

Getting injured at an older age does come with more complications. Conditions like osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and other health issues are more prevalent as we age (I’m defining “older” as 40+ — sorry, friends 😅).

While many of us want to return to physical activity as quickly as possible, it’s important to respect the slower recovery rate that comes with age before jumping back into high-intensity movement.

Over the years, I’ve learned not to ignore pain even the slightest discomfort. I often rate my pain out of 10 before, during, and after long runs or parkour sessions. This simple check-in helps me decide whether to continue, reduce intensity, or stop altogether. That kind of discernment has allowed me to manage injuries while still staying active.

Another huge factor has been developing a strong mind-body 💪🏻🧠 connection during training. For example, when I feel pain while running, it’s often linked to poor form. A quick mental reset — mid-foot strike, upright trunk, better alignment — and the pain often eases.

Focusing on awareness, precise muscle activation, and proper form improves mechanics, protects against further injury, and builds long-term stability.

Struggling with ongoing pain? Science supports this approach too 🌱

A 2024 review found that mind-body (eg. yoga, Taichi) exercises can reduce chronic pain and improve quality of life in older adults. Gámez-Iruela et al., Mind-Body Training (2024).

Personally, for me, exercises like parkour or just pure strength training works, so long as I slow down during technique and skills build up.

✨ Takeaway ??? Thoughtful movement matters.

Move Free

01/05/2026

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11/04/2026

06/04/2026

02/04/2026

28/03/2026

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