C6 Tuesday, March 19, 2013
FITNESS & WELL-BEING
The yin
thing 6,500
Cupping is used to improve blood flow; Gladys Leung (right) administers gua sha at Chuan Spa at Langham Place. Photo: Edmond So
Spas are hiring registered Chinese medicine practitioners to take advantage of growing interest in traditional forms of treatment, writes Rachel Oliver
H
ongkongers are no strangers to either traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) or spas. Now the two are being brought together under one roof. TCM is based on balancing yin and yang, increasing the flow of chi, and restoring vitality to the patient. A number of methods are used, such as Chinese herbal medicine, qigong, tui na massage, acupuncture, acupressure, scraping (gua sha), cupping and bone-setting. There are more than 6,500 registered TCM practitioners in the city, says the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong. TCM spas offer another way to tap into these methods. Chuan Spa at Langham Place dedicates itself to TCM. The idea when it launched in 2005 was to provide a different kind of TCM experience. “When the brand was developed, they were looking at a holistic spa experience, with a five-star
environment to experience it in,” says Victoria Childs, spa director. Chuan Spa has hired a TCM doctor, who gives consultations and also designs treatments and has a team of in-house therapists who are all qualified in gua sha and cupping. The Mandarin Oriental also uses a TCM doctor for guests to consult, and the therapies have been “meticulously researched in consultation with experienced Chinese doctors, chemists and holistic practitioners” says Yumi Kwan, treatments manager. But outside of hotels, a number of independent spas in Hong Kong are widening their repertoire by incorporating TCM-themed treatments and bringing in TCM doctors. “If you read magazines like Cosmopolitan you find lots of ads with TCM-oriented treatments offered in spas, not always in big ones but in the smaller operations,” says Kelly Chain, a registered TCM consultant who runs Chain’s
“Travellers coming into hotel spas are very interested in The number of registered trying something from Chinese medicine the region,” she says. practitioners in Hong “Hong Kong locals would Kong already have a strong interest in TCM anyway, so they probably wouldn’t be going to the spa.” In the case of the Four Seasons Hong Kong Spa, for example, treatments such as jade stone therapy (based on gua sha) are designed to give international visitors a “taste of Medicare Centre. “Before it was the orient” when they are in quite rare but it is a trend now. Hong Kong, says Claire Even one-man operators will Blackshaw, director of PR at team up with a TCM Four Seasons Hong Kong. consultant.” “We want to reflect the New TCM practitioners are environment so people can have flooding into the market each year and targeting spas, she says. an experience of the country they are going to. But our “We are producing 200 therapists are Western trained. graduates a year and we also We wouldn’t claim to know how have graduates from China. best to do this,” Blackshaw says. They are young, educated and The inspiration behind the open-minded,” says Chain. Four Seasons Beijing’s decision, For smaller outfits, hiring this January, to bring in a TCM doctors has been too costly, so bringing in outside help makes sense, says spa consultant Rhett Pickering, who runs Vast River Consulting. “The therapists have to be skilled in everything the spa does, but you get watered-down kinds of treatments, so the way around this is to get a specialist TCM consultant.” Spa consultant and CEO of Conceptasia Management & Consultants, Suzanne Ng, notes that the increase in interest in spa-based TCM treatments has been driven mostly by tourists. RHETT PICKERING, SPA CONSULTANT
Therapists have to be skilled in everything the spa does, but you get watereddown treatments
Spin and bear it Stationary cycling is one of the most exhausting exercises you can do, Ben Sin discovers In January, Lance Armstrong, after years of denial, finally admitted to cheating. The superstar cyclist, who won a record seven straight Tours de France, did so with the help of illegal performance-enhancing drugs. The saddest part? Doping in professional cycling is not uncommon. According to the US Anti-Doping Agency, 80 per cent of Tour de France medallists between 1996 and 2010 also used similar drugs. As a huge sports fan, news of the widespread cheating in cycling left me disappointed and insulted. But then I took my first class at Hong Kong’s first independent spinning studio, Torq Cycle. I now almost want to forgive Armstrong, because I’m typing this the morning after the 50-minute cycling session, and I still can’t feel my legs. I’m joking, of course. There’s no excuse for cheating, but spinning – indoor, stationary cycling – is one of the most physically draining exercises around. One of the trainers at Torq is a former professional rugby player and professional muay Thai fighter named Adam Fabbian. Spinning is how he keeps in shape. “I can’t think of another exercise where you work as hard, burn as many calories, but have zero risk of injuries,” he says. Fabbian isn’t the only trainer at Torq with an impressive CV. One was a professional gymnast in Canada; another was a championship cheerleader in Florida; the others are either competitive triathletes or
certified trainers with degrees. And they’re all super fit. It’s no surprise the trainers hold such elite pedigrees, since everything about Torq feels high quality. The lockers uses an electronic lock that requires no key or password, and the shower room feels like one you’d find at a high-end spa. Then there are the bikes – the latest in the Schwinn Authentic Cycling series. These feature a long list of fancy technical specs, like “magnetic brake system” and “perimeter-weighted flywheels”. But all you need to know is that riding it feels exactly like cycling on the streets. Each bike is also wirelessly connected to a computer console that tracks RPM (revolutions per minute), heart rate, speed, distance, calories burned, watts and time. All that information is displayed on a screen in front of the class and is uploaded to Torq’s online database. With the exception of the actual riding session, Torq aims to make things as easy as it possibly can for the riders. There is no membership, and classes can be purchased individually or in packages. Classes can be booked, with bike reservations, up to two weeks in advance. All of this is done online with a few clicks. Owner Margaret Kao says a hassle-free experience was a main part of her vision for Torq: “I don’t want our customers to ever have to wait in line or deal with salespeople. You book everything online, you show up at class time, and you ride.
THE TASTE TEST BEETROOT ................................................ Jeanette Wang jeanette.wang@scmp.com Straumeni Living Slow Dried Beetroot HK$49 for 100 grams, Just Green Raw organic beetroot is slow dried at 38 degrees Celsius to preserve its enzymes and vitamins. It takes 445 grams of fresh beetroot to produce one 215calorie pack. It’s said to help control obesity and cure colds. Verdict: dense and chewy, the natural sweetness of beetroot shines through but its juiciness is missed. It’s a convenient way to enjoy the vegetable.
Ben Sin is put through his paces. Photo: Jonathan Wong
“When you’re done, take a nice shower, and you’re free to go. All your information – like how many calories you burned – is uploaded to the server automatically. You can check online any time, and these stats stay with you from session to session,” she says.
I can’t think of another exercise where you burn as many calories, but have zero risk of injuries ADAM FABBIAN, TRAINER
qualified TCM doctor, came from a foreigner – the hotel’s Sri Lankan general manager, Sanjiv Hulugalle, says Jennifer Sun, director of public relations. “When our GM arrived in China, he had back trouble and he had seen a lot of Western doctors who didn’t do anything other than give him painkillers,” says Sun. “So he saw Dr Lan Jirui twice a week [for some massages] and after a few months his pain was gone and no medication was given. So he became fascinated with TCM.” Lan speaks fluent English so is accessible to foreign guests. But he is proving as much a pull for locals as he is for visitors, notes Sun. “Dr Lan is very well known in the TCM field, so people come to Beijing to see him,” she says. Curiosity about ancient wellness disciplines is increasing worldwide, says Childs. “I think it is more well known now. Our property in Boston launched a workshop on TCM. It started out as a half-day event and ended up as a sold-out three-day event,” she says. Clients now come to the spa seeking a TCM doctor before consulting a Western medical doctor, she adds. Chain sees a match between
There are two types of classes: Torq de Hong Kong is a race, with teams or individuals, through various terrains. You simulate uphill riding by twisting a knob to increase pedal resistance while pedalling standing up. The second, TorqBody, is a full body workout that combines boxing, Pilates and yoga with cycling. That’s the class I take. It’s non-stop, all-out riding for 50 minutes, and includes standing up, leaning forward, holding dumbbells while doing bicep curls, shoulder presses and other weight-training routines. Three trainers take the helm during my class. The first, Jennifer Wathall, is a teacher at Island School. Her routine is easy to start with, but becomes increasingly challenging. The second trainer is
Fabbian, the professional fighter. He pushes us to go as fast as we can, and he swaps my light dumbbells for heavier ones when he realises that my arms aren’t shaking enough during the lifts. Fabbian says he hates the notion that spinning only works the lower body, so he goes out of his way to make sure your arms and shoulders are exhausted during his class. Last up is champion cheerleader Loretta Yuen, whose routine is energetic with stretches, on-bike push-ups, and breathing techniques. I finish first in the class, but I’ll have trouble walking straight tomorrow. For more information, go to torqcycle.com. Classes are sold individually (HK$250) or in packages (various prices).
Lydia’s Organics Rawkin’ Beet Chips HK$65 for 85 grams, Just Green These aren’t just beetroot; the thin crisps also contain carrots, parsley, celery, lemon, green onion, and sunflower and flax seeds. Chilli powder, cumin and cayenne give it some heat. Verdict: earthy and spicy, the beetroot flavour is lost among the other ingredients. It is not particularly crisp, and it tastes a bit too dry.
Terr’loire Red Beetroots HK$37.90 for 500 grams, Gourmet This is as basic as it gets: peeled and steamed beets from France with no added preservatives. Verdict: I love beetroot, but I hate the way it stains almost everything. Sliced and tossed with some salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar, this is a brilliant way to enjoy one of my favourite foods.
the principles of TCM and those of spas. “TCM practices have a lot in common with spa treatments such as massage. Normally, what you do in a spa, like get a facial or anti-ageing treatment, has a lot to do with TCM,” she says. Spas look set to morph into overall wellness clinics, with TCM being a natural component in each of them, says spa trainer Victor Rinaldi. “The next generation will be wellness centres, where more specialised treatments and services will be provided,” he says. “They will certainly look to include a TCM specialist, in the same way they would hire a naturopath, for example.” life@scmp.com