Q: What’s your role at Le Physique and how long have you been working here?

A: I am a Kinesiolgist at Le Physique. I started 2 and a half years ago as a Co-Op student from UBC and made my way through the ranks, combining the theoretical knowledge gained during studying, with application in working with clients on a daily basis.

Q: What inspired you to study kinesiology?

A: Ever since high school I was interested in how the body moves and how peak performance can be achieved. I played ultimate frisbee and which sparked my interest in human kinetics and strength & conditioning. Kinesiology was a natural path to take when deciding what to study at university.

Q: What is your favourite things about working at Le Physique?

A: I enjoy seeing my clients grow with each session they attend. It is really rewarding to see clients improve their strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, prior injuries and perform tasks they never thought they could do. 

Q:  Outside of work, where can people most often find you?

A: Paddling in False Creek! Either in a dragon boat or outrigger canoe.

Q:What’s your favourite exercise?

A: Barbell clean and press

Q: What’s your favourite muscle?

A: Pectoralis Major

Q: What are 3 things people don’t know about you?

A: 1) I wear shorts year round (sunny, rain, snow = shorts)

2) I learned how to swim 5 months ago

3) I ate Mcdonalds everyday in the summer of 09 and gained 20 lbs. In the following year, I was determined to turn things around, bought a gym pass and got back into shape!

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A: Male model for Calvin Klein

Q: What’s your spirit animal?

A: The lion. It represents courage and strength in overcoming difficulties (according to an online quiz).

Q: If you could be on any TV game show what would it be?

A:  The Bachelor

The post Meet Kevin Kwok first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

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Introducing Shadow, our friendly neighbourhood office dog! We sat down with him for a little Q&A over some coffee and doggy treats. Here’s our interview:

Q: How old and what breed of dog are you?

A: I’m 11 years old (12 coming in April) and a West Highland White Terrier

Q: What’s your role at Le Physique?

A: Oh, my job is very important. I make sure everyone inside is safe by barking at all dogs, tall people with black hats or pushing noisy carts and especially everyone’s favourite mailman, Wayne. For some reason, the role of Care Aide falls to me, as I see my patients on the floor sweating and panting. Sometimes they even make sounds. I’m not sure why they’re doing this but clearly my people don’t care about my patients for allowing them to lay there without kisses. My people are so lazy.

Q: What’s your favourite thing about hanging out at Le Physique?

A: Mom’s there and I have lots of aunties and uncles to talk to! I really love sunbathing on the Pilates reformer, I mean, working out on the reformer.

Q: Where can people most often find you?

A: At work, on the reformer, on the couch or patrolling the grounds. At home, patrolling (I am committed to my purpose in life), watching for squirrels on the couch or hiking all over the North Shore with mom and dad on Sundays.

Q: What’s your adoption story?

A: I remember hanging out with my brothers and sister (there were 6 of us) under a playground in the shade and a couple big people picked me up. I liked their vibe so I went home with them – the rest is history! Now how I got my name…that’s a story!

Q: Favourite hobby?

A: Patrolling. I do love a good game of “ball in the hall” with mom and dad, but they’re not very good throwers in the common area hallway. I love bugging my mom with my deadly “laser eyes stare” and just bugging her in general. I also love a good spa day. Self-care, it’s all the rage this year.

Q: Favourite food?

A: Meat.

Q: Do you have a Pet Peeve? (No pun intended!)

A: When I sense mom and dad getting ready to go out, and I go to the trouble of getting ready, be on time and I’m at the door before they are, but the leave me at home anyways. So rude.

Q: What’s your spirit animal?

A: A wolf. Or a cat. A wolf-cat.

Q: Favourite holiday and why?

A: Christmas because everyone is happy!

Q: Who’s your celebrity crush?

A: Catherine Zeta-Bones is so classy! But Nigella Pawson’s cooking… (the way to a man’s heart!)

Q: What do you do when you’re home alone?

A: Patrol. Sleep. Bark. Repeat.

Q: What’s your guilty pleasure?

A: Telling raccoons who’s boss. I’m a tough old man, you know!

Q: Where does the name “Shadow” come from?

A: That’s a long story… If you want to know, you’ll have to ask Mom!

The post Meet Shadow the Hedgehog first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Introducing James! If you’ve stopped by Le Physique in the afternoons, you were most likely greeted by this guy. Learn more about him in the Q&A below!

Q: What’s your role at Le Physique?

A: I’m the Client Care Manager and Cardio Trainer. I take care of all the admin work, greet clients and prescribe cardio programs. I am currently a Kinesiology at UBC.

Q: What inspired you study kinesiology?

A: I’ve always been interested in how the human body works. Even as a kid. I would go to the library and look up anatomy and physiology.

Q: What is your favourite thing about working at Le Physique?

A: I like the culture. It’s very client centred and everyone looks after each other and cares for each other’s well being. It’s all about seeing people’s personal growth!

Q: Favourite hobby?

A: Muay Thai & playing around with computer parts

Q: What’s your favourite music?

A: R&B

Q: What’s your favourite exercise?

A: Weighted pull ups

Q: What’s your favourite muscle?

A: Latissimus Dorsi

Q: What are 3 things people don’t know about you?

A: I’m a dog person. I have perfect pitch. I have a collection of pocket knives.

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A: Growing up I wanted to be a doctor, specifically a toxicologist because I liked poison for some reason.

Q: What’s your spirit animal?

A: Otter

Q: Celebrity crush?

A: Chris Hemsworth is my man crush.

Q: What’s your guilty pleasure?

A: Eating fried food

The post Faces of Le Physique: James Hsin first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Meet Kamal, currently the only male Kinesiologist on our team’s roster. Bet you didn’t know he’s a Star Wars fan and is a pretty philosophical guy. Read his Q&A below!

Q: What’s your role at Le Physique?

A:  I help people build confidence around their body through movement and teaching. You are going to be stronger and it’s my job to set it up in a progressive, logical next step process and next thing you know you’re going to have all this knowledge, fitness and strength. My role is to empower.

Q: What inspired you to work in this field?

A: When I was young, my father died early from a heart attack. He had all the symptoms and he would tell me things like “this is tingling” or “I feel off.” When he died I took it really hard. Initially I wanted to be a doctor but the idea of helping people when they are healthy and being preventative appealed to me.

Q: What is your favourite thing about working at Le Physique?

A:  At Le Physique, I love knowing I can come to work and do what I do best, which is train my clients. I really enjoy the personal connection with people that I’m helping and working as a kinesiologist really lines up with my personal beliefs.

Q: Outside of work, where can people most often find you?

A: With my kids

Q: What’s your favourite exercise?

A: Military Press

Q: What’s your favourite muscle?

A: Adductor longus

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A: An astronomer! I wanted to know everything about the universe!

Q: What’s your spirit animal?

A: Stallion

Q: Favourite TV show?

A: Star Wars: Rebels

Q: If you could be on any TV reality show what would it be?

A: I don’t want to be on a TV show! But if I had to choose, I’d say Wheel of Fortune.

Q: Celebrity crush? 

A: Kate Upton

Q: What’s your guilty pleasure?

A: Dark Chocolate 70%

Q: Pet peeve?

A:  Surprises

Q: Favourite hobby?

A: Listening to audiobooks & podcasts, and philosophizing.

The post Meet Kamal Shah first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Q: What’s your role at Le Physique?

A: I’m the client care manager, or CCM, and junior kinesiologist. I work the front desk as well as specialize in the cardio programs for clients. I also recently started personal training too. I’m also currently a co-op student from UBC, studying kinesiology.

Q: What inspired you study kinesiology?

A: I initially wanted to be in the military when I was studying in Langara. I was looking at options for jobs especially in the health sector and saw that the Canadian military recruits physiotherapists. I also played a lot of sports growing up, so naturally it led me to pursue kinesiology.

Q: What is your favourite thing about working at Le Physique?

A: I enjoy working with clients with the cardio programming. I’m able to have fun with it and educate them so that they can apply this knowledge outside of the clinic. It’s very rewarding especially when I see them improve overtime and are happy with how they’re doing.

Q: Outside of work, where can people most often find you? 

A: I’m usually at the dojo training kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, or cycling at the park.

Q: Favourite hobby?

A: I enjoy making short videos. I like to vlog, slow-mo videos are fun, and I also like filming at events.

Q: What’s your favourite exercise?

A: Back squats

Q: What’s your favourite muscle?

A: Gluteus Maximus.

Q: What are 3 things people don’t know about you?

A: I like cooking.

I play guitar & piano and I sing (in the shower).

I popped my eardrum when I was young and now my hearing in my left ear is 20% less than optimal.

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A: A doctor

Q: What’s your spirit animal?

A: Tiger

Q: Favourite TV show?

A: Game of Thrones

Q: Celebrity crush?

A: A young Russell Crowe. Or Leo!

Q: What’s your guilty pleasure?

A: Chocolate. Anything chocolate.

The post Faces of Le Physique: Mika Pelaez first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.

Meet Gillian! She is a kinesiologist, MAT specialist® and likes eating popcorn.

Q: What’s your role at Le Physique?

A: I’m part of the team of kinesiologists at Le Physique. I also am a Muscle Activation Techniques® specialist. I like puzzles! If someone has a nagging issue or injury, I like to discover what is “not working” (from a musculo-skeletal perspective) and help them move more efficiently and feel great about themselves.

I started doing M.A.T.®  at Le Physique in 2012, then joined as a kinesiologist in 2013.

Q: What inspired you to do what you do?

A: After 2 decades of working in the fitness industry, I wanted to get more knowledge – you know, delve deeper into how things work. I was the kind of kid that would take apart clocks to see what makes them tick. I had the opportunity to continue my education so I jumped in with both feet and went back to school for Kinesiology.

There was one person who really inspired me; one of my professors came up to me after a kinesiology exam and said “Have you always been this brilliant in kin?” His passion was contagious! That question really encouraged me to continue and I knew I was on the right path.

I love the fact that I can understand how things work and continue to grow and learn.

Q: What is your favourite aspect about what you do?

A: There are so many things I like about this industry. What I love the most, is when a client realizes they’re getting stronger and has a better understanding of themselves.

Q: Outside of work, where can people most often find you?

A: On the couch, out for a run…or at Stanley park, having a nice walk with my better half.

Q: Favourite hobby?

A: Sailing

Q: What’s your favourite music?

A: I like so many different genres (classical to Jazz to hard rock). Right now? I’m having a revival of AC/DC

Q: What’s your favourite exercise?

A: Push-ups!

Q: What’s your favourite muscle?

A: Gluteus Maximus

Q: What are 3 things people don’t know about you?

A: I was born in Paris, France.

I was supposed to be a marine biologist.

I can move my eyes independently and gross Nicole out (we have video proof).

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A: It was sort of half and half – a cowgirl and an astronaut!

Q: What’s your spirit animal?

A: Dragon

Q: Favourite TV show?

A: At the moment, The Bridge (original)

Q: If you could be on any TV show what would it be?

A: The Price is Right

Q: Celebrity crush?

A: Benedict Cumberbatch

Q: What’s your guilty pleasure?

A: Beer and popcorn

The post Faces of Le Physique: Gillian Morrow first appeared on Le Physique | Vancouver Personal Training.