Here is a workout Star Wars fans will be keen on: SaberFit, a new fitness class, uses combat sabers, which are glowing swords similar to the weapons of the science-fiction film franchise, as part of its routine.
Interspersing cardio exercises with saber-striking techniques, SaberFit also incorporates plyometrics and core-training movements.
It was created by two Singaporean Star Wars fans, Mr Ryan Ho and Ms Natasha Toh, both 26.
The inspiration for the fitness regimen struck the dating couple early this year, when they were engaging in a playful saber duel with combat sabers, like Jedis in the Star Wars movies.
"After just 10 minutes, our arms and core and leg muscles started to ache. Our hearts were pumping pretty quickly too," says Mr Ho, a former Singapore national youth soccer player who is a manager at The Fun Empire, the events planning company behind SaberFit.
Ms Toh, a former competitive netball player who is the director of The Fun Empire, adds: "That was the moment the idea of creating a fitness workout around combat sabers struck us."
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BOOK IT / SABERFIT WITH SINGAPORE
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WHERE: The Cage @ Kallang, 28 Jalan Benaan Kapal
WHEN: Sunday, 10.30 to 11.30am
ADMISSION: $5 (usual price $35)
INFO: www.saber.fit (advance booking of slots is required, maximum 30 people)
Mr Ho and Ms Toh worked closely over several months with Mr Samuel Lo, a certified American Council on Exercise personal fitness trainer, to design the SaberFit regimen. The trademark for SaberFit is in the process of being registered.
The first public SaberFit session, to be held at The Cage @ Kallang on Sunday, will be 51 minutes long, in celebration of Singapore's 51st birthday. It costs $5 a person.
The Fun Empire, started by Ms Toh, is also behind Saber Tag - a game that uses the combat sabers along with electronic scoring vests. Think of it as Laser Tag with sabers.
Players don vests and wield sabers while engaging in various team missions. Once the vest has been tagged by a saber three times, the player is eliminated.
For now, Saber Tag is available only for advance private bookings for groups of 10 people and more.
Another local events company, Cohesion Singapore, has also set up Sword Tag, a game that operates on similar principles - the difference lies in the "weapon". Sword Tag is available only for private and corporate bookings with a minimum of 10 players.
Ms Joey Sim, 20, a student who played Saber Tag at a private event, says: "I thought it would just be kids wielding sabers playing fencing sort of games.
"But it was fun and we were rather competitive. There were even sound effects and the facilitators were engaging."