Singapore #Fitspo of the Week: Marcus Tao

Life goes beyond the digits on the scale and your body is capable of so much more! Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspirational men and women in Singapore leading healthy and active lifestyles. Have someone to recommend? Hit Cheryl up on Instagram or Facebook!

Name: Marcus Tao

Age: 60

Height: 1.75m

Weight: 69kg

Occupation: Yoga Teacher

Status: Married with a son

Food: When I was a kid, my parents always emphasised the importance of a balanced and moderate diet to keep us healthy. I basically eat everything that I like, which includes meats, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and carbohydrates (rice, bread, noodles, etc). I am trying to increase my energy intake to maintain my body weight.

In general, I prefer a wide variety of food in a more natural form and try to avoid over-processed food. On days when I have a high volume of exercise, I would increase my carbohydrate intake too. I perspire a lot due to my hot yoga teaching and practice, so I have to ensure that my body is well-hydrated with enough electrolytes.

Exercise: My fitness regime aims to address all five components of physical fitness: 1) body composition, 2) flexibility, 3) muscular strength, 4) muscular endurance, and 5) cardiorespiratory endurance. I do my yoga stretching routine and a 10-minute headstand every day. Depending on my teaching schedule, I try to practise the 90-minute Bikram hot yoga about three times a week. I also do two 1.5-kilometre swims and a 30-minute moderate-intensity run on the treadmill every week.

Thankfully, my job at True Group also offers me very convenient access to the gym. If there is time between classes, I will get into resistance training which are largely push-pull workouts to work on my major muscle groups. Recently, I started taking "Les Mills Grit" classes once a week whenever time permits. It is very fun and enjoyable to participate in high-intensity exercises in a group class environment and I get to improve my agility too.

Personally, I am fond of closed-skill sports like swimming and running, in which the movements are repeated and controlled.

Q: When you were younger, were you active in sports?

A: I was not active in sports till about the age of 12, when my aunt took me and my brothers to a beach to learn how to swim. I then started reading books on swimming and practised on my own. I joined a swimming club for formal training at the age of 16 and participated in some local swimming competitions. Since I started formal training late, I could not pursue competitive swimming, but I continued to enjoy this sport.

You were a member of the Hong Kong National Rowing Squad, representing Hong Kong in numerous international rowing regattas.

Yes, rowing came into my life by chance. When I was 24, I came across a recruitment article in a newspaper, where the Hong Kong national rowing squad was looking for candidates to join the team. I was very curious and interested, so I registered for the physical test, which comprised a 4km run and a 2km time trial on a rowing machine. I came in second in the overall ranking and was recruited by the squad.

It was not easy though, as I had to juggle between a full-time job in the bank and professional training. The training was tough: The morning session started at 5.30am every day on the rowing boat, then there was also evening training on weekdays which included training on the rowing ergometer, weight training, or a run. After a year on the development team, I was awarded the Hong Kong Sports Institute Athlete Scholarship to undergo more intense elite training at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

I was very excited to have an opportunity to represent Hong Kong because my dream was to become a competitive athlete.

What are some of the highlights of your rowing career?

Some of the highlights of my rowing career were representing Hong Kong in the 4th Asia Rowing Championships (Japan) in 1991. I was also at the Italy International Rowing Regatta in 1992, in which we lost the bronze medal to Switzerland by less than half a second in the quad event. All in all, I actively rowed for about 15 years, including the years after I retired from the squad.

What did you get into after you retired from the rowing squad?

After I retired from the rowing squad, I tried different types of sports such as marathon, triathlon, and open water swimming. I also took part in marathons and triathlons in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Swimming is still my favourite sport though. I participated in open water competitions in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, and London. My longest swimming distance covered was the 10km Bali Ocean Swim in 2014, which I completed in 2:35:40.

You also got into yoga.

Back in 2005, a friend invited me to attend a yoga class. My body was not flexible but I found it interesting to attempt the various challenging yoga postures. I started attending classes regularly and decided to join a yoga centre after a year. Even though I was not aware of the healing effects of yoga at that time, I was certain I wanted to practise yoga on a long-term basis.

I like the Bikram yoga series with its fixed set of 26 postures and two breathing exercises, particularly because of the heat and how challenging it is. I feel very light and refreshed after each practice. I also enjoy the vitality and calmness during and after every class. It also helps to reprieve my lower back pain, sciatica, and knee pain.

When did you decide you wanted to start teaching yoga?

After 20 years of working in a desk-bound job, I knew I needed a change. In 2007, I decided to teach yoga and pursued training for yoga teaching. It was a big change, and I was eager to share the benefits of yoga with more people. Since I received my certification, I have taught in Kuala Lumpur, South Korea, and now at Yoga Edition in Singapore. Teaching yoga is an extension of my practice and I feel blessed to see students transform – physically, mentally, and emotionally – through the practice of yoga.

You competed in yoga too.

The first time I participated in a yoga competition was in 2007 in Hong Kong. My former yoga teachers encouraged me to participate as they thought it would help to enhance my practice and they were right – it was truly a good experience in my yoga journey. After that, I also competed in the 2009, 2010, and 2012 editions of the Singapore Yoga Asana Championship.

Some of the highlights of my participation in yoga competitions have been – securing first place in the Bishnu Charan Ghosh Cup 2007 Hong Kong Regional Yoga Asana Championship (men’s amateur division) and first place in the 5th Singapore Yoga Asana Championship 2012 (men’s division).

When you were younger, did you experience any incidents that made you feel insecure about yourself?

There weren’t any major incidents or adversities that made me feel extremely insecure, but I had always felt like there were things that I could have done better. I was a little insecure when I was in the rowing squad because it was quite stressful to balance training and a full-time job, especially when I sustained injuries or did not see the expected progress in my performance. I eventually made peace with the fact that there are a lot of things in life that are beyond my control.

When did you feel the least confident about yourself?

Growing up as a quiet kid, I was not confident about expressing my ideas. Life is full of challenges, and it takes a lot of courage and confidence to live in the present. I find that continuous learning and physical exercises enhanced my confidence and helped me become more optimistic in different aspects of my life.

Did you ever struggle with your body?

The only time I struggled with my body weight was when I was in the rowing squad. It was because I raced in the lightweight category and had to maintain my body weight at or below 70.5kg. I had to train hard to build strength and endurance, and at the same time watch my diet to avoid gaining weight.

Are you satisfied with your body now?

I am satisfied with my body in general. Ageing is inevitable, but I am grateful to have a relatively healthy body to stay active, work and do the sports and exercises that I love.