Belinda Koo of XYZ: 12 Years on

Belinda Koo, is a prominent Hong Kong multi-hyphenate so let me list what I know most about her; entrepreneur, reiki healer, mother of three, and Managing Director at UBS Wealth Management. She founded XYZ (The Art of XYZ) around 2013 as a boutique indoor cycling studio that revolutionised fitness in the city. The fastest way to loose weight--and in a fun, chic environs--head to xyz as a handful of my celebrity and celebrated friends do. 

Inspired by personal loss—her father’s early death and her own cardio-related collapse—Koo created a high-energy spinning experience blending intense cardio, motivational music, immersive visuals, and community vibes to build not just physical strength but mental and emotional resilience. 

“We are all born to move,” is her mantra, emphasising how daily 50-minute sessions sharpen focus, stamina, and overall wellbeing. 

XYZ quickly gained a fan-following, inspiring many to embrace cardio and genuinely enjoy it. The music, the instructors and elegant interiors - its a vibe. It has earned several spots on “best boutique gyms” lists in media, and positioned Koo as a wellness visionary alongside her youth empowerment initiative One Ten Foundation and travel brand Sojournal. 

The studio evolved from pure spinning into a holistic sanctuary offering mind-body movement, meditation, yoga, and balanced “yin-yang” flows—adding softer, feminine energy to complement its dynamic roots. Certified as a B Corporation, it reflects Koo’s commitment to positive impact.

Recently, XYZ entered an exciting new chapter with a major relocation and expansion in Central. The studio reopened in a spacious ~9,439 sq ft facility at China Building, in Queen’s Road Central, introducing broader holistic offerings like yoga, dance, body toning, and mobility alongside signature spin classes. This move has modernised the space while preserving its heart-centered philosophy of regrouping, restoring, and re-energizing amid Hong Kong’s hustle. 

I first interview Belinda Koo a decade ago for Lifestyle magazine, now in 2026, the brand continues promoting HIIT-cardio balance for fat loss and performance, with a focus on self-care and recovery.  Looking ahead, XYZ is actively growing its community as the 12th anniversary celebrations have been the talk of the town, reinforcing its role as a lifestyle brand. 

Expect continued emphasis on inclusive, transformative experiences—possibly deeper integration of mindfulness and longevity elements—aligned with global wellness trends. Koo’s vision keeps XYZ evolving as more than a gym: a space for wholeness in a fast-paced world that's... going for a spin. 

Discover the Art of Silence and Embrace Serenity With Mauna, a Holistic Wellness Experience at The Apurva Kempinski Bali

A transformative wellness journey inspired by Bali’s sacred Day of Silence promises to connect guests with their inner selves and the island’s rich spiritual heritage.

The Apurva Kempinski Bali, a luxury resort celebrated for its dedication to showcasing Indonesia’s vibrant cultural tapestry, is set to unveil Mauna–The Art of Silence this October. Nestled where emerald rice terraces meet the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, this groundbreaking wellness experience redefines the essence of silence and tranquillity. Drawing inspiration from Nyepi, Bali’s Day of Silence, this innovative, holistic programme invites guests to embark on a journey of mindfulness and spiritual reconnection.

Mauna, derived from the Sanskrit word for “silence,” transcends the concept of a mere wellness retreat. It is an immersive experience that encourages participants to step away from the clamour of daily life and embrace deep introspection. Rooted in traditional Balinese practices, where the Day of Silence fosters self-reflection, purification, and spiritual renewal, the island pauses, allowing inhabitants and visitors alike to immerse themselves in a day devoid of sound, light, and activity—an environment primed for inward exploration.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Margy’s Monte Carlo Celebrates a Decade of Skincare Excellence at The Peninsula Hong Kong

A powerful collaboration between the two brands unveils exclusive treatments and special offers for a luxurious spa experience. 

2025 marks a significant milestone in the world of luxury skincare in Hong Kong as The Peninsula Spa & Wellness Centre celebrates its 10th anniversary of collaboration with Margy’s Monte Carlo. Their partnership has not only elevated the spa experience but has also set a new standard for exceptional skincare treatments that blend innovation, luxury, and the unparalleled service for which these respective icons are renowned. 

Founded over three decades ago by the visionary Margie Lombard, who travelled to Hong Kong for this special occasion, Margy’s Monte Carlo has earned its reputation for offering transformative facial treatments that are both results-driven and indulgent. Lombard’s philosophy centres on the idea that effective skincare should not only enhance beauty but also promote overall skin health. Margy’s Monte Carlo is sought-after worldwide for its use of biometric ingredients and active compounds specifically designed to combat the primary cause of skin degradation: inflammation. 

 Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Island Shangri-La’s Yun Wellness Launches 4 New Treatments With Luxury Skincare Brand Margy’s Monte Carlo

Experience unparalleled skincare excellence with these luxurious facial procedures. 

With the number of luxury spas dotted around the city, one can be spoilt for choice—and navigating the best skincare regimes that the top spots have to offer poses an additional challenge. Yet again, Yun Wellness has thrown down the gauntlet with an exciting collaboration with renowned skincare brand Margy’s Monte Carlo, heralding the launch of four exclusive facial treatments tailored to rejuvenate and relax discerning clientele. 

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

 

The Wellness Industry: Chef Arnaud Hauchon

In Ayurveda, its written in stone that the appropriate food, eaten correctly, nourishes the body, mind, and spirit. It sees food as medicine – the original integrative medicine for holistic healing process from one's core being, for essentially wellness. While reading this synopsis out to the nodding-in-agreement man, it was preaching to the choir as Chef Arnaud Hauchon, native of the Champagne region of France, based his entire food philosophy on 'food as medicine'.

The culinary director at Fivelements Habitat in Hong Kong, his menu is as nourishing as it is textured, colourful, vivid and delicious. He also eschewed the tired notions that healthy food is bland food. We took him out of his element for an exclusive photoshoot with The New Moon on a busy street in On Lan Lane, but spoke with him later, while he was walking barefoot in nature, somewhere in the trails of Sai Kung.

Read up on the good chef at The New Moon here.

All original pictures by Edwin Datoc. 

The Wellness Industry: Fitness Influencer Keith Lee of 2 Percent Fitness

The multi-hyphenate Keith Lee is a lawyer by day, co-owner of 2 Percent Fitness gym by night and a fitness KOL (as we go to publication, a respectable 85k followers stalk his every post on Insta') in perpetuity on Instagram.

With a baby less than a year old, a demanding job, opening a gym during the thick of the pandemic while the government imposed debilitating restrictions on the industry, how Keith stayed calm during the financial maelstrom needed to be noted.

Read up on my chat with Keith here at The New Moon.

All original portraits by Edwin Datoc.

 

The Wellness Industry: Malbert Lee

Hong Kong native Malbert Lee is one of many yoga teachers studded around the island with a passion for the meditative workout, but what makes him so uniquely popular in the city brimming with yogis is his practice of sound-healing. 

As a “sound-meditation facilitator,” he’s been covered by the media and has his own following for those who seek to vibe with him. Trained on different singing bowls with gong masters from Nepal, the UK, the US, Germany and Hong Kong, he is part of the calm in the cacophony of Hong Kong.  

Read up on my chat with Lee here at The New Moon. 

Portrait by Edwin Datoc. 

Health Post: Fit & Fab: How yoga straightened me out: South China Morning Post: 2012

German-born, American-bred Claudia Whitney, 36, wasn't always keen on the idea of doing yoga pretzel poses. She once saw yoga as a foreign form of exercise that wasn't meant for her.

"I had the same excuses as a lot of people I meet today: 'I'm not flexible', 'There is not enough time', or 'This isn't for me'," she says. "But I finally got into it 11 years ago in New York. I was hooked from my first class. I struggled the whole way through, but the experience shifted me on so many levels that there was no looking back."

An ancient practice originating in southern India, it seemed like a fad at first, when celebrities (and then everyone else) took to it. But why did the fad not fade?

"Yoga is more than a workout; I think that it becomes a way of life for most people," says Whitney, now an instructor at Pure Yoga. "You start to shift destructive patterns on the mat, and then you're capable of changing things in your everyday life. Without this outlook, the poses we do in class mean nothing, and I think that is what keeps people coming back."

Whitney thinks yoga would benefit youngsters, too, to help calm teenage anxiety and hormonal turmoil.

"I was a wild child - well, I'm still a wild girl - but growing up, I had to face some tough times," she says. "Yoga has helped me find balance and calmed me down. I wish I had started earlier, as it really centres you. I've learned to let go of a lot of the nonsense and focus on positive things ... I've honestly never been happier in my life."

Were you a sporty person as a child?

I was not a sporty child, and my diet was terrible. I ended up being overweight in my late teens and early 20s, so I started educating myself about nutrition and fitness, and that is when I first committed to working out. Changing my diet and working with a personal trainer helped me to shed the extra weight and improve my confidence. Eventually, I found yoga and, while it keeps me fit, it has become more than a physical practice. I can't imagine my life without it.

I guess you had the diet of most teenagers?

Yes, I grew up eating fried food, junk food and fast food. When I made the choice to lose weight and get healthy, I stopped eating all of these things and started experimenting with my diet. At one point I ate only raw vegan food for three years, and I felt amazing. When I moved to Asia, I was so excited about the variety of food and flavours that I reintroduced cooked food, and now I'm about 70 per cent to 75 per cent raw vegan, and I've never felt better.

Have you made a spiritual journey to India?

I spent three months in India six years ago. I travelled to Mysore first to study ashtanga yoga with Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Rangaswamy. Practise started at 5am, so I had the rest of the day to study anything I was interested in. I learned a southern Indian style of painting called Kannada, and I studied meditation and drawing with another teacher. We would sit outside his house on the ground and meditate before each lesson, which started out with scribbling with crayons to get me to loosen up. I also took vegetarian Indian cooking classes and studied Carnatic music [the classical music of southern India].

As a yoga teacher, what's your sales pitch?

If someone is really interested then I usually invite him or her to try a complimentary class at Pure Yoga. Most people are usually only interested in the physical benefits because practising yoga creates a toned, flexible and strong body, but there are benefits beyond that, like feeling more energetic and maintaining a balanced metabolism. You're promoting cardio and circulatory health, and it helps stress levels. When you practise steadily, you are also building awareness of your body, feelings, relationships and the world around you. It's a complete package.

Are men more averse to yoga than women?

Men who go to the gym usually have a misconception that yoga is only stretching and meditation, and they don't realise that it is also extremely physically challenging. I have noticed an increase in male attendance in the past couple of years. They find it's a great complement to their gym workout or any sport. Anyone can do it, and it's not going to tear up your body.

Pic Caption: Strike a pose: Pure Yoga instructor Claudia Whitney. Photo: May Tse


Byline: P. Ramakrishnan
e-mail ramakrishnanp@hotmail.com
January 3, 2012
Health Post

Health Post: Fit & Fab ColumN: Beyond the treadmill with Michal Bucek

Fit & Fab: Michal Bucek
Health Post,
The South China Morning Post

By P.Ramakrishnan
(E-mail ramakrishnanp@hotmail.com)

Michal Bucek, 30, a personal trainer and a top triathlete, has a list of achievements so long it could take up this whole page. He recently returned from the Holy Grail of triathlons, the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-
Kona, Hawaii. A few weeks later, he finished third amateur overall at the Taiwan 70.3, a half-ironman in Kenting.

He’s in the best shape of his life, but he has worked hard for it. Some people are naturally thin, but Bucek isn’t one of them. Growing up in what is now
Slovakia, he was the odd one out within his active family, who often kayaked, ran and swam together on weekends. “I was very overweight, and I was super lazy,” says Bucek. It’s hard to believe that when you see him stream past the
finishing line, clad in some unforgiving spandex.

The turning point, he says, came at age 17, when he began to look for a girlfriend and become self-aware. He started a triathlon training programme, and has kept fit ever since. He’s following in the footsteps of his 60-year-old father, a member of the International Olympic Committee who still
stays in great shape.

“When I see my father, I’m still inspired. Others tell me I am their
role model. I, in turn, see my father as mine,” Bucek says.

Are age and weight factors in becoming a triathlete?
It doesn’t matter if you are middle-aged or overweight. You can start anytime as long as you train properly. It’s got nothing to do with age; it’s more about self-confidence and commitment to the sport. If you are mentally ready, it can be done.

Why are more people leaving the comforts of a gym to try out adventure sports?
Because it’s a quicker way to lose weight. In fact, the fastest way to
get in shape is probably to train for and do a triathlon. In a big fitness
centre, 99 per cent of the time the focus is on weightlifting and not on endurance. Running on a treadmill is boring; you feel like a hamster going nowhere. When you train outdoors, you burn more calories, especially in Hong Kong, as conditions are tough. So, you can burn 40 to 50 per cent more calories.
The humidity, the temperature, the fact that your body is not very comfortable, unlike in a carpeted gym, makes your heart rate go up.

So you never work indoors?
I do workouts with my clients indoors, in a gym. I work on making their muscles stronger. It’s not about building big muscles, but strengthening them.

Do people lose confidence after the initial burst of excitement that comes from starting training?
I’ve never had to push a client; they come in motivated. They train for results, and you can see results quite quickly. They come by themselves, and they train on their own when I’m away. I’ve never had to babysit a client. I want people to love what they do. If they don’t, it’s self destructive. If they do, even if it’s raining, they’ll get the right gear and still train because they’re passionate about the sport.

How often do you train personally?
Whenever I have some free time. Between work assignments, I work out. Early mornings are great for me. I work late hours, but I’m lucky that if I’m training a client, I can do the sport with them. So I’m training all the time. I ride my bike to see my clients. I don’t take a bus or cab. In Hong Kong, that can be very dangerous, but I have no choice. I wear all my safety equipment and pray my instincts are sharp in traffic.

Are Hongkongers in it for vanity or for health?
Both. It’s 50/50. At first, I trained mostly Westerners. That has
changed. I used to train mostly women, and that has changed. Now more local residents, and more men, are coming in. People realise that the body is a
machine, that must be looked after. More do it for health, and they see quick results, which encourages them to keep training.

Is there a motto you follow?
Anything is difficult if you don’t really want to do it. Everything is easy if you have the commitment.

Heart of the Matter: Feature on Men's Health: An Inside look at Wellness, Fitness and Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Feature for Fit HK Magazine. 

By P Ramakrishnan. Images courtesy of Seasons Fitness.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger had to undergo a heart-operation a few years ago, many a couch potato must have taken a double-take as the news appeared on the ticker-tape on CNN. Schwarzenegger. The man described by the Guinness Book of World Records as, brace yourself for this, "the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world".

If he had a heart condition, what hope is there for mortals and mankind?

The fact of the matter is, you may be as thin as a rake or a gym gorrilla, but you can still have an unhealthy heart. Anil Ahuja from Pure Fitness, explains, “For both men and women, there are many factors that contribute to heart problems. A few examples are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lack of regular exercise, family history, age and smoking. I advise anyone to take a moment to look at their lifestyle, family history and their general health.”

Unfortunately, in many cases, not only does the next generation inherit potentially fatal heart conditions, but they also mirror their parents’ exercise habits – which in some cases are non-existent.

Adam Fabbian, a personal trainer at New York @ Hal, warns, “If your heart is weak, less blood is going to your major organs and muscles so that makes you short of breath and tired, even when going about your daily life. These symptoms are an indication of what’s to come”

They say a message hits you with a pebble first, before the brick slams it in. Rob Devereux, Regional Director of Fitness Development at California Fitness, agrees but is quick to point out, “Often the brick hits without warning - for 20 percent of individuals, the first indication that they have heart disease is death. Atherosclerosis (fat deposition in the arteries) is often called the "silent killer" so preventative measures are key.”

The good news is, you can change the pattern and start… well, now. Rob says, “If you haven't exercised for a long time (or never) it is always best to consult with a doctor first to establish whether there may be any health related risks. Assuming that you obtain a clear bill of health, the best option would be to start by walking or stationery cycling as these can be performed at low intensity and have no learning curve.

“Starting with 10 minutes and building to 30 minutes over a period of weeks will ensure that the body adjusts to the increase in activity. Starting out too fast and for too long, apart from being potentially dangerous, can lead to rapid burnout.”

Raymond Chan, Fitness Manager at Seasons Fitness, offers baby steps to get into a program, “In the morning, even before you get out of bed, do a set of stretching exercises, perhaps a couple of sit-ups on the mattress. Do two the first day, then three and so on. It really wakes you up. When you go to work, take the stairs, not the escalator in the MTR. Sometimes, it’ll take you time to find those stairs – a brisk walk in search of it will do you good. When you go shopping, I always recommend that you take your time, walk around, carry your grocery bags. Internet shopping is reducing our fitness level – forget the web sites.”

People with dogs seemed to have a lower risk of heart disease because their routine included walking the dog – even a daily simple stroll does wonder. Says Anil, “Tht may be true in the west, but in Hong Kong of course, it’s the maids with lower risk of heart disease.”

Point taken.








TAKE FIVE

Raymond Chan from Seasons Fitness, offers 5 easy exercises that you can start immediately to benefit your heart:

1) Brisk walking. Moderate amount of exercise can do wonders for your cardiovascular health. Walking around in Hong Kong is free, you can do it anywhere and its easy. Take the stairs when and where you can.
2) Explore new sports – if you’re a loner, cycling or running in Tai Tam is great. Group sports like soccer, basketball in game centres and Victoria Park are easy to join in. In fact, find someone in your office who does a sport, a work out buddy is a great. The first step is the hardest, so find someone else who exercises to help ease the burden.
3) Make a schedule three times a week, 30 minutes a day. Find activities that use a lot of muscle group like swimming or biking. Using as many muscle groups as possible helps boost your heart rate.
4) Do different things every week. Each successive day, aim higher. If you swam one lap on week one, swim two the next. Push yourself for a result. It’ll be hard at first but focus. Focus equals fat burn!
5) Aerobics, dancercise, jazz-ercise, yoga-size, do a fun activity that you haven’t done before. Anything that gets your heart pumping more.



Anil Ahuja shares five mental notes to keep in mind:

1) Control your blood pressure and cholesterol level. Treating high blood pressure can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke, Your diet is a key part of lowering high cholesterol levels.

2) Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight puts a strain on your heart and arteries. Exercise and a low-fat diet can help you lose weight. Being overweight means you have a higher risk of suffering from many other health problems, especially diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

3) Exercise regularly. Remember, your heart is a muscle. It needs regular exercise to stay in shape. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, jogging or biking, gives your heart the best workout. You can also use fitness equipment like exercise bicycles, treadmills and ski machines when exercising indoors.

4) Eat a low-fat diet. Keep fat calories to 30 percent or less of the total calories you take in during a day and avoid saturated fat (the fat in meats and coconut oil).

5) Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease If you stop smoking, you can lower your risk of a heart attack by one third within two years. Breathing smoke from someone else's cigarettes is also bad for your heart and lungs. If you live with someone who smokes, encourage him or her to quit.