Saturday 27 January 2018 - 12pm - 8pm | Yas Links, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
All ages and abilities are welcome!

Program schedule

Spinning

Come and take part in 1 or more sessions of the 8 hour Spinning marathon! We have 8 incredible Master Spinning Instructors that have flown to Abu Dhabi from all around the world especially for this event! This is an experience not to be missed. Get to know The Balance Series 2018 Spinning presenters.

Presenters
  • Polona Gosar: 12pm
  • Rebecca Pittam: 1pm
  • Gergely Hajdu: 2pm
  • Rose O Donovan: 3pm
  • Mim Kleiberg: 4pm
  • Asa Backlund-Reed: 5pm
  • Gina Grant: 6pm
  • Peter Pastijn: 7pm

Peter Pastijn

Peter, co-founder and co-owner of THE ROOM, is a highly trained fitness expert with a lifelong passion for people's health, fitness and wellbeing. Although he has a Masters in Applied Linguistics from Erasmushogeschool, Brussels Belgium, his desire to be on the cutting edge of sports inspired Peter to focus on his sports career. He is a former professional Squash player and national champion (nr 64 in the world), former national coach of Squash Belgian's men's team and also Marathon runner and Ironman triathlete. He also has an experience of 20 years in fitness industry as trainer, fitness manager, manager, equipment and educational distributor and owner.
Peter became a Power Specialist Master Instructor of the Spinning® Program (ie. Teacher Trainer) and also an internationally renowned Spinning lecturer and Presenter at prestigious conventions such as the World Spinning and Sports Conference (WSSC, USA) or SPEX (NL). Currently he is focussing on developing the concept of THE CYCLING ROOM® and THE ROOM® and building it up in Belgium - Abu Dhabi - India and beyond.
Peter has always had zealous dedication for self-development and acquiring knowledge. While co-designing the brand with his wife Gizem it became clear they both were truly dedicated to delivering high quality and standards to all people coming to THE ROOM.

Mim Kleiberg

After completing a Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Technology, Sydney, Co-owner of THE ROOM, Mim Kleiberg went on to become a personal trainer and Star 3 Spinning® instructor as her interest in the fitness industry increased. Later furthering her industry knowledge with courses in Functional training, Olympic weightlifting and Kettlebells, Mim is passionate about helping people. In recent times Mim has applied herself to Holistic Health Coaching to bridge the gap between fitness and wellness facilities and now guides guests on their path to health and wellness via her coaching services and wellness seminars.

Rebecca Pittam

Rebecca has been working in the fitness industry teaching Spinning and Pump classes for 3 years. She is a keen sports person, participating in many Triathlon events and is currently training for her first full Ironman distance taking place in Austria, June 2016.

Alongside her love of fitness she works full time at New York University Abu Dhabi as an Academic Technologist and Teacher for Video and Photography. She is also a qualified Football (Soccer) coach and coaches the Goalkeepers for NYU Abu Dhabi's Ladies Soccer team.

Rebecca loves to motive and encourage people to do their best. Seeing and helping people learn, develop and overcome challenges, however big or small, is what inspires her to keep pushing and challenging herself in all aspect of life.

Gergely Hajdu

Gergely is a Spinning® Master Instructor from Budapest, Hungary. During his university years he studied exercise physiology and wrote a thesis about the Spinning® program to earn his Msc. Human Kinesiology degree. Gergely, also known as G, opened his own Spinning® facility a few years ago, which brings many happy moments to his life. Besides managing his club and presenting Spinning® Instructor Trainings and Continuing Educations, he works with amateur and professional athletes to achieve their fitness goals. G is excited to spend the next month in Abu-Dhabi and looking forward to meeting all the Spinning® fans from The Room.

Rose O Donovan

Rose O’ Donovan is the master instructor for the UAE since 2012. She is a personal trainer with a MSC in Nutritional Science, Yoga Alliance certified and holds a Neuro Pilates diploma, amongst many other health and fitness qualifications. She teaches for two other Education based companies, regularly qualifying gym instructors and personal trainers. Growing the program in the region to the highest level holds very high on her list of priorities.

Polona Gosar

Polona Gosar, ia a former athlete now working as a Spinning Education partner in Slovenia since 2008. In 2010 she became a Master Instructor for Spinning program and has since become a SPINpower Master Instructor. With a degree from the Faculty for Sport in Ljubljana she is currently working on opening a new sports club in Ljubljana. In her free time, will also find her in the kitchen as she likes cooking for others

Gina Grant

Gina became a certified Spinning® instructor and a Master Instructor because formerly there was no Spinning program in her home country of Egypt. Gina has a passion for information and teaching, and wanted to teach instructors that didn’t have the luxury of being able to travel outside of Egypt to get educated.
A Ugi® and Bodyblade® Master Instructor, Gina is also certified as a personal trainer with AFFA, and a fitness trainer and specialist in performance nutrition with ISSA. She is also a Resist-A-Ball® instructor, a YogaFit instructor and is certified by TRX Suspension Training and TRX Sports Medicine.

Yoga

Yoga with Dj
We are all born knowing how to dance; this inherent movement is well documented as one of the oldest planetary yogas. Yet we can forget about the liberating wisdom of our original movement. We’ll begin with a brief history of the repression and revival of ecstatic movement and dancing mystics incorporating the history of Tantric and bhakti yoga. Then we’ll experience a yogic process based in sahaja yoga, the spontaneous flow, as an exploration of free-form, breath-initiated movement to liberate our creative life force and cultivate embodied freedom.

Creative visualization mini workshop
Join Rob for this Dynamic flow as we dive deep into the power within. This moving meditation will awaken the great life force as we flow from the our center igniting the prana shakti. Come ready to open your mind and connect to your inner fire while staying rooted in the power of the divine.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to put together a powerful and dynamic practice that build on the asanas and a greater understand of how to build to a peak asana through understanding the body dynamics

Sunset Flow
As we feel the shift in the season and the flow of life it is good to hear the call of the heart, and answer it. This workshop will connect to the sacred power that flows through us and unites us at the core and to the great prana shakti (the life force). Our bodies are sacred vessels and our energetic heart is the fire alter for our highest realization and the most practical guide for living yoga. Rob will take you on this journey through the Prana Flow sequences that will liberate and ignite the fire of ones heart, nourish the soul and give you practical tools to deepen your Flow yoga experience.

  • Creative visualization: 1pm
  • Sunset Yoga: 6pm
  • DJ Yoga: 3pm

Kat Owens

Kat first discovered yoga and meditation during college, but began deepening her practice while she was working as a counsellor for at-risk youth/young adults in New York City. The yoga practice became a ritual of self-care; a safe space to surrender the stress of the day while cultivating strength and self-love.

After five years of working in education in NYC, she moved with her partner to Abu Dhabi. She completed her Hatha/Vinyasa yoga teacher training course in the sacred Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Kat is also certified in Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy. A forever student, Kat has a deep passion for sharing a practice that is accessible, inclusive, and that celebrates every person's unique path to self-discovery and healing.

Rob Hess

Rob’s Teaching has evolved and has come a long way from where he began practicing in Cleveland Ohio to his day’s teaching in Washington DC to now living in Southern California, from where he travels to teach throughout the world. What drew him to the practice of yoga was the physical part but after year of study and devotion it’s the spiritual part of the practice that feed his soul. And through this amazing journey he found his home in the Prana Flow community with his teacher Shiva Rea.

While Rob’s style is ever evolving, Rob’s teaching is rooted in Prana Flow: a synthesis-oriented approach to living the art of yoga created by his primary teacher, Shiva Rea. Born from the traditions of classical yoga, Bhakti, Tantra and Ayurveda, Prana Flow integrates various forms of spiritual embodiment practice to reveal yoga as a flow of unity consciousness.

Rob has travelled all over assisting Shiva’s workshops and teacher trainings. And through her guidance he loves to share with others all that he has come to know and hold dear to his heart. Rob’s style of teaching is fun, challenging, and light-hearted as he tries not to take life to seriously. He encourages students to enjoy the journey rather than fighting to get to the destination.

Rob has been leading workshops and training all over the U.S. and loves how the power of yoga is universal that no matter where he goes you can feel an amazing sense of community and love.

Rob has found that through his own sadhana yoga can free the body and mind from the self-limitations we impose on ourselves and that through practice we are able to get in touch with the very essence of who we are. His goal as a teacher is to help students uncover their own personal truth and live a life that is empowered.

Pilates

A moment of Balance with Tiffanie - Balance Barre
Based on the principles of Pilates, Ballet & Yoga, Balance Barre is the perfect strengthening and conditioning class to build long, lean muscles. Experience a dynamic warm up followed by strengthening exercises focussing on strong core activation and ending with some ballet inspired stretching.

A moment on the Mat with Adele – NeuroPilates
NeuroPilates beautifully blends traditional Mat Pilates with elements of Neuro based motor skill activation and fitness. Build your core and body strength whilst improving your mobility and posture with this energizing repertoire of exercises.

A moment on the Mat with Arnas – Pilates: Stability in Mobility
Designed to build strength- especially core strength, flexibility and lean muscle tone - Pilates emphasises lengthening the body and aligning the spine. Add a flex band to this work out and we gently build a relationship and balance between stability and mobility

  • Stability in mobility: 12pm
  • Balance Barre: 2pm
  • Neuro Pilates: 5pm

Adele Du Toit

As a certified Master Rehab Trainer, Certified Barefoot Rehab Specialist and a level 3 diploma holder in NeuroPilates - Adele is passionate about helping people to correct postures and muscle imbalances or weaknesses to regain strength and mobility after injury. She also specializes in postnatal training to help women regain core strength, balance and flexibility after birth.

She values the importance of human movement and corrective training. By focusing on ultimate joint control and body awareness she has been able to help people move towards living a pain free life, as well as improving their overall wellbeing and quality of life.

Originally from Cape Town South Africa she relocated to Abu Dhabi about 7 years ago, teaching Pilates and Spinning in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Adele is passionate about sharing her knowledge. Joining her workshops or training one-to-one with her will give you better range of motion, help you train more symmetrically and overall make you move more easily.

Arnas Kvasuaskas

With more than 10 years experience in the fitness industry, Care Team member Arnas graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education. Specialising in the areas of Functional training, Pilates, boxing and HIIT training, Arnas added qualifications from the European Fitness School to his repertoire. Always striving for the best results, Arnas competed in and won multiple international sports competitions in Fitness including the European and World Championship (Germany).

Tiffanie Bergsma

Tiffanie is from Johannesburg in South Africa and has been involved in the fitness industry for 4 years. She is passionate about fitness and movement. Tiffanie is a Level 3 certified personal trainer, certified Pilates instructor, and has qualifications in pre & post-natal exercise. Tiffanie not only teaches Pilates and private sessions but also helps clients with core strength, mobility and flexibility issues and injury recovery.

Shape

SHAPE Obstacle Course
Challenge yourself with this fun outdoor SHAPE challenge to work on your strength and fitness to make you faster, more agile and balanced. Join instructor Riad for this fantastically challenging adventure!

VF Bootcamp
Join us for our high intensity workout that targets every muscle in the body. Improve your agility, endurance and strength in a fun and challenging environment

VF Boxing
Train with our expert personal trainers in one of the most loved combat sports in the world. Learn new boxing techniques and skills at this high energy class.

SHAPE Tabata
A challenging metabolic functional workout to push your body into moving better and stronger. Burn fat and build strength with these short, tough intervals.

VF Kettlebell
Explore the power of the kettlebell. Burn fat, build strength and improve balance with this challenging functional workout.

  • SHAPE obstacle course: 12pm
  • Bootcamp: 1pm
  • Shape Tabata: 2pm
  • Kettlebell: 4pm
  • Boxing: 6pm

Riad Zalihic

Riad graduated from Faculty of Sports and Physical Education in Sarajevo. He is TRX and Kettlebell licensed fitness trainer with knowledge of functional training and conditional preparation. Riad holds UEFA A Football coaching license and is a fitness specialist in football clubs.

Riad’s motto is: “Our body is the home for our soul. If we do not take care of our home it will lead to a mess”. His goal is to make the body most functional for everyday life.

He has been in the fitness industry eight years. Currently, he conducts various successful training programs based on weight loss, body shape, preparation for professional athletes, and solutions for back pain.

Positive energy and his smile will motivate you to go over your limits.

Health & Wellness

The Balance Series 2018 is all about achieving balance in life. We have created a platform for you to experience one on one coaching, interaction, luxury fitness classes, relaxation, and much more, in a beautiful setting. We also want to provide a sense of balance, learning and growth in the areas of Health & Wellness. See the program for our amazing workshops below that you can attend at your free will. Enjoy and live life to the full!

  • Personal Development : 1pm
  • Nutrition : 3pm
  • Zumba : 4pm
  • Meditation: 5pm

Louise Du Plessis

Louise’s passion for an active lifestyle, along with her education as a dietitian and experience as an ultra-distance runner and cyclist, as well as being a mum of two kids makes her uniquely suited to help people maintain a good relationship with food. Whether you are looking to achieve improved performance, lose weight or have any other nutrition related concerns, her no-nonsense, keep it simple approach to nutrition, health and life, aims to help people be in control of their body and life.

Louise received her BSc. Dietetics in South Africa, moved to the USA to obtain a Masters in Nutrition (specializing in adolescent obesity) from Michigan State University. She also obtained a Postgraduate diploma in Sports nutrition from Coventry University in the UK.

She loves working with people on an individual level to help them achieve their goals, and also enjoys running Nutrition Workshops on interesting and relevant topics.

Charlotte Kinder

Charlotte is a certified behaviour change and personal development coach who specialises in YOUR Wellbeing PROGRESS. From accelerated fat loss, to gut issues, to reducing anxiety, gaining confidence or simply in helping you set clear goals.

Having trained with Matt Roberts Personal Training in London, Charlotte spent 10 years as a business coach in London. In 2009, she took a L6 Diploma in Nutritional Therapy along with a Mat and Reformer Pilates instruction, and more recently become a certified Happiness Coach. Charlotte uses all these practices in her coaching therapy. Her technique is all about you and your progress, using a mix of physical and psychophysical techniques which help you gain personal and functional success from your body and your lifestyle.

Healthcare Partners

Event day partners