Category: My Personal

2014 has been such a great year for myself. Besides quitting my 9-5 job, I passed my ACE Certified Personal Trainer exam and am now a part time coach with Metcon X. The feeling is just so great that I am now doing what I love.

A write up on the event featured on Men’s Health Malaysia December 2014 issue

Men’s Health Malaysia organised an event called MH Refine & Define Crossfit Workshop and called for participants via their social media. Me being a loyal reader of the magazine, quickly sent in my details hoping for a chance to get selected into the workshop. I have been hearing about Crossfit but I had not got the chance getting involved in it. It was the best chance for me to learn more about it. Awesome enough, I got selected and jumped into the wagon along with other participants on 18 October, Session 1. My buddy, Kevin Yap, was also selected. Another friend, Chun was also there.

Best buddy, Kevin Yap

Same group with Chun

The event was held in District 13 Gym in Section 13, Petaling Jaya. We were greeted by Men’s Health’s personnel and were required to fill out some forms. At 9am sharp, we started the session by being introduced to two coaches of District 13, Aidi and Matt. Thereafter, participants were divided into 2 groups, me in one while Kevin in another. I was in the same group with Chun.

As warm ups, we did some slow jog, walking lunges and inchworm. In the group, we were paired up and I got to partner with a new friend, Suresh. Our next workout was box jump and bear crawl. Also in the next segment, Matt taught us about high row and kettlebell swing.

With my new friend, Suresh

There was a Last Man Standing challenge by the end of the workshop, which no one expected. We were told to do 1 minute of burpees, and straight away do plank hold for time. The last two participants will then challenge against each other by doing tyre flips from one end to another. Great enough, I plank held up till the end, entered the finals and lucky enough to WIN the challenge! *Applause*

The coaches from District 13, Aidi and Matt

Kevin cheered for me throughout the challenge and I must thank him for being there, especially during the plank hold moments. He kept reminding me to hold it in and stay focus. Thank you, bro!

Displaying my prizes

I won myself a bag of prizes from sponsors like Reebok Malaysia, GNC Live Well Malaysia and District 13, in addition to the goodies bag by the organiser and sponsors. Reebok Malaysia was kind enough to reward me a voucher to redeem for full workout set (top, bottom and footwear) of my own preference!!! Woot! Woot!

Thank you Reebok Malaysia for these wonderful Reebok Crossfit items!!! I redeemed these at Reebok Fithub @ Nu Sentral Mall

A huge thanks to the organiser, Men’s Health Malaysia, sponsors, my buddy, Kevin, Metcon X coaches for being there as role models and team mates whom I can look up to. Hugs for you guys!

Quoted from MH Dec 2014 issue; “Dixon Thum was revealed as the Last Man Standing for the Session 1 workshop…” (Correction : I am the one on the Right. Not Left as stated on the magazine)

YES! YES! YES! I’m ACE, ACE Certified Personal Trainer.

Since May 2014, I have been attending the ACE Certified Personal Trainer course in Fit Malaysia as a part time student. It was not my first time in FIT Malaysia but this is definitely my first time there as a student. Throughout the 3 months period, I have gotten 4 different certifications by FIT before being certified by The American Council of Exercise (ACE). The certificates are CPR and Basic Life Support, Certified Personal Instructor, Essential Personal Trainer and lastly, Certified Personal Trainer. There were tests required before being certified each of the certification, including a practical test which required the students to train the trainer. It was not as easy as I thought but I managed to pass each of the test and exam. Thank goodness!

On 16 August, about 60 ACE students did the final ACE exam and I was one of them. After going through the intensed 3.5 hours (Normal 3 hours. Extra 1.5 hours for non-English speaking countries), I came out from the exam hall with a frozen brain. I couldn’t even smile when I was at the lobby. It was definitely a tough one. Most of the questions require a lot of thinking and applying what we’ve learnt from the classes. I saw a lot of the students moving the body parts and limbs while reading the questions. LOL! It was worth all the mileage and tolls traveling from Puchong to Damansara Perdana twice a week to attend all the classes. Full attendance helps a lot in getting accurate information and knowledge. Pay attention and ask questions when in doubts.

After 3 weeks of waiting, the result was out yesterday and I passed! That was such a relief and the feeling of waiting does not feel any good. But I am happy that I passed the exam and you can call me ACE PT Coach Dixon now. *Proud moments*

Thank you everyone who have been so supportive especially my wife and family. You know this is a drastic change for me and I really need your support. Thanks FIT Malaysia and its educators for serving as a platform and teachers for students to learn everything about coaching, health and sports. Thanks to all my buddies from the same class. You guys are awesome!

NOTE : Photos with my ACE cert shall be uploaded once available. Sabarnyerr… 😛

My ACE buddies – Chan, Stephanie and Atu

Us during classes at Fit Malaysia

Practising Chest Press

Cardio to test our VT1 and VT2 level using the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scales

* Photos courtesy of Fit Malaysia

My photo on the Wall of Fame in Fit Malaysia. This is one of my dreams come true moment! It’s also the beginning of a new chapter. (Photo credit : Chan SK)

In my journey of pursuing a career in the fitness industry, I have received the CPR & Basic Life Support certification today. I have learnt how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on someone who needs it, and also some basic knowledge on how to response when emergency situation arise. Highlight, basic.

I have always been wishing to learn up the CPR skill. Therefore, I feel so accomplished for being able to pass the test today. My next goal is to pass the test coming in August. Wish me best of luck!

大家都认识梁朝伟。他是刘嘉玲的丈夫。拍戏时，他可以是《一代宗师》的叶问，《2046》的周慕云，《无间道》的陈永仁等等。抽离剧本后，他就是梁朝伟自己。他有权力挑选他喜欢接的剧本。

我们也一样。每一个人都是自己生命里的主角。很多时候，我们都有可能抱着好几个角色在生活。比如；我是个儿子，丈夫，哥哥，也是个朋友等等。同一时，我也是我自己。我有我自己的生活剧本。

再举个例子；您可能是一位大律师，医生，商家，广告界大红人，歌手，演员，运动员等等。同一时，您也可能是个儿子，女儿，丈夫，妻子，爸爸，妈妈，员工，老板，上司等等。同时，您还是您自己。

有时候，我们是主角。有时候，我们是别人的配角。这都是我们的剧本。每个人有他自己喜欢选择的剧本。您选好了吗？您能做好您自己的角色吗？

我希望我们能一起拍好我们自己的一套“戏”，做好自己。同时，也要尊重别人的剧本与角色。无论我们是当个主角还是配角，到最后都能获“最佳好演员”的殊荣、脱颖而出！加油！

It’s always a headache for me being someone who do not know a thing about cars and automobile. I always feel lost of direction whenever my car gives me challenges. I would not know what to do or where to go if there’s a problem with my car, for instance, which service centre to go to for tyre problems, servicing and etc. especially during the time when I was driving my Wira.

Now that I am driving my baby Avanza, I still have authorised Toyota centres to depend on. However, the price is always at the higher end somehow. Just don’t know why. More premium kot! 😛

One of my tyres was flat on Wesak Day. Gosh! I had to change the tyre… again! (This is not the first time I have a flat tyre). It is not a good experience changing tyres. Someone can easily get dirty, sweaty and messy after the session. Not that it’s a mission impossible. It’s just tiring and taxing, especially when you’re in middle of a busy road. I am lucky that it happened when my car was parked indoor.

After changing my tyre, I saw a nail poked deep in the rubber. I do not know where did it come from. It’s stuck and ‘rolling in the deep’ of the tyre. Grrr… U know the feeling?! Trying to figure out where the hell did the nail come from but you couldn’t get the answer.

Positive thinking : Lucky that I do not need to buy a new tyre. It’s just a nail. All I need to do is to find a workshop to mend it. The question is WHERE?! Suddenly, my cousin’s name flashed in my mind! YES! He’ll be my hero. But wait! Does his workshop mend tyres? I did not know. All I know was that he just started his own workshop early this year, somewhere in Puchong. So, I called him today and asked about it. He said yes, he does mend tyres. Awesome! So i drove to his service centre to mend a broken heart tyre.

Location : It was easy to find. Without his address, I could actually find it at one drive. No problem at all. It is just next to Food Talk cafe, opposite Courts Mammoth. More landmark : same row with Alliance Bank. Alliance Bank being the last shop of the row, his workshop is the first. Here is the full address :

Zhi Sheng Tyre & Auto Service Centre

23, Ground Floor, Jalan Kenari 9,

Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47170 Puchong, Selangor

Contact no. : 03-8071 8586

HP no. : 010-545 8291, 017-916 3331 (Jeson Chong)

Working hours : 9.00am – 7.00pm (perhaps call before you come to check on availability. Mana tahu workshop penuh, kan?!)

 

 

The first shop next to Food Talk, same row with Alliance Bank

If your cars need servicing or are giving you challenges (touch wood. No one wish for this) and you happen to be around Puchong area, why not give this workshop a try? It’s an authorised Castrol Auto Service centre and they use original Castrol semi-synthetic oil. I heard that they have a promotion coming soon.

Here is a glimpse of Zhi Sheng Tyre & Auto Service Centre. Quite tidy and neat for a car workshop! I like it coz it’s clean!

Tyres and Castrol oil arranged neatly on their respective racks and shelves

Their services include car repair and servicing, water pressure, alignment, battery, air-cond, sports rim (refer picture above), brake and oil filter.