After moving to the US to attend university, I ruptured a tendon in my ankle while running, which prevented me from exercising and further restricted my food intake.
“That’s when I hit rock bottom. My body completely fell apart,” she says.
“I loved the feeling of being in the water and not being scared that I was going to injure or further injure any part of my body,” she says.
I have seen so many people’s lives transformed through aqua fitness. Moving your body in water has a unique therapeutic effect.
So combining aquafitness with strength training has “brought her back to life.”
The movements in the water were simple and gentle – side walking, leg raises, dynamic stretches and upper body exercises with dumbbells – and Sander liked the feeling.
“They helped me slowly and steadily get my strength back,” she says.
“Being in the water made me feel more confident moving my body again. I felt safe in the water, a feeling I didn’t feel when I was out of the water.”
The four years she spent in Sydney changed her life. Determined to recover, she gave everything she had to overcome the disease. With the help of physiotherapists, she relearned how to walk and move without the fear of breaking bones or falling. And she eventually reversed her osteoporosis.
Without family support, the recovery process was “very slow” and “lonely,” but she knew she had to get through it to survive.
Sandor spent the next ten years living in various Asian cities, including Bangkok and Hong Kong, during which time she met and married her husband.
While in Asia, Sundar had short stints in real estate and an art gallery, but realized his true calling was in fitness.
She has earned several certifications in fitness and wellness, including the Aqua Instructor International Certification from the International Federation of Sports, Aerobics and Fitness (FISAF).
She continued to train in the pool every day, choosing to “get stronger rather than thinner.”
“After I had my son, I couldn’t exercise for six weeks, but I knew I would feel better once I was able to exercise again,” she says.
She had moved to Singapore the previous year and noticed a lack of awareness of aqua fitness in the city-state, apart from aquaspinning (also known as aquacycling).
Fitness, especially aqua fitness, has saved my life many times.
In 2019, Sandor began formally teaching the Aqua Tula method, and over time has adapted the exercises and sequences to suit people with different needs, fitness levels and abilities.
“Aqua Tula incorporates both shallow and deep water training,” Sander says.
She uses pool noodles, boxing mitts, underwater foam dumbbells, and space shoes (which are designed to mimic an underwater step class and are also good for knee rehab) in various combinations.
“My dance background helps with the choreographic elements. This, along with the fitness knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years, has allowed me to develop and build a repertoire of exercises never before seen in aquafitness.”
“I’ve seen so many people’s lives transformed through aquafitness – moving your body in water has a unique therapeutic effect,” she says.
With her method, Sander wants to change people’s perception of aqua fitness. Aqua Tula is not just about slow, easy exercise, but the opposite, she says, it’s much more.
“Most mornings I wake up experiencing all three of these symptoms to varying degrees. I usually get in the pool within the first three hours of my day, and from the moment I start moving in the water I feel the fear, pain and anxiety melt away. I feel clear-headed, strong and ready to take on the next day.”
“Aquafitness has taught me that healing happens from the inside out. By exercising and engaging my mind in a safe, pain-free way, I have regained my sense of self and my power.”
