MEET KYLA

 "My fitness philosophy is simple. Have a goal in mind and work towards it. Be patient with your body and never compare yourself with others. Your fitness journey is your own and no one else’s, so take your time to achieve your goals." 

Sports has always been a part of her life - from gymnastics, cheering, wall climbing to flag football, and now pole fitness & aerial hoop. An athlete by nature but a baker at heart, meet our first movement ambassador to grace our feature for the month, Kyla Ortigas from Polecats Manila.

1. What type/s of sport or fitness are you into and what got you into them?

I used to do gymnastics. It was something which I was serious about. I remember one summer when I was “auditioning” to attend ballet, I saw a flyer to try out gymnastics and that was it. After that, I had a short stint in cheering in high school, wall climbing in college, a summer of flag football, then now pole & aerial. 

2. How long have you been doing pole & aerial?

I started my pole journey back in 2011 or 2012. I was looking for a form of exercise that would keep me moving.

3. When did you start teaching and what was the experience like teaching your first class?

I started teaching some time in 2013 or 2014. It was nerve wracking! But seeing the students happy and excited to come back after the class motivated me to try to become a better teacher.

4. What inspired you to start teaching?

My parents. Both my parents are teachers in different fields. I’ve always wanted to continue this “trend” in my family of educators. I had my first teaching experience back in Gymnastics when I was one of the Kids Coaches. In Polecats Manila, I didn’t think I would like teaching at first, but seeing how many students I could help to achieve their goals made me start to enjoy it. 

5. What are the challenges that you have faced over the years in doing your sport and teaching?

One major challenge is the training. As part of Polecats, we normally just train ourselves. It’s a rare experience that we are able to be trained by someone else.

6. Apart from your sport, what are your other passions or interests?

Apart from Pole & Aerial, I enjoy cooking and baking. 

7. What’s a day in your life look like?

My day is very simple. I wake up early to take my dog out for a walk, do some work on my laptop. Some days I just stay home and walk the dog again in the afternoon or I head over to the studio to either teach or train, then come back home and rest. 

8. How has your sports changed your life?

I’ve always been “sporty” I guess. All my activities since I was a kid involved some kind of outdoor activities. Honestly, I don’t know how it changed my life per se but all I know is that I feel more settled and content with my life. Happier and healthier.

9. What is your fitness philosophy?

My fitness philosophy is simple. Have a goal in mind and work towards it. Be patient with your body and never compare yourself with others. Your fitness journey is your own and no one else’s, so take your time to achieve your goals. 

10. Can you share tips on how a person can get better at their sport?

Be patient with yourself. Train smart and work hard. Listen to your body, when it tells you to rest, rest it.