Cover Co-founder of CruCycle, Bebe Ding
Co-founder of CruCycle, Bebe Ding
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The fitness guru shares the importance of including slower exercises such as yoga and meditation in fitness routines
When Beatrice “Bebe” Ding, decided to start her own cycling studio, along with her siblings, Valerie and Calvin, little did they imagine that it would become one of the most popular spin studios across the globe.
In 2014, the trio opened their first spin concept CruCycle in Singapore after picking up the sport in Los Angeles, where they were residing in.
“Despite how seemingly rampant studio openings are today, the boutique fitness landscape in Singapore 10 years ago was relatively flat. So, we decided to bring a piece of LA back to Singapore with us—to give people something else to do besides Zouk and the cinema. There was simply a gap in the market, and we knew it’d be a viable business idea,” Ding shares.
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Two years later, the siblings decided to expand their empire, opening sister concepts including cult boxing studio CruBox. Today, Cru has multiple studios across both Singapore and Los Angeles, offering a selection of group fitness classes from cycling to high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
It isn’t surprising that Ding decided to venture into the fitness industry. After all, she has always been “a little sporty”, loving to “chase the post-workout high”. That said, while she enjoys training her body with regular spin, boxing and HIIT workouts, she also realises the importance of training the mind too, with slower exercises such as yoga and meditation.
It’s no doubt that fitness helped her to build confidence over the years, especially in her ability to “conquer challenges, take risks and make decisions”. But she also explained how it was also not possible without first taking steps to improve her mental well-being by incorporating meditation into her daily regime.
“Being fully focused, and practising positive conversation with oneself is so powerful when building mental resilience. When you believe in yourself, you attract a lot of opportunities; and when you believe in greatness, you attract greatness,” she adds.
Training the mind and taking care of our mental health is something many of us overlook—especially in a society that often puts emphasis on “hustle culture”.
“I think taking care of our mental health is very underrated. Meditation has been very powerful in my life. It’s so important to do the internal work so that we get to show up stronger for ourselves as well as the people around us,” the entrepreneur shares.
As she continues to make waves in the fitness industry, we sat down with Ding as she shares more about overcoming her biggest challenges, feeling empowered and being comfortable in her own skin.
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What does the International Women’s Day 2023 campaign theme ‘embrace equity’ mean to you?
Bebe Ding (BD): Embracing equity means creating an inclusive world, eliminating boundaries created by race, background, and gender. We should recognise that even though every person has different circumstances, we should have rights to the same amount of opportunities and benefits to make this world a more equal and inclusive world.
What about your biggest challenges as a woman in the industry? How did you overcome them?
BD: My biggest challenge about being a woman in the industry was when I opened a studio in LA. My sister and I spent a few years trying to battle it out as two young Asian Americans living in a predominantly male fitness landscape. To be taken seriously we knew we had to not only work harder than anyone else to show we were not messing around but also to be decisive and assertive.
When do you feel most empowered?
BD: I feel most empowered when I am able to find success in my work. I love to work, and I love what I do, which I think is useful when it comes to earning more money or having a successful career. Also, to be able to support myself and celebrate big career wins is a very empowering feeling.
What keeps you motivated?
BD: Community has always been the heart and driving force of Cru. Positive feedback from clients who have been with us for almost ten years, or have just joined, really motivates me to do more in terms of improving our quality, refreshing our look, and collaborating on exciting projects like Glow Festival. My siblings and I find a lot of joy when we see people having fun at our events. Our Instructors inspire me; I learn a lot from them too.
What is your workout routine like?
BD: My personal workout routine consists of a mix of spin, box, yoga, HIIT, pilates and running throughout the week. Can’t forget the meditation too. In places like LA or Hawaii, I hike a couple of times a week. It’s an amazing way to get a workout in and know the city landscape.
What are your go-to outfits to work out in?
BD: I’m not joking when I say I have way too many Lululemon Align leggings and bras in my closet than I need in this lifetime, but they are the [most comfortable], most flattering activewear I own. I dare you to wash your Lululemons a hundred times—you will see that the quality is top-notch and they last years! I’m still wearing sets I bought many years ago.
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Amanda Goh was the former senior writer for Tatler Singapore.
