Celebrity instructor Tara Stiles conducts Shape Yoga by the Sea 2013

SINGAPORE - About 500 women showed up this morning for Shape Yoga by the Sea 2013, held at Casuarina Grove, East Coast Park.

Shape Yoga by the Sea 2013, currently the largest of its kind, is part of a series of all-women outdoor mass yoga events organised by Shape Singapore, a magazine published by SPH Magazines Pte Ltd. It is the fifth instalment of Singapore's first women-only mass yoga work-out.

This year, the event welcomed a guest instructor from the United States: Tara Stiles, celebrity yoga trainer and Reebok global fitness ambassador. The work-out lasted one and a half hours, with Vivafit instructors leading the first 45 minutes and Tara leading the second half of the session. At the end of the event, all participants received an attractive wellness pack worth $40 each.

Li Yuling, Editor of Shape, said: "From the growing participation numbers and positive feedback, Shape Yoga events have been very well received. Yoga is a low-impact work-out that offers both physical and mental benefits. Besides improving flexibility and endurance, studies have shown that yoga can also boost concentration and memory. But these are not the only reasons for the popularity of Shape Yoga events.

"For many of us, the company is just as important as the activity itself. Shape Yoga by the Sea gives women the chance to exercise with their friends in a relaxed and unintimidating setting. Team Shape will continue to create more opportunities for women to come together in the name of health and fitness."

Diana Lee, General Manager, Fashion & Beauty, SPH Magazines, said: "Over the past nine years, Shape magazine has played a pivotal role in the women's fitness movement in Singapore. The growing demand for events such as Shape Yoga by the Sea shows that we are on the right track. As Singapore's leading active lifestyle magazine, we are heartened by the increased participation by women of all ages and fitness levels. We thank our participants and sponsors for their support and look forward to the continued success of this fitness platform."

Shape Yoga by the Sea 2013 was presented by Korean skincare brand Laneige and co-presented by Reebok and Vivafit, with BorschMed as official food supplement and Glaceau Vitaminwater as official vitamin beverage.