Dr. Lim Boon Hooi, Associate Professor

Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia

Biography

Dr. Lim Boon Hooi is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University. Dr. Lim Boon Hooi obtained his Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Sport Science, majoring in Sport Coaching and Sport Psychology. He has published more than 100 articles in national and international journals, including those indexed in Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. In addition, he has authored 15 books in his field of expertise and filed over 20 intellectual property rights. He has also been frequently invited as a keynote speaker at numerous international conferences.

Topic

Core Strength Exercise as a Dual Strategy for Promoting Public Health and Optimizing Athletic Performance

Abstract

Core strength exercises, traditionally associated with athletic conditioning, have increasingly gained attention for their broader applications in promoting public health. This paper explores the dual impact of core strength training both as a foundational element in enhancing athletic performance and as a preventative and therapeutic strategy for improving general population health. Core muscles, including the abdominals, lower back, pelvic floor, and hips, play a central role in stabilizing the body, facilitating efficient movement, and preventing injury. For athletes, a well-conditioned core contributes to improved balance, power transfer, agility, and endurance, directly influencing performance outcomes across sports disciplines. From a public health perspective, core strength training offers significant benefits in mitigating musculoskeletal disorders, particularly lower back pain a leading cause of disability globally. Regular engagement in core exercises can enhance posture, functional mobility, and overall physical resilience among diverse age groups, including the elderly. Furthermore, integrating core exercises into community fitness programs can contribute to reduced healthcare costs by decreasing the incidence of injury and chronic physical conditions. This paper synthesizes findings from clinical studies, athletic training research, and public health initiatives to highlight the versatile advantages of core strength exercise. It advocates for a more integrative approach in fitness and health promotion strategies, whereby core training is positioned not solely as an athletic enhancement tool but also as an accessible and cost-effective intervention for population well-being. The dual functionality of core strength exercise underscores its value in both high-performance sports and community health frameworks, suggesting a paradigm shift in how physical training is prescribed and promoted across sectors. Future directions should emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration in program design and policy development to maximize the public and athletic benefits of core-focused training. In the final section of this paper, we present our filed Intellectual Property (IP) on Core Strength Exercises. This IP comprises a comprehensive set of exercises designed to engage the core muscles from all angles and is suitable for individuals across all age groups.

Dr. Anne Raffin, Associate Professor

Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Biography

Anne Raffin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore (NUS). She completed her undergraduate studies in France before pursuing graduate training at the New School for Social Research in New York, USA, where she earned a PhD in Sociology and Historical Studies under the supervision of the renowned Professor Charles Tilly. Following her doctorate, she served as a Campbell Teaching Fellow in History at Brigham Young University, Provo, USA. She has since been a faculty member in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at NUS. She is the author of Republican Citizenship in French Colonial Pondicherry: 1870–1914 (Leiden: Amsterdam University Press, January 2022) and Youth Mobilization in Vichy Indochina and its Legacies, 1940–1970 (Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2005). In recognition of her research contributions, she received the 2023 Distinguished Woman Researcher Award from the Venus International Foundation, Chennai.

Topic

French Retirees in Asia: From Ageism to Voluntarism

Abstract

This paper examines the migration of French retirees to Asia, based on 68 interviews in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Puducherry. It shows gendered patterns in retirement choices: men often settle full-time in Southeast Asia, seeking freedom and escape from ageism, while women favor part-time retirement in India, where volunteer opportunities add meaning to their lives. The study argues that retirement abroad reflects the search for 'aging in the right place,' with environments offering lifestyles tailored to different groups.