A mind when housed within a healthy body possesses a glorious sense of power. The acquirement and enjoyment of physical well-being, mental calm, and spiritual peace are priceless to their possessors — Joseph Pilates.
I realise at that moment that I really don’t know anything about Pilates. I always thought it to be an intense form of stretching, but looking at Sheeba it becomes clear that it is so much more. Sheeba, who I assume is 40 years old, tells me she’s been training and learning Pilates for 16 years. As I begin to wonder if she really started at the age of 24, she tells me that that she started Pilates after she developed a severe back problem at 34. A quick mental calculation and I realise that Sheeba, who looks and walks like a particularly fit 40-year-old is actually 60! As I try to process this information, Sheeba seems to read my mind, “Pilates is not just about losing weight,” she says. “It becomes a way of life. It fixes your posture, helps define your breathing and slows down ageing.” After one look at her I’m completely willing to believe that last part.
Sheeba started Pilates as an alternative remedy for her osteoarthritis and the results were so incredible that she wanted to share these techniques with others. First, of course, she had to make the move from client to trainer. She received training at the Elle Herman Studio in New York and also studied anatomy at Harrow College in the UK. She is now the first person from the subcontinent to receive Pilates training from students of the founder of Pilates, Joseph Pilates. In 2003, she opened a small gym in Lahore and monitored it from London via webcam. Now she’s back in Lahore and her client list just seems to be getting bigger.
Actor, anchor and educationist, Nadia Jamil, has been coming to the clinic for some time now. She used to suffer from epileptic seizures and was diagnosed with a tumour on her nerve. After going to countless doctors and finding no relief, she decided to give Pilates a chance. “Sheeba is a lifesaver; for me, Pilates is not merely therapeutic it has provided me with a transformative rebirth,” says Nadia, “Pilates is all about the mind; it’s about precision and control. It changes the way you move and how you feel.”
Nighat Mueen Afzal suffered from a chronic back problem for a number of years, to the point that her mobility was curbed. “It was very difficult for me to do most things as I was in pain all the time. Then someone recommended Pilates to me a few months ago,” she says. Nighat has been going to the clinic for more than seven months and is now able to move with greater ease. “This is very different from floor Pilates because it is about the beds. The beds make all the difference,” she says, “it took a while for the instructor to gain my trust but I can easily say that I am grateful that I walked into Sheeba’s clinic.”
As news spread by word of mouth, Samina Rehman, founding member of Lahore Grammar School system also heard about these innovative techniques. The only problem was that Samina really wasn’t a gym person and needed a one-on-one class that focused on her issues. “I had issues with my alignment, but ever since I started here a year ago, I have felt a combination of changes. I feel my body is returning to me,” she says with a smile. Finding an education in her workout is what intrigues Samina the most. “Sheeba is a great diagnostician and has an intelligent understanding of your problems. Pilates for me has been about locating my body and breathing, and the instructor has helped me breathe life into everything.”
Since Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise, injuries are rare. However, it’s important to learn from a qualified teacher. “I have had clients for a while who learned techniques from me and ordered the equipment and went on to open their own gyms,” says Sheeba, “and since they are not properly qualified, there have been injuries. It takes one wrong pull to destroy one’s alignment and if the instructor is not trained, advanced Pilates can be dangerous.”
Ayesha Rehman had a horrible experience with an unqualified Pilates instructor, which left her with a serious back problem. She says that it curbed her mobility, strained her muscles and left her absolutely drained every day. “That instructor never sat down with me to consult and talk about my problem. Hence, when I shifted to Sheeba, I was pleasantly surprised to see the interest she took. She has a very holistic approach and she tailored the program to my needs and gave me guidelines on how to eat and how to be.” After a year and a half, Ayesha says she now feels stronger and is back to her old self.
If Sheeba’s own experience isn’t enough to convince you that Pilates is a safe option for all ages, take the example of renowned artist and educationist Salima Hashmi who, at 70 years old, has been a regular fixture at this clinic for two years now. “When I started two years ago it was really tough but once my body got used to it, I started feeling energised and calm. I could never even touch my toes in 15 years and now I can!”
Sheeba helps her clients connect their body to their soul and experience each and every movement. “Pilates is not just about losing weight,” says Sheeba, “it becomes a way of life. It fixes your posture, helps define your breathing and slows down ageing.” As Nadia says, “Pilates is a journey and the journey is beautiful.”
The history of Pilates:
Joseph Pilates went to England in 1912, where he worked as a self-defense instructor for detectives at Scotland Yard. At the outbreak of World War I, he was interned as an “enemy alien” with other German nationals. During his internment, he refined his ideas and trained other internees in his system of exercise. He rigged springs to hospital beds, enabling bedridden patients to exercise against resistance — an innovation that led to his later equipment designs. An influenza epidemic struck England in 1918, killing thousands of people, but not a single one of Joseph’s trainees died. This, he claimed, testified to the effectiveness of his system.
After his release, Joseh returned to Germany. His exercise method gained favour in the dance community, primarily through Rudolf von Laban, who created the form of dance notation most widely used today. Hanya Holm adopted many of Joseph’s exercises for her modern dance curriculum, and they are still part of the “Holm Technique.”
Different types of pilates:
Though there are number of different types of Pilates style followed all over the world; traditional Pilates and Stott Pilates are two main types. The traditional Pilates style includes a hundred different exercises designed by Joseph Pilates in the 20th century. Yoga and ancient Greek exercise routines are the main constituents of this type. These are primarily designed to work on body muscles of the abdominal and back.
Stott Pilates incorporates contemporary exercise techniques and attentiveness to spinal cord injuries. The technique was invented by a former dancer and has its own teacher training program and certification. Though it uses many of Joseph’s original exercises, some modification was introduced to make it safe and more accessible to people.
*The suggestions in this article have been provided for your information. They are not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and the advice of your health care provider. The Express Tribune does not endorse any specific service or treatment.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, December 30th, 2012.
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