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Shape up, slim down and alleviate pain
No pain: Equipment used in Pilates uses body weight and a pulley system to create resistance
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No pain: Equipment used in Pilates uses body weight and a pulley system to create resistance. Courtesy of Balance Pilates Studio
It sounds like the stuff of miracles: Pilates can create a sleek, toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen. And as if that were not enough, Pilates can relieve back pain, help prevent osteoporosis and make life easier for pregnant women, too.
Despite all these positive raves, what do those who actually practice it have to say? Celebrity Rebecca Tumewu is one devotee who is keen to share what Pilates has brought to her life.
Becky, as she’s popularly known, says Pilates has really improved her posture and help her lose the extra weight she gained after having her second child.
“I have an [imbalanced] hip problem; my right one is more inwardly curved than the left,” says the 39-year-old presenter.
“I even went to a doctor who later measured my body to find out whether my leg is longer than the other one — and thank God it’s not,” she laughs.
With the consultation with her doctor leading nowhere, Becky decided to try Pilates to deal with that “odd problem”. It turned out to be the right decision for her: “Pilates has helped me improve my posture.”
Becky, who had already tried numerous ways to drop her extra weight, adds that Pilates proved to be the best way she has found to slim down her body.
“I always gain heaps of weight during pregnancy; after giving birth to my first baby, I gained 19 kilos, and after delivering my second one, I gained 17 kilos,” says Becky, who has been practicing Pilates since 2003. “And with Pilates, I was able to cut off lots off my weight.”
Another Pilates devotee, 19-year-old student Safa Shahkhalili also noticed positive changes in her
posture after practicing g the exercise regularly.
“My body used to be really stiff and uncomfortable,” Safa says. “I tried different things like yoga and gym workouts, but I heard a lot about Pilates so thought I would give it a try because I also had
back pain.”
After six months of practicing Pilates, “I felt my posture is much better and refined. By stretching, Pilates helps my muscles to become limber.”
She also feels stronger as she has regained more stamina and surprisingly, Safa adds, her back pain is also relieved.
“I truly recommend Pilates to everyone. You don’t have to be young to try Pilates; you can be old or have back pain or other health problems,” she says. “If you don’t like cardio [workouts] and find them unsafe for your condition, then Pilates could be a perfect answer.”
— JP/Dian Kuswandini
