When Poh Sin Webb began practising Pilates in 2006, it wasn’t the popular trend in town. She was the youngest student in her class. However, she foresaw its long-term benefits and decided that as she aged, Pilates would become her go-to exercise due to its slow, controlled, and low-impact nature.
This commitment led her to pursue a mat Pilates certification in Sydney, Australia, the same year she started practicing. Returning home, she began teaching Pilates, accumulating over 16 years of teaching experience. Now, at 61, her students range from 40 to 70 years old.
Reflecting on her journey, Poh Sin said: “I remember attending a class full of seniors, thinking I would be like them someday. Pilates is gentle on the joints, and deep breathing is excellent for calming down, so I decided to explore it further.”
Pilates as she describes, is like “doing taichi on the mat” because it is a full-body workout that challenges one’s mind-body control to achieve precise, controlled movements.
“In pilates, breathing and movement are very specific and deliberate, working the body from the inside out,” said Poh Sin, a former body combat class instructor.
As a fitness enthusiast, Poh Sin advocates for pilates as a complementary exercise, especially for seniors. Her advice is to stay active through activities like swimming, cycling, or long walks and use pilates to enhance stability, mobility, and strength.
“The biggest fear for any senior is falling,” she explained. “With resistance band training, strength acquired through pilates helps people be more balanced, reducing the fear of falling.”
Developed in 1914 by Joseph Pilates during his internment, pilates aimed to benefit people of all ages and fitness levels. Initially using crude hospital beds, it has evolved into a method employed by physiotherapists today to help patients alleviate pain and muscular imbalances.
“Our body changes over the years, and you realise that some movements that came easily to you 10 years ago may take a lot of effort from you now. Sometimes we hear of people turning around from a chair and they hurt themselves in the process,” said Poh Sin.
Poh Sin often encounters lower back pain among her students, mostly due to poor posture and a sedentary lifestyle. Through pilates, she raises awareness of good posture, emphasizing the engagement of core muscles beyond just the abdominal region.
“When we learn to engage these muscles, making it second nature, it protects and supports the lower back in the activities we do.
“We want to sail through our senior years with the least trauma and pilates will help us to enjoy senior hood a bit better because you want to be able to play with your grandchildren. If you are in control of your balance and are stable, you won’t fall,” explained Poh Sin.
Even if one is recovering from an injury, which can happen at any point in life, Poh Sin recommends applying the principles of pilates to aid recovery.
“Once swelling reduces and there is no pain, breathe slowly and integrate small movements to promote blood flow and oxygen to the injured part. People believe that immobilizing it (the injured part) helps but it tends to stiffen up more,” she said.
Acknowledging the challenges seniors face, including arthritis injuries and depression, Poh Sin underscores the importance of small, private Pilates classes conducted with empathy.
“A teacher needs to have a lot of empathy, especially for seniors who have gone through a lot in life. So, the first 15 minutes of class can just be the student tearing up,” she said.
Poh Sin added that exercises for seniors need not be breathless and can be an enjoyable process. “I don’t push my students to the hilt or until they feel like passing out, which can happen in gym sessions when they train with younger trainers,” she said.
For seniors interested in trying Pilates, Poh Sin advises starting in a small group setting and choosing a teacher based on connection rather than qualifications alone.
“A teacher has to understand your needs, and you will know if you can connect with a teacher. Sometimes a studio is flashy, but do you feel the vibe is what you need?” she added on signing up for a pilates class.
Finally, the Terengganu native emphasizes that pilates is not a quick fix, requiring patience, perseverance, and consistency to fully reap its benefits for individuals of all shapes and sizes.
“If you don’t give yourself time and effort, it is just another hype and what people say of pilates is not true,” she said.
– Christine Cheah
