The Secret To Yesteryear Actor And Dancer Helen’s Fitness? Pilates!

“I feel so good, it gives me a high. I don’t have to drink or smoke to get high. I get it with my Pilates,” the 85-year-old joked.

Who says that age cripples a person and stops them from doing certain activities? If there is will, one will surely be able to find a way to take up their favourite hobbies, even if that includes a rigorous physical activity that demands sweating it out. Take, for instance, the example of yesteryear actor and dancer Helen Ann Richardson Khan, better known by her mononymous screen name ‘Helen’. At the age of 85, she has been going to the gym to practise Pilates and defy existing norms about elderly fitness. The actor is happy, active and healthy.

Celebrity fitness instructor Yasmin Karachiwala shared a video on her official YouTube channel, in which the actor was seen working out. “Age is just a number when you’re dancing through life with Pilates,” she wrote. In the four-minute-long video, there were snippets of the ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja‘ dancer engaging her body by doing several Pilates routines, along with some black-and-white footage of her old songs.

While answering a question on what made her take up Pilates, Helen said she took it up before the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. “I enjoyed it. But, after the lockdown I did not [practise] for two-three years…” It was Karachiwala, who encouraged her to take up Pilates once again.

In the video, Helen was seen working out with a trainer, who made her work on her hand mobility with a resistance band. “…I started, and I will never go out of [a] Pilates class again,” the actor said, adding that she has been feeling ‘energetic’, ‘alive’ and ‘happy’ lately.

She opened up further about her health and mobility issues, admitting that when she first walked into Karachiwala’s studio, she carried with her a walking cane. “The walking cane is now in the cupboard somewhere. I had a knee problem; I had to take injections for my knees. Now that problem is completely gone. I can walk on my own and maybe, I am going to dance,” Helen quipped.

The octogenarian added that she looks forward to her Pilates classes every day. “I feel so good, it gives me a high. I don’t have to drink or smoke to get high. I get it with my Pilates,” she laughed.

Pilates For Seniors

It is important for the elderly to take it slow when they are starting Pilates, to avoid injuries. They must also ensure they work out with a trainer who can tell them about the various forms and exercises. Pilates is highly preferred as it is a low-impact exercise that can work on the entire body and strengthen the muscles. It can also improve a person’s posture and it is never too late to begin it. For the elderly, Pilates is known to improve their bone density, mobility, and also balance. It naturally improves their mood and memory, and decreases pain.

Don’t Miss Out on the Latest Updates.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today!

Subscribe Now