For nearly a decade, Pilates, the mind-body workout developed by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century that initially captured the attention of ballet dancers in New York, has been steadily gaining popularity among Saudi women.

A host of new studios and teachers, as well as a variety of methods, can now be found from Jeddah to Riyadh and Dhahran, bringing the famed exercise routine, with all its health and mental benefits, to the rapidly changing Gulf nation.

When Sarah Al Falih co-founded Align Pilates studio in 2018 in the Eastern Province’s Al Khobar, her mission was to bring a fitness method she had fallen in love with, alongside its mental and emotional benefits to Saudi women.

While living in Dubai, Al Falih was introduced to Pilates to treat her scoliosis. “Pilates was a way to heal my back and address the scoliosis, and not in a traditional physical therapy way,” she explains. “I discovered it is both a workout and a way to heal the body, and as I soon found out, also the mind. I became addicted and used to commute one hour to a specific studio to train with wonderful instructors who were also physical therapists.”

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According to Al Falih, when she moved back to Saudi, there weren’t any Pilates or yoga studios. Determined to change that, she became an instructor and then opened Align. “There were a few expats living in Al Khobar and Saudi fitness instructors were rare – most of them were foreign,” she says. “Now all of that has changed. We have several Saudi Pilates instructors who fell in love with the workout.”

Align offers Pilates and yoga classes, in addition to specialised therapeutic services, massage, and wellness workshops. Al Falih aimed to establish more than just a physical fitness environment; she envisioned a space where women could embark on a transformative journey, enriching both their minds and bodies through holistic physical wellness.

After five years of being in business, the devotee says she’s witnessed an incredible increase in interest in Pilates and physical activity overall from Saudi women. “Pilates is different to other sports in that it is a means to get to know and connect with your body,” she explains. “Our slogan is aligned, meaning mind and body aligned, and Pilates allows for this.”

In other sports, like tennis, participants are externally focused, she adds. “You're focused about where the ball is going, how to aim the ball, how to shoot the ball, whereas Pilates is more inward – you have to be really mindful and connect with your muscles and your breath, and so that allows people to really explore their bodies and their relationship with emotions and the mind.” Pilates, she says, is more than just a sport or an exercise. “It's really a doorway to this magical feeling of connecting your mind and body together.”

Over the last five years, a host of new Pilates studios have opened in Jeddah and Riyadh.

One is Formé Wellness, a semi-private luxury boutique space specialising in Pilates and fitness, which also offers home services. It opened in January 2023 and complements a growing roster of Pilates spots in Riyadh, including Stance and La Barre among many others.

“Formé was built upon the understanding that we wanted to develop a specialised reformer studio, one clients grew to trust,” said Esmé Harvey, director of fitness and operations. “At Formé, we really want to teach women how to move their bodies in the correct way to feel better and see results, and therefore our focus was always on quality – quality instructors, customised reformers, and programming that can take a true beginner to advanced Pilates with our guidance and support along the way.”

Harvey, originally from the UK, says that when she first moved to the Kingdom three years ago, Pilates was relatively new, with only a handful of studios. Now, she says, there are many more, plus more instructors, and a greater interest in the holistic exercise system as a workout.

“I have seen clients try Pilates once and consistently stick to it, falling in love with the process,” says the director, who believes the low-intensity muscle-strengthening exercises have become popular for several reasons.

“Word of mouth means that people who saw improvements in their bodies encourage their families and friends to try, and urge it as a hobby they might even participate in together,” she says. There are also trends in keeping fit, she explains. For decades, Pilates has been promoted by influencers and celebrities around the world, and in time, it has become recognised as “a multifunctional tool for your body.”

Harvey has also witnessed many clients expressing gratitude at the transformations they see in their bodies and how it feels after consistently doing those precise moves and specific breathing techniques.

In Saudi, the Pilates revolution reflects a growing need for women, and increasingly men, to engage in fitness activities to achieve physical and mental wellbeing, according to Harvey and Al Falih. “We see many clients adapt their lifestyles in such a way that Pilates is now crucial, and often clients come together, so it is part of their social activities,” adds Harvey.

Al Falih says that the Pilates landscape in Saudi, and the greater interest in fitness, has completely changed in the past five years. “It’s a totally different reality,” she emphasises. “Saudis are keen to train both their minds and bodies, and also to share workouts with friends and family.”

@formewellness.sa

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