HEBA PILATES OPENS IN CLAPHAM
Fast-growing Reformer Pilates business arrives in the capital to reinvent Pilates for the 21st century.
Heba Pilates, the business re-inventing Pilates has opened its first London studio in Clapham with a second London studio opening in Chelsea in September. Other international openings are scheduled for Sydney, Los Angeles and New York later this year.
The arrival of Heba Pilates’ new 1,000 square foot Clapham studio at 63 Wingate Square in SW4 comes as Pilates’ popularity soars and demand for places in Pilates studios accelerates to an all-time high across the capital. It builds on the success of Heba Pilates’ first three studios in Marlow, Windsor and Beaconsfield.
Heba Pilates was co-founded by businesswoman Samantha Kellard, who has 20 years’ experience teaching Pilates and 15 years running her own Pilates studios. The inspiration for Heba Pilates came from the idea that everyone’s body needs the strength of pilates, the flexibility of yoga and the convenience of the gym.
Kellard’s aim is to make Reformer Pilates – which is recommended for a range of reasons, from helping alleviate chronic pain, the most common of which is back pain, to improving posture and health – more accessible and to boost participation. Reformer Pilates has changed little since the first Reformer machines were designed by Pilates’ originator, Joseph Pilates, 100 years ago and Heba Pilates is keen to bring Pilates up-to-date. Many first come to Reformer Pilates because they are in pain but find the look of a traditional machine off-putting or even scary.
Heba Pilates, however, is breaking the mould.
Its unique and revolutionary new approach is built around a new, state-of-the-art Reformer machine called the ‘Nuforma’ which Kellard developed in-house when forced to close during the worst of the pandemic. The ‘Nuforma’, which is simpler to use, less daunting, but just as effective, is only part of the story, however. The ‘Nuforma’ has a monitor so users can choose their own pre-recorded guided session and an app making suggestions based on experience, expertise and achievement. With all machines positioned a minimum of two metres apart, the ‘Nuforma’ sessions are pandemic-friendly.
All of the studios have on-hand Heba Pilates Guides, all of whom are fitness specialists, to adjust, tweak and fine-tune each ‘Nuforma’ session so every user makes good progress. There will be two Guides in the new Clapham studio. Sessions are booked on the Heba Pilates app so each user can secure their own space in advance.
“Pilates is the foundation of my life”, Kellard said, “and I think it should be the foundation of everyone’s life. It’s what you need to do to stand up tall, move around, be confident and function as a human in the modern world. Heba Pilates was born to make it easy for people to make Pilates part of their lives and get the benefit and the Nuforma does exactly that. I always wanted to make Pilates ordinary, more user-friendly and more appealing so everyone would want to do it and feel that they could do it”.
“In old-fashioned classes it is always so difficult for the teacher to show the exercises and explain them and get around everyone individually for personal teaching points and corrections. Heba Pilates has changed all of that and I’m very happy with our quality of teaching. Classes are available every 30 minutes and no matter what your level is you are welcome”.
“There has been a lot of demand in London for a Heba Pilates studio which has been overwhelming! We chose Clapham because so many people have requested a studio there and we even have people coming from Clapham to our Windsor studio.
For more information please visit www.hebapilates.com and @hebapilates