Sarah Morelli, who trained celebrities like Elle Macpherson to keep fit, talked to Shana Maria Verghis about the Maximum Versatility Exercise
It was fracturing her neck that took fitness expert Sarah Morelli into the world of pilates, a physical training system developed in Germany by Joseph Pilates around the 1930s.
“I needed to strengthen that region and my entire frame,” explained Sarah, who owns two studios in london. Her clients have included the Aussie supermodel Elle Macpherson, who is “fond of running,” and the Wonder Bra model, Caprice.
Morelli was in Chattarpur’s Club XCell, run by Kiddy Kaul, on Saturday, to launch an MVE Peak Pilates training programme in India. She is also programme director for something called Intelligent Training Systems, which she explained, “is an American training company begun in 1996 to do classical pilates.”
Over time, the need was felt to expand pilates classes to a broad range of users, with training equipment and music. Pilates was originally designed for one user at a time, within a confined studio environment and no music. The updated version, called the MVE, (maximum versatility exercise).
The change was owing to reasons like “lifestyle and time,” according to Sarah.
As Morelli shared, “Classical pilates needed more investment in terms of the money. And it was restricted to a single person each session. But MVE allows 10-15 participants, with one instructor and a trainer. So there is more social camaraderie when you do it. And the equipment includes the MVE chair with spring settings, while the music guides you through the workout. We have specific music, but trainers can also choose eclectic stuff, so that the users savour the experience better.”
Moretti said that she was always sporty and developed the neck injury when she did a straight somersault at the age of 22. She was practicing the professional trampoline. She has also done figure skating and ice skating. Do sporty people heal from injuries faster than non-sporty types, we asked.
“Not necessarily. We heal better. But as we age, we feel old injuries more, particularly if one stops training. I’m 40 now. MVE helps to keep my energy high. It burns calories better, which is required as you age.”
She has trained celebrities in the past. These days she is usually attending to more corporate people at desk jobs the entire day.
As for summer exercise tips:
>Drink lots of water and eat clean food.
>If you’re at the desk a lot, take a break to make large movements like bending down.
>Repeat sitting down and standing up.
>And remember to go to the gym!