History of Pilates

Joseph Pilates was born in Dusseldorf in 1880 and despite being a rather sickly child who suffered from rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever, he lived to the grand age of 87.

Determined to overcome his fragility and develop a strong healthy body, Joseph Pilates studied body building, diving, skiing and gymnastics. Drawing from this athletic training, he devised a series of exercises that enabled him not only to improve his health, but to develop a body that was strong and fit enough to pose for anatomical charts.

In 1912 Joseph Pilates moved to England and began training detectives at Scotland Yard. However, when the war broke out, because of his nationality, he was interned in Lancashire and then on the Isle of Man. Pilates spent the duration of the war helping out in the camp infirmary and further developing his techniques. He devised makeshift exercise aids by attaching bedsprings in various positions so that patients recovering from injuries could exercise safely. Modern versions of this equipment can be found in Pilates studios today and are known as reformers.

In the late 1920’s Joseph Pilates emigrated to the United States where he opened an exercise studio that became popular with dancers, actors, gymnasts and athletes. By the 1960’s his clients included famous names such as George Balanchine, The New York City Ballet and Martha Graham’s Modern Dance Company.

Joseph Pilates wrote several books on fitness but never set up an official training program. The result was that his disciples went on to teach their own individual version of his method, many of which are still evidenced today.

Pilates technique in the 21st Century is still firmly rooted in Joseph Pilates’ original teachings. But the advances of exercise science have enabled teachers to adapt the technique into a safe effective form of exercise, that can be practiced by almost everyone.