Who Was Joseph Pilates?
Many people are not aware that Pilates was named after a person!
The Beginning
Joseph Pilates was born near Düsseldorf, Germany in 1883. He appears to have been a frail child, suffering from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. His drive and determination to overcome these ailments led him to become a competent gymnast, diver and skier. In 1912 Pilates lived in England working as a circus performer, boxer and self-defense instructor.
During the First World War, he was interned with other German nationals. During this time he developed his technique of physical fitness further, by teaching his fellow internees. During the latter part of the War, he served as an orderly in a hospital on the Isle of Man where he worked with patients unable to walk. He attached bed springs to the hospital beds to help support the patients’ limbs, leading to the development of his famous piece of equipment known as the ‘Cadillac’. Much of his equipment, although slightly adapted, is still in use today in many Pilates Studios.
Please see the history of Joseph Pilates page on the Pilates foundation website for a larger and more in depth history of this groundbreaking genius ahead of his time.
Joseph and his wife Clara arrive in the USA
Pilates emigrated to the USA in the early 1920s with his wife Clara, and together they developed and taught the method in their ‘body-conditioning gym’ in New York in 1926.
The studio featured much of the Apparatus designed to enhance his rehabilitation work. It soon became very popular, particularly with the dance community, as it offered a chance to improve technique or recover from injury. Word spread quickly and many celebrities of the day visited his studio. These included dance legends such as Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine and Martha Graham, as well as the actor Jose Ferrer and the author Christopher Isherwood. Originally 60% of the clientele were men.
In 1932 Pilates published a booklet called ‘Your Health’ and followed this with another called ‘Return to Life Through Contrology’ in 1945. Through these writings and his students, his method was passed on after his death in 1967 at the age of 83. During his lifetime this method of exercise was called Contrology. It was only after his death that it became known as the Pilates Method.
Countless number of students and trainers worldwide still rely on the instructions contained in his first books to harness his knowledge and expertise in their work with people in rehabilitation and gyms world wide.
The impact of Joseph Pilates on the fitness world
The impact of Joseph Pilates on the world of fitness and mind/body/breath work has been nothing short of revolutionary. Starting with 34 exercises that he taught to his students, focused on exercises to rehabilitate, transform and bring back balance to the body.
Joseph spent years carefully designing the reformer and the Pilates chair, and barrel (these can be seen at Riverdale Pilates) and built these himself through trial and error. He based his designs on decades of scientific study, personal experimentation and research into the variety of physical ills and frailties that upset the balance of body and mind. He called his theoretical findings “Contrology.” He continued teaching ‘Contrology’ until his death.
100 years Later the fitness world honors Joseph Pilates Work
Now almost 100 years later the validity of his Pilates teachings and his sincere belief in the mechanics of the mind, body and breath in synchronicity has allowed his method to become more mainstream and accessible to everyone than ever before.
Peer reviewed Pilates studies have shown evidence based results of the method with the reformer that it has encouraged hospitals to provide the Pilates equipment for physical therapists to assist patients in rehabilitation with regularly.
Joseph Pilates was a fascinating and courageous warrior who never got to see his full success while alive. Our studio and others like it around the world are the living testimony to Joe’s steadfast devotion to care for the body/mind and spirit and bring it back to balance.ms world wide.
