What is Pilates?

History

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1883. He was a sickly child which later led him to practice many different forms of exercise to improve his own health. He believed poor posture, inefficient breathing and lack of connection between mind and body negatively impacted his health. His exercises originated with mat work to develop a strong core, flexible spine, and controlled breath. He called his method Contrology: a coordination of mind, body, and spirit through conscious control of each movement.

His method grew during World War I when he was held as a German national at a detention camp on the Isle of Man in England. Pilates taught his exercised to fellow internees. It has been stated that the Reformer and Cadillac originated by his use of bed springs attached to bed posts at the camp hospital. 

Legend or fact? Pilates later claimed that not a single one of the inmates who followed his Contrology regimen succumbed to the deadly 1918 flu, and survived by following his methods. 

After World War I, Pilates returned to Germany and began training local police officers. He caught the attention of officials, and around 1923 to 1925 the German government asked him to train the German Army. The Nazi movement was taking over and decided to flee Germany and met his wife Clara on the boat across the Atlantic in 1926.

They opened a fitness studio in New York next to the New York City Ballet. Many clients were dancers.. He constantly worked to improve core strength and designed equipment with springs to facilitate that goal including the Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, Barrel and much more. 

Students would say they were going to the "Pilates Studio" or "train with Pilates" and the Contrology name organically switched to Pilates.

By 1980, Pilates became better known to the public through the media and is now practiced by people everywhere. It's not just the rich or famous.