JOSEPH PILATES


A Man With A Vision

 
Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880.  A sickly child, he used physical exercise to turn himself into a fit adult.  In 1912 Pilates moved to the UK and held a variety of occupations, including boxer and self-defense trainer.  During World War I, while imprisoned in a camp for German nationals, he taught his fitness exercises to other prisoners.  Upon returning to Germany after the war, he gave exercise classes to police and military personnel and interacted with members of the avant-garde dance community, such as Rudolf von Laban and Hanya Holm.  In 1926 he moved to New York City and soon opened an exercise studio with his wife Clara.  Pilates wrote a slender volume (Return to Life, 1934) outlining his system of Contrology, which he described as a set of healthful lifestyle changes and corrective exercises.  His methods and specialized fitness equipment achieved popularity with dance professionals such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham, but were largely unknown to the general public.  Pilates died in 1967.  A handful of students have carried on his teachings and influenced numerous other individuals to learn and teach his exercises.
 

THE PILATES GOAL

"The attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure" 

Joseph H. Pilates