If you’re brand new to Pilates, you may not realize that this amazing movement system was named after its creator – Joseph Pilates.
But even if you did know that, you may not know much about Pilates himself. You may even have a completely false notion of the man who’s now regarded as a fitness guru.
So if you’re interested, read on. The story of Joseph Pilates is a pretty fascinating one.
Who Was Joseph Pilates?
That’s a complicated question.
It might be enough to simply say that Joseph Pilates was a revolutionary fitness enthusiast who believed in the fundamental idea that good health was in one’s control. Based on this notion, he introduced a revolutionary exercise system over 100 years ago which he dubbed “Contrology.” Maybe that’s all you need to know.
But being a fitness enthusiast in the early 20th century looked distinctly different than it does today. And his journey to getting to that point was full of twists and turns that may surprise you.
Pilates was born in 1880 near Düsseldorf, Germany. By all accounts, he was a sickly child. Many believe that his need to achieve and maintain health after those early years was what motivated him to start training to become a gymnast. During that time, muscular men and women were not considered the ideal. They were, in fact, freaks. But Pilates was in awe of their ability to train all day and wanted to look like them.
A Practice Born in Prison
Pilates’s training as a gymnast eventually led him to a career as a circus performer. He was part of a touring German circus troupe who were, unfortunately, in the enemy territory of Britain when WWI started in 1914. Pilates was arrested and interned in a camp on the British Isle of Man.
While being stuck in an internment camp isn’t anyone’s hope, it was there that Pilates began watching the cats on the island as they chased the birds and mice. He was struck by their sheer energy and agility and concluded that their frequent stretching was what gave them their edge.
As such, he began to devise a series of exercises and movements that would stretch the human body. Rumor has it he even used the camp’s hospital beds to create rudimentary equipment. Whatever the case, once he began doing the exercises, he was pleased with the results in his body, mind, and overall health.
He soon shared these exercises with the other internees who showed interest. And when the Great Influenza arrived on the Isle of Man, it’s purported that none of Pilates’ trainees got sick. And by the time the war ended and they were freed from the camp, his trainees were in better shape than before they were captured.
The Continuing Story of Joseph Pilates
Pilates’ system of exercises, which as mentioned above was then known as “Contrology,” could have easily fizzled out once Pilates returned to Germany. But Pilates decided to head to the United States in 1926 and see how it played out there.
He would meet his future wife, Clara, on the ship over and they’d settle into a third-floor space in New York adjacent to a space where the city’s ballet companies rehearsed. It was kismet. During this time, Pilates got to know the dancers while continuing to tinker with his homegrown fitness apparatus (which were essentially crude versions of what would become the Reformer and the Cadillac).
It didn’t take long before he was working with dance luminaries such as Martha Graham and George Balanchine. They would send their injured ballerinas to Pilates to rehabilitate. Eventually, they’d send all of their ballerinas there to prevent them from getting injured. Soon enough, Hollywood legends such as Katharine Hepburn and Sir Laurence Oliver were on board.
Bringing Pilates to Non-Celebrities
Over the next few decades, Pilates attracted ‘everyday’ folks who could afford to pay the steep $5 per session charge. He would roam the gym wearing only tight swimming shorts and homemade espadrilles to show off his physique. And he was not an easy man. If he didn’t like a client, he’d tell them to leave. His mane of wild white hair made him seem all the more eccentric.
In 1932, he published a booklet called ‘Your Health.’ This was followed in 1945 by another titled ‘Return to Life Through Contrology.’ He was also a vocal critic of what was becoming known as the American lifestyle. In 1962, he was quoted in Sports Illustrated as saying, “Look at them in the street. Bent over. Coughing! You men with grey faces! Why can’t they look like animals? Look at a cat. Look at any animal! The only animal that doesn’t hold its stomach in is the pig.”
Pilates was certain that aligning body and mind in perfect harmony was the way to fix Americans. And that his method was the way to do it. Meanwhile, it was this wife Clara who established the tradition of adapting the exercises to suit each client’s individual needs (which is how highly trained Pilates instructors teach today).
In 1967, Pilates died at the age of 83. After his death, the method took on the now familiar ‘Pilates’ moniker. And the rest is history.
Ready to Explore Pilates for Yourself?
You don’t need to know the fascinating story of Joseph Pilates to get all the benefits from his strengthening and rehabilitative exercises.
Just try it for yourself!
Contact us today to inquire about our group/private classes and Pilates-based physical therapy. After just ten sessions, you’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes.