The man behind the exercise and its history - Who was Joseph Pilates?
You may attend a weekly class or private session, follow along at home with on-demand or streamed classes, copy a YouTube video or book - however you choose to do your Pilates, whether alone or in a group setting, it does you some good, enhancing your fitness and overall health.
But have you ever thought about how Pilates started? What's it all about? Why does it work so well? Who invented it? Where does it fit in with other the other fitness trends?
Pilates was born out of the work of a man called Joe Pilates and over the past hundred years has developed into one of the most popular forms of exercise.
The History of …
… Joseph Pilates
Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in 1880, in Munchengladbach, Dusseldorf, Germany. In childhood he suffered from numerous health problems including a sunken chest, asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever. Determined to overcome these conditions, he studied anatomy and many exercise methods, some dating back to Roman and Greek times, and by taking elements of them all that he felt worked best, developed his own exercise programme, which was later to become known as Contrology. He became accomplished in bodybuilding, boxing, gymnastics, skiing, diving, and self-defence. He managed to achieve optimal health and muscular definition through his physical work, and was even asked to pose for anatomical charts.
In 1912, at the age of 32, Joseph moved to England. He worked as a boxer and self-defence training instructor with the police force. However, in 1914 with the outbreak of WW1, due to his German origins he was interned by the British authorities first at Lancaster and then on the Isle of Man. During this time, he continued to follow his health and fitness interest by training other interns in the camps, providing rehabilitation programmes. He developed over 20 contraptions and pieces of equipment, using old sprung beds and weights and pulleys.
In 1919 after the war finished, Joseph returned to Germany where he trained the Hamburg police in fitness and defence. He also worked with Rudolph Laban, a movement analyst. Together they worked with dancers, establishing fitness training programmes based on Pilates ideas.
In 1926, the 45-year-old Joseph moved to New York, America. On the journey over he met his wife Clara, who also had a fitness interest. They set up a studio on Eighth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City. This was in the centre of a large dance community, where the Pilates studio was innovative and successful in helping dancers, gymnasts, and athletes, as well as the general public, gain strength, stamina and grace all at the same time.
Joseph wrote several books including “Your Health” (1934) and “Return to Life through Contrology” (1945), promoting exercises that could be performed by anybody wanting to improve physical fitness.
A flamboyant character until the end who liked smoking cigars; he was said to be an intimidating but committed and genuine instructor. Joseph Pilates died at the age of 87 in 1967.
…and how Pilates spread worldwide and to the UK…
Contrology was all about correcting misalignment and re-educating the body, a mental and physical conditioning linking mind and body, providing strength and flexibility, a true physical fitness and positive state of well-being. It was an excellent rehabilitation system.
Originally learning was by apprenticeship, the pupils then going on to set up their own schools. The Contrology method changing its name to what we now know as the Pilates method. Having branched out, Pilates teachers have adapted and transformed the Pilates exercises through the generations. Pilates himself was always adapting exercises and today some exercises have been changed to conform with more recent research into health and fitness techniques. All Pilates teachers add their own approach to the method, and it will continue to evolve.
Many of the world's most well-known Pilates instructors started off their careers as dancers and have understood the Pilates principles and gone on (just like Joseph himself when he set off to the USA) to travel the world and share them with their own students.
Although Joseph left England long ago now, his work has shown he was always ahead of his time, and the police force and official authorities continued to take note of how beneficial his methods were.
These days, Pilates is suitable for everybody, whatever their background. It is recommended by Personal Trainers, Physiotherapists and Doctors to name but a few. Access is also available to Pilates through his own books, those of others, and now the wide range of multimedia and internet.
It is likely that Pilates will continue to evolve and be used by future generations. The basic principles always remain and the fundamental concepts behind the exercises are proven to work.
Pilates works because its an all-rounder of an exercise – it does everything for you – strength, tone, mobility, flexibility, balance, coordination, relaxation. It can be general exercise or tailored specifically to your personal needs, an hour or just 5 minutes. It's good for both mind and body.
Coming up in a couple of weeks, is Pilates Day – Saturday 4th May 2024 (it's always the 1st Saturday in May each year). This is the day when Pilates (the exercise) and Joseph Pilates (the man) are celebrated around the world. Classes and events will be held all over the globe in appreciation of how special Pilates is.