Who was Joseph Pilates?
Joseph Hubertus Pilates-The Man and the Method
Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1883. Little is known about his early life except that he was a frail child, suffering from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. Many believe this is what gave him the drive to find a movement and breathing method to help overcome these ailments. He practiced many forms of exercise; boxing, diving, skier, gymnast, tai chi practioner; which all widened the path for him to hone in on his own method of movement he called “Contrology”. Today, we call this wonderful method of movement “Pilates”. In the 1920’s, he emigrated to the USA with his wife Clara and together they fined tuned their ‘body conditiong’ method and developed the Pilates apparatus’(the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, Trap Table) which were all designed to enhance his rehabilitive-type work. Thankfully,through many practicioners and studios around the world, we are still reaping the mind/body benefits and the miracle that is Pilates.
Pilates is GOOD…just as it was when Joe was essentially the only teacher, Pilates is not what you get, it is what you GIVE to yourself. Joe wanted it that way.
- John Howard Steel from the book Caged Lion