Joseph Pilates

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880 where his early childhood illnesses encouraged his self-determination to become athletic and strong. During World War I, Pilates was in England where he was placed in an internment camp for enemy aliens. It was there that Joe worked in a hospital where he began to work on his exercise and movement technique. Using proto-type trapeze table and reformer equipment by modifying hospital beds, he developed a method of exercises for health and rehabilitation.

Once Pilates was released at the end of the war, he returned to Germany where he continued to develop his work by taking on personal clients and training policeman in self defense and conditioning.

While emigrating to the United States in 1925, Joe met his future wife Clara, who settled with him in New York City where they established their exercise studio at 939 Eighth Avenue. The studio space was shared with George Balanchine which assisted to establish Pilates with the dance community. Besides working with dancers, athletes and actors, the general public also began to benefit from the Pilates method to strengthen, stretch and balance the body.

Joseph Pilates wrote two books that outline and explain his health and exercise philosophy; Your Health in 1934 and Return to Life if 1945. Joe and Clara continued to introduce and teach the Pilates method and train others to expand the systematic movement practice well into the 1960's. Many first generation teachers began to move to other parts of the US and Europe continuing to teach and introduce others to the benefits if Joe’s method.

Joseph Pilates died in 1967 at the age of 87. He remained a devoted advocate for his method, which he called Contrology up until the time of his death. Clara continued to teach until 1970, she passed away in 1976. Through the last 30 years, Pilates continued to grow, evolve and positively affect the health and wellness of those practicing the method.