Joseph Pilates - The Man Behind The Method
Joseph Pilates, born 1880 in Germany. A sickly child, he suffered ill
health
including asthma, rheumatic fever and rickets.
As a result of this he dedicated his life to becoming physically
stronger.
By the age of 14 he was posing for anatomical charts. He studied gymnastics as well as body building.
After
his move to England in 1912 Joseph Pilates earned his living as a circus performer,
boxer and self defense trainer.
When WWI broke out Joseph Pilates was interned in a camp near Lancaster with other foreign nationals.
He trained his
fellow inmates with fitness and exercise programmes which he developed,
through 20years of self study. This was the
start of the original form of Pilates that
Joseph Pilates called "Contrology" which is now know as Classical
Pilates.
A few years later, he was transferred to another camp, where he became a nurse to many of the internees
suffering with war time disease and injuries.This lead to him helping with the rehabilitation of his patients.
It was Joseph's belief that "movement heals”
It was through this belief that he started devising exercises to rehabilitate,
culminating in the complete
form, known today as Classical Pilates.
After the War Joseph Pilates emigrated to the United States.
It was at
this time he met and married his wife Clara.
Together Joseph and Clara opened a studio in New York. They taught for
many years,
with devotees such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham; icons and pioneers in the dance world,
sending
their dancers to Clara and Joseph for training.
After his death in 1967 one year after a fire at the studio, Joseph died
aged 87. His wife Clara
continued to teach and died at the age of 92.
Joseph Pilates left a wonderful
legacy, which benefits all those
who practice Pilates today.
