Brief History of Joseph Pilate's Fitness regime.

"Physical Fitness is the first requisite of happiness" - Joseph Pilates


Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. He was a sickly child who suffered from a variety of ailments including asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. So he became determined to overcome his physical weaknesses and dedicated himself to becoming physically fit and strong.

Through hard work and dedication he became proficient at various activities including bodybuilding, diving , and gymnastics. By the time he was 14yrs old he was able to work as a model for anatomical charts.

In 1912 , Pilates moved to the U.K , where he worked as a boxer, circus performer and a self-defense trainer to detectives. During WW1 he was taken as a prisoner of war ( due to his nationality) and placed in the work camps. During his time on the Isle of Man, he became a nurse and developed a fitness routine for the other internees. He began constructing equipment by attaching the bed-springs to walls so the inmates could use the springs to exercise while lying on their beds. During the 'flu epidemic of 1918 - Joseph Pilates regime was credited for the fact that none of the inmates in his ward , succumbed to the Influenza.

After the war he returned to Germany, where he continued his exercise program and was drafted into the army. In 1926 , disenchanted with German policies, he set sail for the U.S . On board ship he met Clara who later became his wife. When Joseph Pilates arrived in New York , he set up his first exercise studio. By the 1940's he had achieved great popularity with the Dance world . By the 1960's many of New Yorks dancers, actors, gymnasts and athletes were regulars at his studio.

The original exercises developed by Joseph Pilates consisted of 34 moves. Pilates influence came from his study of various sports and exercise routines from both the Eastern and Western disciplines.His routine was not simply a set of physical movements separate from other aspects of life, but part of a program designed to improve an individuals overall fitness and well-being. His routine was never formalized , rather he preferred to adapt the moves to the needs of each individual.

As a result , although the basic principles of Pilates are unchanging, different teachings vary in style and emphasis.

Joseph Pilates believed that in order to achieve happiness it's important to gain control of your body. With visualization, physical strengthening and stretching of the body, mental vigour and improved blood flow returns to inactive brain cells. This renewed spirit of thought and movement is the first step towards stress reduction, fluidity of movement , and a greater enjoyment of life.

Often we envy the suppleness and vitality of children , often they seem to be traits we no longer posess. However with patience, perseverance and a strong will , all things are possible.

"Ideally our muscles should obey our will. Reasonably our will should not be dominated by the reflex actions of our muscles." - Joseph Pilates.