Joseph Pilates Video & History

Pilates
“Invigorates the mind, balances the body and uplifts the spirit”

Joseph Pilates History

Joseph Hubertus Pilates created the “Art of Contrology” which is now called the Pilates Method, out of respect for him. Born near Dusseldorf, Germany in 1880. Joe was a frail and sickly child, suffering from rickets, asthma, and rheumatic fever. He had an idea that he

could work his body to better health from the inside out. He began studying anatomy, boxing, skiing, gymnastics, bodybuilding, among other physical exercise regimens. And by the age of 14, he was healthy and posing for anatomical charts.

Around 1912, Joe was living in England and working as a boxer and self-defense instructor. At the outbreak of WWI, Joe was placed under forced internment along with other German nationals in Lancaster, England on the Isle of Man. There he taught fellow camp members the concepts and exercises he had developed after over 20 years, he called his regimen “Contrology” however today we call this original exercise routine Mat work. It is estimated that 20 million lives were lost in WWI and 50 million died in 1 year from the influenza epidemic. Not one of the internee or guards that trained with Joe got the flu. He always said that it was the best test of his method at work.

In 1923 Joseph came to America and on his way, met Clara who would become his wife. They settled in New York City where they worked and lived in their contrology studio, Normal Health 939 8th Ave.,

In 1934 Joseph wrote and publish Your Health. Describing himself as “devoted.. to the scientific study of the body and practical applications on nature’s Laws of Life…natural development of coordinated physical and mental (normal) health and the prevention rather than the cure of disease.”