12/09/2019
On this day in 1883 Joseph H. Pilates was born in Germany. He was a sickly child. As a young man he studied various forms of exercise. He created a physical fitness program "contrology" while interned on the Isle of Man during WWI to assist others at the camp. In 1926 Joseph and his wife Clara opened the first Pilates studio in New York City. He was known in the professional dance community helping to rehabilitate injured dancers. During his career Joseph Pilates invented many pieces of equipment (now the Reformer, Cadillac, spine corrector and chair) and over 600 exercises. He viewed his method as a "way of life" to help us all function to our greatest potential. Pilates authored books about his method including Return to Life through Contrology and Your Health. He died at the age of 83, a year after this photograph was taken.
“Contrology (Pilates) develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit."
Joseph H. Pilates
