What is Pilates?

Born in Germany in 1880, Joseph Hubertus Pilates was a sickly child who suffered from ailments such as asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. He studied anatomy books and animal movement and took an interest in many physical forms. Gymnastics, boxing, yoga and wrestling (to name a few) all influenced the exercises he came to create.

In WWI, Mr. Pilates developed exercises to help the sick in the internment camps. He rigged springs on the beds for those who were weak. This was the first form of what we now know as the Reformer! After the war, he and his wife Clara came to America and started teaching Contrology in New York. Dancers started flocking to Mr. Pilates to rehabilitate injuries. Mr. Pilates died in 1967 but his method of body conditioning lives on because of his protégé’s also known as the elders or first generation instructors.

Pilates is a system that is appropriate for all levels and all ages. It is easy on the joints which makes it safe for the elderly, weak or for those rehabilitating injuries. It is challenging to the athlete, dancer or anyone seeking a full body workout which rarely gets boring due to the hundreds of exercises. It is precise and logical which makes it something the consistent student can remember which ultimately leads to empowering self workouts. It creates long, lean muscles, eases the joints of the body and strengthens the back. During and after a traditional workout, one feels both energized and relaxed at the same time.

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