Joseph Pilates
 Mens sana in coropore
sano" or "A sound mind in a sound body" were the words Joseph
Pilates took to heart as a young boy when struck by various ailments.
Rickets, asthma, and rheumatic fever consumed Joseph's body while he watched
others play outside. Dissatisfied with his condition, he began to read books
on Yoga, Zen Meditation, exercise regimens of the Greeks and Romans, and
anatomy to gain knowledge necessary to help heal his body. Pilates kept
records on how effective each exercise was. Pilates became quite agile and
went to England
to study boxing.
In England, Pilates was jailed for
being a German national during World War I. He began to train his fellow
inmates with his exercises which would later be called
"contrology". The English Government took note of this and Pilates
was sent to a military hospital to help rehabilitate the injured who often
couldn't even get out of their beds. Joseph took the bed springs and attached
them to various surfaces to provide resistance for his patients to pull
against. This enabled the patients to heal quicker and helped relieve stress
and depression that was often suffered by the patients and the inmates in
jail.
After World War I, Joseph returned
to Germany
only to leave again when a man named Adolph Hitler began amassing a large
army and wanted Joseph to train the army with his method.
Joseph then came to America. He
met his wife Clara on the voyage over and they opened a small space in
downtown New York
around the dance rehearsal spaces. Dancers began to come en mass and many
dancing notables such trained with Joseph. As contrology became more popular,
Joseph then trained others to help the public become more physically fit
through a balance of mind, body, and spirit. Joseph died in 1967 but his teachings
and research live on.
The Pilates Method strengthens the body at it's core - developing strong abdominal and postural muscles
to support the skeletal system and act as the "powerhouse" of the
body. This is accomplished with over 500 exercises uniquely targeted to meet
each individual's needs. Each exercise, performed with few repetitions,
emphasizes precise movement and focuses on proper control and form.
The result is an evenly conditioned body, a new
awareness of muscle function and control and an overall feeling of
well-being.
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