WHO was Joseph pilates?

Born in Germany in the 1880’s, Joseph Pilates suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever. Determined not to let his poor health hold him back, he set out to unravel the mysteries of wellness. By the turn of the century he was living in England working as a circus performer and boxer. Little did he know these early adventures would lay the foundation for his groundbreaking work.

As the world plunged into the chaos of World War I, Joe’s life took an unexpected turn and he found himself interned alongside fellow German nationals. It was within the confines of this unlikely environment that the seeds of his fitness technique began to sprout. He dedicated himself to training his fellow internees, harnessing the power of movement to mend bodies broken by wartime injuries. He ingeniously rigged mattress springs to their beds, creating the prototype of what we now know as the Cadillac!

After the war Joe returned to Germany and in 1925 was asked to train the German army. Disheartened with the political direction of the country, he fled to the United States. He met his wife Clara aboard the voyage, and together they forged a pioneering path in the world of fitness. Upon settling in NYC in 1926, they opened their “gymnasium” at 939 Eighth Avenue. They christened their innovative approach “Contrology”, reflecting Joe’s unwavering belief in the mastery of one’s body and mind.

Joe died in 1967. He was in his eighties. Clara continued to teach until her death in 1977. Some of Joe & Clara’s students, known as the Pilates Elders, Carola Trier, Eve Gentry, Ron Fletcher, Kathy Grant and Roman Kryzanowska carried on the Pilates legacy training many of today’s teachers!