About Joseph Pilates

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1883.  He was a sickly child and his illnesses forced him to develop a lifelong pursuit of well-being.  During WWI, Joseph Pilates came in contact with many injured and bedridden soldiers.  He devised a system of spring mechanisms attached to beds to help rehab the soldiers, while supporting their injured bodies.  The humble beginnings of 'the method' as it is often referred to, are apparant in the apparatus still used today.  While some minor changes have been made over the years, most of the studio apparatus are very close to Joe's original designs.  With variations of "the reformer" and "the wunda chair" sold on HSN, Joe Pilates was clearly a visonary, ahead of his time.

Joe and his wife Clara  brought Pilates to New York in 1926, and in just 80 years the number of people practicing Pilates is estimated at over 15 million from all ages and walks of life.  Clearly Pilates is here to stay.

The first generation of teachers who learned the method directly from Joe are considered the 'elders' and are revered for their first hand knowledge.  Uncle Joe (as he was known in his studio) died in 1967, but his legacy lives on with an estimated 15,000 instructors worldwide.  His dream of having Pilates taught to every child in school may not be far off!