Joseph Pilates, the founder of the Pilates Method, was born in western Germany in 1883.

As a child, he struggled with various health issues, which led him to study and practice both Eastern and Western forms of exercise to strengthen his body. In 1912, while living in England during World War I, he was interned on the Isle of Man. During his time there, he began developing what would become the Pilates Method, creating early versions of Pilates equipment—like the Reformer—by modifying hospital beds with springs to help rehabilitate injured soldiers.

 

After the war, Joseph Pilates moved to New York City, where he opened his first studio and introduced his method, which he originally called Contrology. Drawing on his background in gymnastics, boxing, and martial arts, he created over 600 exercises designed to strengthen and stretch the entire body. His method was intended for both men and women and emphasized control, precision, and breath.

 

Joseph Pilates had a vision of making his method widely accessible, famously expressing his desire to see a Pilates studio on every corner. While this wasn’t realized during his lifetime, the past two decades have seen his dream come closer to reality, with Pilates studios now found around the world.