We are living in a a time where Pilates is booming, everywhere you see there is a new studio offering Pilates on the Reformer, Mat and more, but did you know Pilates is actually the name of a person? Someone who was born more than 100 year ago?
Let’s than dive than in the fascinating history of the Pilates Method!
And if you are new to Pilates, check out my post on “What is Pilates?”
Joseph Pilates and The Art of Contrology
Joseph Pilates was born in 1883 in Mönchengladbach (now Germany).
His father was a metal worker and prize-winning gymnast, and his mother was a naturopath.
As a child, he suffered from asthma and other illnesses, which motivated him to dedicate himself to improving his physical strength throughout his life. He is said to have been gymnast, boxer, bodybuilder, wrestler, circus performer, and self-defense trainer.
He happened to be in the UK when WWI broke out, and there he was interned like other German citizens in the Isle of Man. It is during that time he started to envision and create his system of exercises.
After the war and a short time back in Germany, he decided to move to the United States. On the ship, he met Clara Zeuner, a nurse who would become his wife.
Joseph and Clara opened a studio in New York City in 1925, where they taught the ‘Art of Contrology’, that is how he originally called his method.
The clientele of the studio included many professional dancers who fell in love with the method. I was also introduced to Pilates as dance student in Rotterdam and fell in love with it.
Nevertheless many different people went to Joseph’s and Clara’s studio for different purposes; from general fitness to rehabilitation.
Joseph Pilates also had two works published: ‘Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education’ (1934) and ‘Return to Life Through Contrology’ (1945) and patented many different pieces of equipment, like the Universal Reformer, the Wunda Chair, and more.
He finally died in 1967 at the age of 83, leaving the studio to Clara.
The Pilates Legacy after Joseph
Joseph and Clara taught many, who would later continue the legacy and spread what would become known as “the Pilates method” around the United States and the world.
Some of those first-generation teachers are still alive today, like: Lolita San Miguel and Mary Bowen.
A big contributions to the current Pilates repertoire was given by Romana Kryzanowska, a former dancer who ran Joseph’s studio when he passed away and Ron Fletcher who brought the Pilates-method to the West-coast with his very unique style.
This ‘first-generation’ teacher, and others, developed each their own style and ways of teaching, often very different from each-other.
The first attempt to copyright the term ‘Pilates’ turned into a court case that officially ruled it as a generic term. That is why now ‘Pilates’ can be used by anyone, referring to any type of exercise, independently from their connection to Joseph’’s Pilates original work.
The evolution of The Pilates Method
In the many years since Joseph Pilates created the Art of Contrology, sports science, physiotherapy, and fitness practices have developed tremendously.
Many of the principles that Joseph already used have been proven to be beneficial and have been included in the scientific literature, showing how ahead of his time his method was.
The Pilates Method likewise has developed since its origins; new discoveries in sport science have been implemented to the method, expanding it and diversifying it so that nowadays we can see Pilates taught in a variety of environments with different focuses, not only in dedicated Pilates studios but also in gyms, sport halls and rehabilitation centers. (read my blog on the current different types of Pilates)
Now that you know some of the Pilates past are you ready to be part of the Pilates future?
At Lorenzo’s Pilates Corner in Rotterdam, The Netherlands I offer private Pilates classes tailored to your own needs and goals.
Book an Intake and discover what the Pilates Method can do for you now and experience my mindful and personal approach to Pilates in Rotterdam.
Do you have any question?
Write it down in the comments or Get in Touch!
External Resources:
Book: Pilates’ Return to Life Through Contrology, Revised Edition for the 21st Century, 1998 Presentation Dynamics
On Joseph Pilates: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Pilates
On the Pilates first-generation teachers https://jpilates.co.uk/the-pilates-elders/
For a deepdive in the Pilates hystory: https://www.pilatesanytime.com/legacy/
On Lorenzo’s biography https://lorenzospilatescorner.nl/about/
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