The Pilatesmethod

The founder of the method of Pilates, Joseph Hubertus Pilates, was born on the 9th of December, 1883 in Mönchengladbach. Already as a small child he suffered from countless illnesses, like asthma, rachitis and rheumatism. That's why he dealt with sports, yoga, gymnastics lessons and physical training. Through his self developed training method, he became a prominent sportsman as a gymnast, diver, bodybuilder, professional boxer and furthermore. After the outbreak of the First World War he was arrested and developed first kinetic machines. Moreover, during that he learnt the occupation as a male nurse. In 1926 he was pressed, to coach members of the German army. As a result he emigrated as a convinced pacifist in the USA. On that passage, he met the nurse Clara, whom he married later. With her he opened in the same year his first Studio in New York. World-famous dancers and choreographers like George Balanchine and Martha Graham counted among his followers. Firstly Pilates called his method "contrology", because the muscles are controlled with the help of the mind.

The method of Pilates is a systematic body training of the musculature.

Essential principles for a qualitative training

• centring the strength
• the concentration
• the control
• deliberate respiration
• the precision
• fluent movement

Additionally he wrote the book “Return to life through contrology" in which he demonstrated all floor exercise programmes. In 1967, at the age of 87, he died in New York. His wife Clara continued the studio. Technology and knowledge were transmitted by the books, which Pilates wrote. Since that time, the method of Pilates is convincing generations.