Born in 1880, Joseph Pilates suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever as a child. In his determination to overcome these ailments he studied both Eastern and Western forms of exercise including yoga, Zen, and ancient Grecian and Roman regimens.
Pilates was a trained gymnast and bodybuilder, then served as a nurse during World War I. While serving, he developed a revolutionary way to rehabilitate bed-bound, wounded soldiers using the springs from hospital beds as a form of resistance training. By combining engineering principles with his knowledge of exercise and anatomy, Pilates designed an apparatus geared specifically to this philosophy.
Today, the Pilates method utilizes more sophisticated apparatus, including the Reformer, the Cadillac and the WundaChair. Body Awareness Studios maintains a profound respect for the traditional methods of Pilates. |
"It will be 50 years
before people fully
appreciate my work."
- Joseph Pilates
(approx. 50 yrs ago!)  |
