History of the Method
 Joseph Pilates was a
pioneer of a fitness method that until recently had been the
secret of dancers and athletes. When Joseph Pilates was young,
he was a weak and sickly child. In order to overcome these
limitations he trained as a boxer and gymnast, and studied
yoga and many Eastern philosophies on health. His
theories about fitness developed while he was a German
prisoner of war during WWI. During this time he was assigned
to hospital duty in England. He rigged the hospital beds with
springs and pulleys and very successfully rehabilitated many
patients.
After the war he
moved to New York and taught his techniques to dancers. His
technique focused on enhancing coordination, balance, agility
and joint stability by incorporating principles of
mobilization and stabilization for trunk, scapula and
extremities. He focused on the connection between the mind and
body and felt that a few concentrated movements were more
efficient than lots of mindless work.
Nowadays, Pilates
has developed a mainstream reputation due to the leagues of
actors and athletes who are attracted to the long, lean and
agile development that is the hallmark of the
method.
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