What is Pilates?

Joseph Pilates, a German-born innovator, developed the Pilates method, originally named "Contrology," in the early 20th century. Influenced by his gymnast father and naturopath mother, he began crafting his system during World War I while in an internment camp, creating floor exercises that evolved into today's Pilates Mat Work. Driven by the need to rehabilitate fellow internees, Pilates repurposed everyday items like bed springs and beer keg rings to create resistance-based exercise equipment, laying the foundation for modern apparatus like the reformer and magic circle. His innovative devices, including the Cadillac, Wunda Chair, and Spine Corrector, were designed to enhance core strength, alignment, and overall mind-body health, forming the comprehensive practice we know today.