Joseph Pilates, a German-American fitness expert and inventor of the ‘Pilates’ training method, achieved iconic status for his holistic approach to fitness. Inspired by the Greek ideal of an ideal man, Pilates developed a lifelong passion for physical fitness and mental health. While interned during World War I, he created resistance training devices from everyday objects, which later became the forerunners of modern equipment such as the ‘Universal Reformer’ and the ‘Cadillac’. Pilates’ methods, known as ‘Contrology’, emphasize the balance between mind and body and have inspired generations. His legacy lives on through the Pilates Elders, who have in turn influenced modern Pilates teachers.
Quick Facts
- German Celebrities Born In December
- Also Known As: Joseph Hubertus Pilates
- Died At Age: 83
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Elfriede Samm (m. 1919–1930), Maria Pilates (m. 1905–1913), father: Heinrich Friedrich Pilates, mother: Helena Pilates
- Born Country: Germany
- Inventors
- German Men
- Died on: October 9, 1967
- Place of death: New York, New York, United States
- Cause of Death: Emphysema
- City: Mönchengladbach, Germany
Career
As a child, Joseph Pilates suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever, among other health issues. He was also bullied by larger German children and lost vision in his left eye due to an attack. To become stronger, he began educating his body through various physical activities such as gymnastics, yoga, skiing, boxing, and martial arts. By the age of 14, he had developed a physique that allowed him to pose as a model for anatomy charts.
In the following years, Pilates dedicated his life to learning from Eastern practices and Zen Buddhism. He believed that modern lifestyle, poor posture, and ineffective breathing were hindering the development of the mind and body. This led him to create a series of exercises that aimed to correct muscular imbalances and improve overall well-being. In 1912, he moved to England and started working as a professional boxer and circus performer. He also began teaching self-defense at Scotland Yard and police schools.
During World War I, Pilates was interned in Lancaster Castle and later transferred to Knockaloe Moar Farm on the Isle of Man. While interned, he trained his fellow prisoners and developed resistance training equipment using bedsteads and bedsprings for bedridden patients. After returning to Germany in 1919, he collaborated with fitness experts such as Eugen Sandow and Jens P. Müller to study different fitness systems. He also learned from dance theorist Rudolf von Laban. These influences contributed to the development of his comprehensive training system, known as “Contrology.”
In 1925, Pilates made his first trip to the United States and filed a patent for the “Universal Reformer.” He began living in America in 1926 and started teaching Contrology, which eventually became known as the “Pilates” method. In 1929, he opened “The Pilates Studio” with his partner Clara in New York City. The studio gained popularity among Hollywood stars like Catherine Hepburn and Sir Lawrence Olivier, as well as celebrity ballerinas and dancers such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham.
Pilates published his first book, “Your Health,” in 1934, followed by “Return to Life Through Contrology” in 1945, co-authored with William John Miller. Throughout his life, he patented over 20 devices related to his training system. He continued teaching Contrology until his death. His first generation of students, known as the “Pilates Elders,” went on to establish their own studios.
Family & Personal Life
Joseph Pilates was born on December 9, 1883, in Mönchengladbach, Germany. His father, Heinrich Friedrich Pilates, was a prize-winning gymnast, and his mother, Helena Pilates, was a naturopath. He was the second of nine children.
Pilates was married to Katharina Maria Tüttmann from 1905 to 1913, and they had a daughter named Helene (Leni). Sadly, their son Hans Heinrich passed away at the age of ten months. He was also married to Elfriede Samm from 1919 to 1930.
His first trip to the United States was in 1925, and he met his future wife, Anna Clara Zeuner, during his second trip in 1926. He applied for naturalization in 1929 and was granted citizenship in 1935. Clara gained her citizenship in 1937. Joseph Pilates died of emphysema on October 9, 1967, in Lenox Hill Hospital, New York.