THE GENIUS OF JOSEPH PILATES
Hubertus Joseph Pilates was born in Mönchengladbach, near Düsseldorf, Germany in 1883. His father was a locksmith and gymnast; his mother was a naturopath. In his early years, Joseph was interested in and influenced by both Western and Eastern forms of exercise, including yoga. He achieved success as a boxer, gymnast, skier and diver.
During World War I, he taught wrestling and self-defense, and began developing his revolutionary system. Joseph came in contact with many soldiers who had suffered from various injuries during and following the war. He devised spring mechanisms attached to beds to aid in rehabilitation, beginning the development of what we now call the Cadillac.
His system focused on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and support the spine. The central aim of Pilates is to create a fusion of mind and body so that movement is efficient, balanced and graceful.
Joe and his wife Clara opened a gym following their arrival in New York in 1926. Located on Eighth Avenue in the same building as several dance studios, Joseph began working with dancers, eventually including luminaries such as George Balanchine, Martha Graham and Jerome Robbins.
Clara continued to teach and run the studio after Joseph's death in 1967. Their disciple, Romana Kryzanowska, later took over the studio and moved it to 56th Street, carrying on the classical tradition that would eventually inspire the creation of Power Pilates.
