Cat’s eye
According to legend, Pilates was born on the Isle of Man, off the coast of England, during World War I…
Interned with his fellow Germans, Joseph, an anatomy enthusiast, reportedly observed stray cats hunting their prey. This inspired him to create new exercises to boost morale and strengthen his comrades’ muscles. In these rudimentary living conditions, bed springs and frames seemed perfect for creating resistance. The Reformer was thus supposedly born in a cell! Later, Joseph boasted about having prevented his fellow detainees from succumbing to the Spanish flu… In this origin story, we find the idea of an ultra-effective training method for everyone, with benefits that can be felt quickly.
Star System
Would you have imagined that choreographer Martha Graham and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo had Pilates in common?
Joseph crossed the Atlantic and in 1926 opened his New York studio. “Uncle Joe” quickly welcomed great dancers and Hollywood stars like Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier. Uma Thurman, Natalie Portman, and Sylvester Stallone are some of the contemporary stars who have understood the benefits of this “not-so-gentle gym,” as journalist Julie Pujol puts it.
Perfect for sculpting the body, Pilates is also an ally for progressing in other disciplines!
Did you know that Pilates is named after its inventor?
Born in Germany in 1883, Joseph Pilates is often portrayed as a visionary traveler and tinkerer. As a child he had a fragile constitution and his parents – his mother was a naturopath and his father a gymnast – reportedly pushed him to do sports. Boxing, yoga, diving, and even circus arts… He explored physical activity from every angle. But why has his method become a global phenomenon?
Joseph’s Anatomy
Almost a hundred years ago, Joseph was already raging against the American Way of Life… “They want to go 500 mph but they don’t even know how to walk!” he supposedly said. In 1934, he published “Your Health” where he outlined the foundations of his method, then called “contrology.” He presented it as a remedy for sedentary lifestyle, stress, and illness. For him, “physical fitness is the first condition of happiness.” It enables alignment between body and mind. A very modern health vision!
Control Freak
To stay in shape, Joseph went even further. Indeed, he recommended changing certain daily habits, like swapping soap for dry brushing or opting for new furniture! Before Andy Warhol, he filmed sleepers (including himself) to analyze their movements during sleep and developed a whole catalog of ergonomic chairs and beds available made-to-measure. His clients could choose woodwork and fabrics to match their interior… A very holistic vision of decoration! Did he have a Marie Kondo side?
Dark Side
Deceased at 86 in 1967, Joseph had quite a character. With his glass eye and homemade espadrilles, wearing only tight shorts, he didn’t hesitate to throw out students who annoyed him. He’s been described as drinking a liter of alcohol and smoking 15 cigars daily… A portrait that makes him sound more like a revolutionary guerrilla than a yoga master! Perhaps slightly megalomaniacal, he reportedly wrote to Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy hoping to spread his ideas. However, it wasn’t until his death that contrology was renamed.
Today, after transforming the world of fitness and dance, Pilates has millions of followers worldwide. Joseph’s message has been well received!
At Reformation, we are faithful to the method’s great principles but we don’t want to be confined by dogmas. Like Joseph Pilates, we give free rein to our creativity! Each teacher enriches the discipline with their unique background: CrossFit, Yoga, Garuda, de Gasquet method, TRX, gyrotonic… We advocate for a dynamic practice, full of energy and open to all. With you by our side we continue to write the history of Pilates!
Is Pilates a victim of its own success? In our next article, we’ll give you the keys to navigate the offerings that are developing at high speed.
