Pilates 101: The Infamous Origin Story

If you have no idea what Pilates is, or even how to describe it to others, you’re in good company.  Most people have never heard of Pilates, have only heard of it in relation to super hot rich celebrities, or confuse it with yoga.

If you know a little about Pilates, you may be familiar with sleek studios, strange equipment and depending on your age, Pilates may draw up visuals of Jane Fonda workout videos or youtube Pilates.

What you might not know, is that Pilates was originally called Contrology and was invented by a chain smoking, cigar loving, former assistant brewer and boxer with a flair for tall tales.  

What we know now as “Pilates” is named after the man who invented it, Joseph Pilates.

In many ways, Joe was larger than life and the stories about him and the history of Pilates are made for Hollywood.  Common myth has Joe as a weak sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets and a whole host of maladies.  Tired of being a sick weakling, Joe took matters into his own hands and began to study anatomy, gymnastics, boxing, yoga, body building and martial arts.  His father actually owned a boxing gym, making this pursuit a little easier on the young Joe.  

Story tells that Joe transformed his body into such a strapping specimen that he was utilized as a model for anatomy books.  Looking at photos of Joe throughout his life, it’s easy to believe.  Well up into his 80’s, he was extremely fit and muscular, and often wearing what could only be described as a fitness version of “tighty whities”.  

The story takes a gritty turn in the early 1900’s.  Allegedly, Joe was living in England and teaching self defense for Scotland yard, while also working as a circus performer and a professional boxer.  When England entered WWI, they rounded up all foreign nationals living in England at the time and thus, Joe, a German citizen, was interned at the Isle of Man.  It was apparently during this time without much else to do, that he began to develop “Contrology”.  The frequently repeated (and probably false) Pilates origin story claims that he utilized the springs from the hospital beds as resistance trainers and that’s how the Reformer and Cadillac were born.  

After the war, Joe returned to Germany for a short time before abandoning a second family and heading off to New York City where he opened up his first Contrology Studio with his third wife (and possibly just life partner), Clara.  

Due to the studio’s proximity to the New York City ballet and Joe’s reputation for helping injured dancers extend their career, Pilates became a mainstay in the dance community.

Joe spent the rest of his life chain smoking, teaching his method, inventing equipment, giving wild interviews and sending friends Christmas Cards with photos of himself wearing tighty whiteys.  

When Joe died, Clara struggled to keep the business running and the entire method was at risk of being lost forever.  Two of Joe’s former students stepped in to keep the Pilates Method going, leading into the branching of Pilates into the Classical and Contemporary methods, a long drawn out court battle over trademarks and who owned Pilates, before the eventual explosion of Pilates as we know it.  (See, Hollywood is written all over this story.)

Now a days, Pilates still attracts dancers, athletes and celebrities, as well everyday people who want to move better, recover from injuries, and improve posture.

My Unexpected Introduction to Pilates

In my early 20s, I came home for a visit and went for a trail run. Mid-run, a lightning storm rolled in, and I was hauling ass down the trail when I slipped, fell and took a very painful tumble down three switchbacks. I chipped my teeth, scraped up my arms and legs, and jammed my femur into my hip socket.  I was in severe pain and limping for weeks from that fall, which led to countless chiropractor appointments and an eventual referral to try Pilates.

At the time, I didn’t even know what Pilates was. I walked into a mat class at the gym thinking, “How hard can it be?”.   I was running 40 mile weeks, lifting daily, doing yoga multiple times a week, and cycling up to 70 miles every Saturday.

Five minutes into class, I was panting, sweating and my legs were trembling uncontrollably. After struggling to do a single rollup, I looked around, and saw the room was full of sweet little old ladies absolutely crushing it. By the end of that class, I was toast.  I actually waited until everyone else left before very ungracefully lumbering off of the mat and staggering out of the room.

I was hooked.

Why Pilates Works

Joseph Pilates was incredibly adept at anatomy and spent a lot of time studying different movement practices and observing animals.  Pilates utilizes all of the planes of movement and at its core (pun intended!) it is about intentional, holistic, mindful movement. Every exercise emphasizes:

Core strength  not just abs, but the deep stabilizing muscles

Alignment maintaining optimal posture and position during movement

Breath  breathing patterns  in Pilates support movement and release tension

Control & precision Pilates emphasizes controlled precise quality of movement over loads of wild ranges and qualities

This blend of strength, mobility, and mindfulness makes Pilates a powerhouse  exercise method, whether you’re recovering from injury, cross-training for sports, or just hoping to move with more ease.

Ready to start your own Pilates story?

Luckily, you don’t have to fall off of a mountain to start your own Pilates journey.  But if you did, we’ve got you covered.  

In addition to our private one-on-one sessions, we have multiple small group classes and some special series kicking off.  

I can’t wait to see you in the studio!

-Rubecca