Pilates have been a popular form of exercise for many years, but did you know their origin dates back to World War I? Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1883 and a child became fascinated with the classical Greek ideal of a man with balanced aspects of body, mind, and spirit and used that to design his own exercise system. In 1912, he moved from Germany to England where he worked as a self-defense instructor for Scotland Yard. However, “at the outbreak of World War I, Joe was interned as an ‘enemy alien’ with other German nationals. During his internment, Joe refined his ideas and trained other internees in his system of exercise. He rigged springs to hospital beds, enabling bedridden patients to exercise against resistance, an innovation that led to his later equipment designs.” After WWI ended, Pilates returned to Germany where his fitness methods began to gain traction within the dance community and in 1926, he emigrated to the United States and opened his first studio in New York City, where his popularity grew within the dance community and beyond.[1]

            According to the official website, the benefits of pilates are numerous. Strong core work and the development of back muscles are some of the most predominant benefits, as well as the development of long, lean muscles which makes sense considering this exercise system’s popularity in the dance community both in the United States and abroad. Pilates exercises also “train several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements” and are generally low-impact as most of them are performed in a seated or reclining positions. Additionally, “Pilates is also an extremely flexible exercise system. Modifications to the exercises allow for a range of difficulty ranging from beginning to advanced. Get the workout that best suits you now, and increase the intensity as your body conditioning improves.”[2] Talk to your doctor to see if Pilates might be a good fit for you and your health and fitness goals!

[1] “Origins of Pilates.” Pilates, www.pilates.com/BBAPP/V/pilates/origins-of-pilates.html.

[2] “Benefits of Pilates.” Pilates, www.pilates.com/BBAPP/V/pilates/benefits-of-pilates.html.