Joseph Pilates was born near Dusseldorf, Germany in 1880. As a child he suffered from Asthma, Rickets and Rheumatic Fever and looking for a way to improve his condition and after studying various forms of exercise, he developed a special regime which allowed practitioners to strengthen and elongate their muscles.
By the 1920's Joseph Pilates was an athlete, boxer and Tai Chi master. He arrived in New York and opened a studio where he trained dancers, entertainers and athletes. He developed his system over many years taking aspects which he considered effective from disciplines such as Yoga, dance and gymnastics. With injured pupils in mind, he constructed a number of machines designed to support the body whilst training and strengthening it.
Pilates has long been the exercise method chosen by dancers and athletes because it emphasises alignment, injury prevention, simultaneous stretching and strengthening and focuses on the mind and body connection.