A Brief History of Pilates 

By Cathy Strack, written exclusively for Authentic Pilates of New England

Early life in Germany

Joseph Hubertus Pilates was the second of ten children born to Anna Hahn and Heinrich Friedrich Pilates. His birth on December 9, 1883, in Muchen Gladbach, Germany, was unremarkable. His mother earned a living as a factory worker, before marrying and raising her family in the Roman Catholic faith. His father was a locksmith and mechanic in a factory. The Pilates name has been traced back to the year 1564 in Gladbach, Germany.

Joseph’s childhood was chaotic as his family moved frequently from one house to another, never staying more that two years in any home. By the time he was 5 years old and ready to attend mandatory schooling, his family had moved four times. Joseph often preferred spending time alone, roaming the woods and observing cats and other animals in nature. Perhaps because of this he was bullied by other children. In one incident, he was pelted with stones by a group of boys, and lost sight in his right eye. 

Heinrich Friedrich, Joseph’s father, was a member of the German gymnastics club known as the Turnverein. Heinrich encouraged his son to take up some of the exercises taught at the club. The foundation of the Pilates method began when Joseph, at 9 years of age, took the information he learned and began developing his own exercises. Fitness was a hobby Joseph enjoyed, along with skiing and swimming. He completed his formal education by the age of 14 and began working as a brewer’s apprentice. When he was 16 years old, he moved away from home to continue this line of work. 

Starting a family

When he was 22 years old, Joseph met and married his first wife, Maria Tüttman. She had been working as a maid before moving back to her hometown of Gelsenkirchen, Germany. After the couple married on July 5, 1905, Joseph adopted Maria’s son, Wilhelm, who was two years old. Together the couple had one daughter, Luise Helene, born on December 2, 1902. Maria gave birth to a son, Hans Heinrich, who died at the age of 10 months. Joseph continued working as a brewer and he was often away from home for weeks at a time. Tragedy struck when Maria died in 1913 of unknown causes. She and Joseph had been married for 8 years. Joseph’s children were sent to live with relatives when, in 1914, he decided to travel to England and take up a career in boxing. He felt unwelcome in the British boxing community and instead joined the circus in Blackpool, England. It was during this time that he further refined his method of daily exercises and stretching routines in order to recover from his strenuous performances. 

World War I

Joseph was a German citizen living in England in 1914 when World War I began. The two countries were at war and Joseph was declared an enemy alien and arrested (along with thousands of other Germans). He was held in several different camps before he was sent to the Knockaloe Internment Camp on the Isle of Man. Joseph spent over four years living under very difficult conditions that included food rationing, loss of freedom, and isolation from family and friends. He realized that he had a captive audience, and he began teaching a daily exercise routine to the men in his camp. Joseph became involved with boxing at the camp, as one of the many activities offered to the men to help pass the time. He was proficient enough that he acted as a referee for some of the boxing matches and became known for his fairness in managing some of the events.   

The war ended and by March 1919 Joseph had returned home to Germany. Instead of reuniting with his daughter and adopted son, he decided to marry a woman named Elfriede Samm. She had a daughter, that Joseph also adopted. Joseph was no longer interested in working as a brewer and he saw the value in his work as a fitness trainer and boxer. Joseph put his experience to use and opened a gym in Gelsenkirchen. Newspaper accounts note that he was influential in the world of boxing, just as he had been at camp during the war. During this time, he boxed professionally and as an amateur (which was a conflict of interest and led to his disqualification from participating in further matches). He became disillusioned with the boxing community and closed the gym. In 1923 he moved to Hamburg, leaving Elfriede and her daughter. She would later divorce him. 

Life in America

After the war, conditions in Germany were bleak, and many Germans citizens moved to the United States in search of better opportunities to make a living. Joseph’s uncle, a brother, and one of his sisters had immigrated to the United States and this made a positive impression on him. He saved his money and made plans to take similar action. In November 1925 he made his first trip to New York City, where he arranged to rent studio and living space, filed patents for some of his equipment, and made business connections. In April 1926 Joseph, now 42 years old, took his second and final trip to settle permanently in the United States. On the ship he met Clara Zeuner, who was moving to the United States to work as a maid. She was 43 years old and suffered from arthritis. Joseph and Clara made such a strong personal connection that she decided instead to work with him running his gym. Joseph set up his Pilates Universal Gymnasium at 939 Eighth Avenue in New York City and soon began training clients on equipment he had designed and built.

The Pilates studio was located on the second floor of the building, with large picture windows overlooking Eighth Avenue. The windows were decorated with lace curtains and adorned with plants and flowers. The arrangement of equipment changed from time to time, but for the most part, Joe and Clara fully utilized all the space available to teach several students at one time. A partition was built for a small dressing room next to the main room, complete with mirrors and lockers for clients to store their belongings. The walls of the dressing room were covered with photographs of ballerinas. The studio walls held paintings, anatomy charts, before and after photographs of clients, exercise charts, letters of endorsement, and large mirrors. A bronze bust of Joseph was placed in one corner, having been sculpted by a grateful client. The linoleum tile floor was later covered with large oriental rugs. Joe and Clara remained in the apartment across the hall and rented extra storage space as needed. 

Contrology

While it is true that Joseph and Clara trained many famous people, including actors and dancers, most of their clients were average workers simply seeking relief from the wear and tear of daily life. Office manager, Frederick Hillers wrote, “…crippled with traumatic arthritis of the spine…told I would never walk again…your system will save the civilized human race….” Businessman, Charles H. Brody stated, “…Your work should be established in every city over the entire earth….” Dancer and future Pilates’ teacher, Carola Strauss Trier wrote, “…your work is a must, to every human who wants to feel well, stay healthy, and be useful."

Joseph wanted his method to be widely practiced, and to that end, he wrote two books that helped communicate the benefits of what his method had to offer. In 1934 he published Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising that Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education. In this book he outlined what he felt was wrong with the society and how his method would help anyone that practiced his daily exercises. In 1945 he wrote Return to Life Through Contrology in which he illustrated his mat exercises. He stated:

Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.

In 1957 Joseph and a friend self-published a brochure under the organization the American Foundation for Physical Fitness. This brochure, now named the Pilates Pamphlet, was another attempt to communicate to the public the importance of practicing his method. The pamphlet contains his explanation of what Contrology is and what it isn’t. Contrology is “the science and art of coordinated body-mind-spirit development through natural movements under strict control of the will.” Contrology does not involve the use of medicine balls, quick movements, loud music, high repetitions, or heavy weights. There are numerous endorsements from his clients about the benefits of Contrology and a photograph of the bronze bust of Joseph Pilates is featured on the back cover of the pamphlet. Each copy given out to potential clients was numbered and the clients’ name was handwritten on their copy. 

Joseph continued to invent equipment and exercises designed to accompany the mat work exercises. He had already invented and patented the Pilates Reformer and over the years, added the Cadillac, Ped-O-Pul, Ladder Barrel, Guillotine, and Spine Corrector. He also invented smaller pieces known as the Foot Corrector, Magic Circle, and Half Barrel. By way of self-promotion, he published flyers that featured some of his exercises in order to entice future clients.

Training Camp

Joseph envisioned the development of a training camp in the country, where he could train instructors to teach his method. To that end, he purchased land near the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, in Becket, Massachusetts. His dream was never fully realized, but he did teach the dancers and staff at Jacob’s Pillow for several years, before building his own gym on his property. He maintained his studio in New York City and spent weekends in the country, training clients at both locations.

In The Media

Joseph advertised and promoted his method of exercise, which he named Contrology, in numerous newspaper and magazine articles. His first known interview in the United States occurred in 1934 for an article titled “Cutting a Fine Figure” by Marie Beynon Ray in Collier’s magazine. Some of his work was featured in Life magazine; “Jacob’s Pillow” in 1947, and “Diva With Muscle” in 1951. Later, a Sports Illustrated article titled “To Keep in Shape: Act Like an Animal” in February 1962 helped to ensure that his work became well known. The article was written by Robert Wernick and included photographs by I.C. Rapoport. Wernick wrote of Joseph and his studio:

For it is there that Joe Pilates, a white-thatched, red-cheeked octogenarian, and Clara his wife…bark their stern commands as we twist and complain through the exercises forming the core of what Joe, with his Germanic taste for scientific nomenclature, calls Contrology. 

The Final Years

Joseph and Clara Pilates ran the small studio in New York City together until his death in 1967 at the age of 83. It has yet to be determined if or when Clara married Joseph. However, she became the sole owner of the Pilates studio and the property near Jacob’s Pillow. Clara sold the property in the country but felt it was important to continue Joseph’s work at the studio in the city. She had the help of Bruce King and Romana Kryzanowska, two teachers trained by Joseph and Clara to work in the studio. Together they continued to manage the business as long as possible. Clara died in 1977 after several years of declining health. The Pilates Studio, equipment, records, and archives have changed location and ownership a few times as Romana sought much needed help to maintain Joseph’s original vision for his method. The current owner, Sean P. Gallagher remains committed to preserving the original work of Joseph Pilates. 

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