What is it? Pilates is a unique form of body conditioning named after its inventor Joseph Pilates, who formulated the exercises in the 1920s. It is designed to develop overall body strength and muscle tone. Whether performed on the mat or the Pilates apparatus, these exercises lengthen and tone the muscles simultaneously to create a long, sleek physique—a contrast to the bulky-muscle look that can result from weight lifting and high repetition workouts. Pilates also improves alignment and flexibility, reduces joint stress and enhances balance and coordination. While many people become interested in Pilates for its cosmetic body-sculpting effects, others come to it through referrals by their medical practitioner or physiotherapist. Pilates is an excellent preventative technique that strengthens the body against potential injury.
		Joseph Pilates Joseph Pilates was born in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1880. Around 1914, Pilates was a performer and boxer living in England. At the outbreak of WWI, he was placed under forced internment along with other German nationals in Lancaster, England. During his internment he served as a nurse and developed a number of devices to help rehabilitate injured and bedridden soldiers. These inventions that began with the rigging of various parts of the hospital beds became the inspiration for the spring-based pieces of equipment with adjustable cables, pulleys, bars and padded straps that are found in most Pilates studios today. Yoga, gymnastics, skiing, self-defense, dance circus training and weight training were all strong influences and Pilates chose aspects of each to develop his conditioning program. By absorbing these other methods and selecting the most effective features, Pilates was able to work out a system which had the perfect balance of strength and flexibility.