Joe Pilates
Joe Pilates was born as Joseph Pilatu in 1880 in a small town in Germany. He was a sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. His father was an accomplished gymnast, of Greek origin, who changed the family name to Pilates.
As a small and sickly child, Joe was the target of bullies and was too afraid to fight back. He spent most of his time alone, and used this time to study anatomy and exercise techniques. By the time he was 14 he had studied all types of exercises including yoga, and Zen. He worked hard on his own body was able to turn it into a finely chiseled specimen.
After getting into shape, he spent time as a boxer and a gymnast and then moved to England. After World War I he returned to Germany and worked to train the Military Police in self defense and physical training. Joe used his inventive skills to create exercise equipment to maximize workouts that could train your entire body. He left Germany in 1925, when he disagreed with the political direction the country was taking. He traveled to the United States, and en route met his future wife Clara. She was a kindergarten teacher who suffered from arthritis and Joe worked with her on the boat voyage to heal her. When they arrived in New York they opened a gym on Eighth Avenue. Their location near several dance studios, helped launch their business. Many dancers and choreographers came to Joe's location to study body strengthening and balancing. Joe also worked with many dancers who were injured to rehabilitate them back into dancing.
Joe's believed that physical fitness was important to everyone, not just professional dancers. He worked with people from all walks of life to teach them how to be in better shape. He emphasized natural movements that were smooth. He did not favor exercises that were a strain on the body or the heart. He preferred to create endurance with repetitions of smooth movements that were easier on the body.
Joe died in October 1967, at the age of 87. His wife Clara continued to teach and operate their studio until she died in 1977. Pilates teachings are still popular today, with exercise studios using their techniques and workout videos spotlighting their style of working out.