The founder of the Pilates method, Joseph Pilates, was born in Germany in 1880. He was a frail child intent on overcoming his various physical afflictions.

He studied yoga, tai chi and various fitness regimens from the ancient Greeks and Romans. As he grew stronger and overcame his physical disabilities he became a skier, gymnast, boxer and diver.

Pilates was interned in England during WWI due to his German citizenship, during which time he worked as an orderly in the Isle of Man. There he helped rehabilitate patients using many things including hospital bedsprings.

After the war, he returned to Germany where he continued developing his distinctive body conditioning techniques. When the German government insisted that he train the army, not liking the political climate, he moved to the United States where he founded the New York Pilates Studio. His earliest students included famous dancers George Balanchine and Martha Graham.

The Pilates method is a series of over 500 exercises that combine breath control with core conditioning to strengthen the body and reduce the risk of injury. It is also an excellent form of rehabilitation.