Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. He started life as a small, frail child, which fuelled his fascination with exercises that would make him healthy and stronger.
During World War I, Pilates was interned due to his nationality and
it was during this time that he refined his ideas and methods further and he designed exercise apparatus which were used to rehabilitate injured war victims.
In 1926, Pilates opened his first studio in New York City and he continued to teach there until his death at the age of 87.
Read more about Joseph Pilates