Joseph H. Pilates was born in Monchengladbach, Germany in 1883. He was a frail child, suffering from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. His drive and determination to overcome these ailments led him to dedicate his life to becoming physically stronger. Joe started to work out doing bodybuilding and gymnastics and by the age of 14 he built such a uniformly developed body that he was asked to pose for anatomical charts. He was influenced by both Western and Eastern forms of exercise, including Yoga. He achieved success in becoming a competent gymnast, boxer, circus performer and skier.

In 1914 Pilates lived in England working as a circus performer, boxer and self-defence instructor. During the First World War, he was interned with other German nationals. During this time he developed his technique of physical fitness further, by teaching his fellow internees. During the latter part of the War, he served as an orderly in a hospital on the Isle of Man where he worked with patients unable to walk. He attached bed springs to the hospital beds to help support the patients’ limbs, leading to the development of his famous piece of equipment known as the ‘Cadillac’. Much of his equipment, although slightly adapted, is still in use today in many Pilates Studios including ours.

Pilates emigrated to the USA and opened a studio with his wife Clara in New York in 1926. The studio featured much of the Apparatus designed to enhance his rehabilitation work. It soon became very popular as it offered a chance to improve technique or rehabilitate clients. Word spread quickly and many celebrities were clients including dance legends such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham.

His method, which he and Clara called ‘Contrology’ established a following in the dance and performing arts community. According to Joseph and Clara Pilates, their method was a complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.

Joseph H. Pilates died in 1967 at the age of 84. Today, his method is practised by professional athletes, dancers, fitness enthusiasts, rehabilitation experts and the general public around the world.

Clara Pilates continued to teach and run the studio for another 10 years after Joseph Pilates death.

Joseph and Clara taught a handful of teachers, known as the Pilates Elders to carry on teaching the method but only certified 2 people, namely Kathleen Stanford Grant and Lolita San Miguel. Kathy Grant passed away in 2010 just shy of her ninetieth birthday. Lolita San Miguel is the only living teacher who is certified by Joseph Pilates himself. Anita Horry, founder of Pilates Centre Malta is proud to have the honour of being a disciple of Lolita San Miguel who passed the work of Joseph and Clara Pilates directly to her.

Pilates Memorial Plaque

My dear teacher Lolita was on a trip to Germany to find out where Joseph Pilates was born and wanted to see how the method influenced the locals. In 2009 she visited the city of his birth and discovered that except for a handful of people Joseph Pilates was not known in Monchengladbach. She made it her mission to mark the place of his birth for people around the world to visit, just like Vienna is known for Bach, the composer and Stratford upon Avon for William Shakespeare, the poet.

With the help of many contributors, she managed to place a memorial plaque where once stood an empty space in front of his birth home.

The Plaque honours Joseph Pilates, the genius, the man who was 60 years ahead of his time, her teacher and my idol. Joseph H. Pilates deserves world recognition for all this beneficial work of body conditioning which has touched millions of people around the globe.

I am honoured to have visited the plaque on a number of occasions with Lolita San Miguel and took part in the annual Pilates Day and Conference and Ceremony held in Monchengladbach every May in memory of Joseph H. Pilates.

~ Anita Horry