Wikipedia on Pilates. Joseph Pilates – the founder. Pilates.com background.
(Joseph Pilates with one of his inventions)
Joseph Pilates Quotes:
The Pilates Method: “my work is 50 years ahead of its time”.
Joseph’s definition of physical fitness: “the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure – Everything should be smooth, like a cat. [The exercises are done lying, sitting, kneeling, etc]… to avoid excess strain on the heart and lungs… natural movements … with the emphasis on doing and being”.
“A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy callisthenics or forced contortion.”
“Patience and persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.”
The goal of Controlology (Pilates Method) ….. “the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind and the ability to perform life’s daily activities with zest and ease.”
“I invented all these machines. Began back in Germany, was there until 1925 used to exercise rheumatic patients. I thought, why use My strength? So I made a machine to do it for me. Look, you see it resists your movements in just the right way so those inner muscles really have to work against it. That way you can concentrate on movement. You must always do it slowly and smoothly. Then your whole body is in it.”
In explaining Controlology’s guiding principle, Pilates liked to quote Schiller: ‘lt is the mind itself which builds the body’.
“I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They’d be happier.” – Joseph Hubertus Pilates, in 1965, age 86
