Joseph Hubertus Pilates, the exercise visionary from Mönchengladbach in Germany, is the man behind the training methodology and the term Pilates. He was born on 9 December 1883 and was a man far ahead of his time; a fact that he also was well aware of. Few people who practice Pilates are aware that Pilates is the name of the person behind the exercise form. Joseph Pilates coined the term “Contrology”, which he defined as a form of exercise and a philosophy. This was the original form of Pilates, and the method and philosophy behind it is as relevant today as it was then.

As a child, Joseph Pilates was sickly, weak, and was blinded in one eye  at an early age. At the age of seven he was given a book on anatomy which he learned by heart and began exercising. His father introduced him to gymnastics, bodybuilding, and martial arts such as jiu-jitsu and boxing. At the age of 14 he was so physically fit that he was asked to model for an anatomical chart. After finishing school, Joseph Pilates worked at the local brewery while practicing boxing and gymnastics, diving and skiing. As an adult, boxing was one of the reasons for him leaving Germany. On the boat across the Atlantic, he met his future wife Clara and they both chose to settle in America. They started a studio in New York and many dancers would train with the couple.