✨ The History of Pilates: From Classical Roots to Contemporary Practice

Whether you’ve just started your Pilates journey or have been practicing for years, understanding where it all began adds depth and appreciation to every movement you make on the mat. Pilates is more than just exercise — it’s a mindful method with a rich history, grounded in functional movement and whole-body health.

🧍‍♂️ Who Was Joseph Pilates?

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates, a German-born visionary who believed that mental and physical health were closely connected. As a child, he suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever, but he was determined to strengthen his body through movement.

During World War I, while interned in a camp in England, Joseph began refining his system of exercises to help rehabilitate injured soldiers — using makeshift equipment like springs from hospital beds. This is where the roots of his equipment-based exercises (like the Reformer) were born.

Later, Joseph moved to New York City in the 1920s, where he opened a studio and worked closely with dancers, athletes, and performers who praised the method’s ability to prevent injuries and enhance performance.

He called his method “Contrology” — the art of controlling the body through precision, breath, and purposeful movement.

💫 Classical vs. Contemporary Pilates: What’s the Difference?

Over time, Joseph’s original method evolved into two main styles of Pilates: classical and contemporary.

🧘 Classical Pilates:

• Stays true to Joseph’s original sequences and order.

• Focuses on the original 34 mat exercises and traditional equipment.

• Moves flow from one to the next with minimal breaks.

• Teaches with a strong emphasis on form, control, and alignment.

• Often taught in a structured, systemised format.

  
  

✨ Contemporary Pilates:

• Builds upon the classical foundation but adapts movements to modern knowledge.

• Incorporates physiotherapy, biomechanics, and functional movement science.

• Allows more freedom in sequencing and exercise selection.

• May use props like resistance bands, small balls, or rings.

• Often more inclusive and adaptable for beginners, injuries, or special populations.

Neither is “better” — they simply offer different experiences. At Move Well Pilates, we lean toward a contemporary approach, blending the integrity of Joseph’s work with modern understanding to make it accessible, safe, and beneficial for everybody.

🌿 Benefits of Pilates

No matter the style, Pilates offers a wealth of benefits:

• Improved posture & core strength

• Better balance, stability, and coordination

• Reduced risk of injury

• Increased flexibility and joint mobility

• Stronger mind-body connection

• Stress relief & improved breathing

• Support for healthy ageing & mobility

It’s a method that grows with you. You don’t have to be flexible or strong to begin — that’s what the practice helps you build.

💬 Final Thoughts

Pilates has stood the test of time because it works. Whether you're here to build strength, relieve pain, reconnect with your body, or simply move better — you're in good company.

If you're new to the practice or just getting started with us, welcome. And if you’ve been with us for a while — thank you for being part of our growing community 💜