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WEIGHT LOSS INFO

Pilates had great determination and dedication to his exercise and became a skilled sportsman in skiing, diving and gymnastics. Pilates was a self defense instructor for Scotland Yard, in 1912. Pilates a German National was named an “enemy alien” in World War 1. During his capture, he started perfecting the methods of the Pilates exercise, and began teaching his fellow inmates. Pilates was able to teach bedridden patients to do exercises, with resistance by utilizing the springs from the hospital beds. Pilates was first designed as a reconstructive form of exercise. It was used mostly for those confined to a bed or chair, injured, or unable to move freely. The crude “exercise machines” was the basis for his later designs.

Pilates claim for the exercise’s efficiency was strengthened in 1919 when an influenza epidemic struck England. None of Pilates trainees where among the thousands killed.

Pilates returned to Germany to perfect his method after being cleared of accusations and released. Through Rudolf Van Laban, the dance community highly regarded Pilates’ techniques and adopted his exercises. After being asked to teach his techniques in the German Army, Pilates immigrated to the United States in 1926. This is where he met his wife Clara and together they opened a studio in New York, with the New Your City Ballet.

New York Dancers made up the majority of Pilates students in the 1960’s. George Balanchine a dancer also had Joseph Pilates teach the ballerinas at the New York City Ballet. As time passed Pilates methods became popular everywhere in the United States as well as New York.

Carola Trier, and Bob Seed, two of Pilates’ students, opened their won studio, demonstrating the methods and techniques, taught to them by Pilates himself. After escaping a Nazi holding Camp, Carola Trier, found solace in fleeing to the United States where she found Pilates in 1940. Already having a dance background and the techniques under her belt, Carola became a contortionist, only stopping when getting injured in 1940. In 1950 Pilates helped Carola Trier to open her own studio.

Bob Seed, a former Hockey player, and avid student of Pilates opened a studio across from Joseph’s and tried to make a competition out of it by opening early in the morning.

There were on instructions left on how to continue the line of Pilates work when Joseph Pilates died. Clara his wife continued with the Pilates studio. A student by the name of Romana Kryzanowska continued their work and became director of the studio in 1970.

A Martha Graham dancer by the name of Ron Fletcher also opened his own studio in Los Angeles in 1970. Clara was impressed that Fletcher had attracted many Hollywood stars and gave him permission to carry on the Pilates name. Fletcher however, made improvements to the exercise regiment.

Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel, two other students, were awarded degrees by the State University of New York to teach Pilates. These were the only practioners to ever be certified by Pilates officially. In 1972 Grant took over the Bendel’s Studio, whilst San Miguel went to Puerto Rico to teach Pilates at the Ballet Concerto de Puerto Rica.

Due to Fletcher’s success in Hollywood, the media covered the Pilates method considerably in the late 1980’s. Pilate’s popularity grew among celebrities as well as average Americans. Today around five million Americans make use of the Pilates method.