The inventor of the pilates method, originally called 'Contrology' was Joseph Pilates born in Germany in 1883. He suffered from a number of childhood illnesses including asthma, rickets and rheumatoid arthritis and doctors told his parents to expect a short life expectancy. But Joseph proved them all wrong. Through experimenting in many different health and fitness approaches  he eventually combined yoga, martial arts, gymnastics, skiing self-defence, dance, circus training and weight training and created his own unique method that he named 'Contrology' later re-named Pilates where he re-built his own body strength and fine physique.

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Joseph lived through the war years and often taught his unique fitness method whilst being held in confinement and claimed it was the entire reason his fellow internes did not die from the influenza epidemic that killed thousands in 1918.

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In 1926 he emigrated to the USA and met his future wife Clara on the boat to get there. He continued to teach his method in a New York studio with his wife Clara. Due to their close proximity to the New York Ballet many dancers sought out Joseph when they were injured, they then went on to become his assistants and greatly influenced the way in which his method evolved.

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His belief in the value of self discipline and the importance he placed on pilates fundamentals such as core strength would be clinically recognised in research studies carried out more than 20 years after his death. Joseph Pilates was a pioneer of his time.