Pilates and The Pilates Equipment

Most people have heard of "Pilates". 
The movement program was created by a man named Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, which he originally developed to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body.

During World War I, he became a caretaker to many of the internees struck with war time disease and physical injury.  He began devising equipment to rehabilitate his patients using materials he had at his disposal, such as hospital bed frames and mattress springs.  He rigged them to create spring resistance, and movement for the bed-ridden. He also created a series of thirty-four exercises performed on a mat.

He was a pioneer in the world of mind-body fitness, combining resistance training, stretching, full body movements, breathing and mental focus into an exercise system that creates a strong supple and intelligent body.

The equipment is cleverly designed using spring resistance training, making it quicker and easier to correct muscular imbalances when compared to traditional training methods.

People from all walks of life, from the super fit to the disabled have benefitted from the wonderful system that Joseph Pilates invented.