The History of Pilates (and Where the Reformer Came From)
I get asked a lot about where Pilates actually comes from, and where the Reformer fits into it all. So I thought I’d put together an easy read version of the story for you, from the man himself right through to what we do together every week.
Who Was Joseph Pilates?
Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1883. As a child he was often unwell, dealing with rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. Rather than let that hold him back, he became fascinated with the body and how it moves. He studied anatomy and animal movement, got seriously into bodybuilding, gymnastics and diving, and explored both Eastern and Western practices like Yoga and Tai Chi.
In 1912, aged 32, he moved to England. When the First World War broke out, he was interned on the Isle of Man. It was here, working with fellow internees, that he began developing his method, taking inspiration from the way animals move, cats especially. He’s even said to have built early versions of his apparatus to help injured prisoners of war recover.
From Contrology to Pilates
After the war, Joseph moved back to Germany, then emigrated to America in 1926, turning down an offer to train the German army along the way. On the boat to the US he met a nurse named Clara, who became his wife. Together they opened the first Pilates studio in New York in 1926. What Joseph originally called Contrology, “the art of control”, gradually became known as Pilates.
His method was built around 34 original mat exercises. I still have my own printed copy from when I did my Level 3 Mat training back in 2013, and I refer back to it often. These 34 movements are the foundation of everything, the exercises we can all practice at home, that build the strength, stretch and mobility our bodies need for everyday life.
In 1945, Joseph published a book called Return to Life Through Contrology, which included photos of him demonstrating each exercise along with his own descriptions. His thinking still feels relevant today, arguably more so now, given how much time we spend hunched over screens.
The Apparatus, Including the Reformer
Joseph didn’t stop at the mat. He invented a whole range of equipment to support the practice, including the Reformer, Wunda Chair, Cadillac, Spine Corrector and Ladder Barrel. The idea was always the same: use the apparatus to help the body move better, so the mat practice itself improves.
His New York studio soon attracted a following of dancers, and from there, Pilates began to spread.
Keeping the Method Alive
Joseph never wrote down instructions for how his legacy should continue, but he firmly believed in the lasting value of his work. After he died, it was his wife Clara and his most devoted students, now known as the “Elders” or First-Generation Teachers, who carried it forward. Rather than simply copying him, they interpreted, adapted and built on his method, which is part of why we see so many different styles of Pilates today.
Some of these key First-Generation Teachers were Ron Fletcher, Romana Kryzanowska, Eve Gentry, Carola Trier, Kathy Grant, Lolita San Miguel, Mary Bowen and Alan Herdman.
How Pilates Reached the UK
Alan Herdman is a big part of the Pilates story here in Britain. He trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance and was sent to New York in 1969 to learn Pilates directly from Carola Trier and Bob Fitzgerald, both of whom had trained under Joseph himself. Alan brought it back and opened London’s first Pilates studio in 1970. By the early 1980s, word of mouth had spread it into the medical world too, with doctors and physiotherapists starting to recommend it to patients dealing with chronic injuries.
Mat Work: The Backbone of It All
Whatever apparatus is involved, the mat work remains at the heart of Pilates. Joseph believed that anyone who could work through his full mat sequence smoothly, without stopping, would build a body capable of standing up to the demands of everyday life. The Reformer was designed to support that mat practice, not replace it, helping the body develop off the mat so it can perform better on it.
Both mat and Reformer Pilates strengthen the smaller, often overlooked muscles that support our bigger ones. With regular practice you’ll notice improvements in body awareness, posture, strength and joint mobility. But most importantly, Pilates helps your body function better, physically and emotionally, so you can keep doing the things you love, from picking up grandchildren to keeping up with your favourite hobbies and sports.
What Makes Up a Reformer
For anyone curious about the machine itself, here’s what you’re looking at:
Before every Reformer session, a few safety checks matter: making sure the stopper and gear bar line up, the shoulder pads are secure, and the straps are even in length. It’s a good habit for everyone to get into.
The Reformer also needs to be set up for the individual using it, someone taller, for example, will need the footbar and stopper in a different position. And like any well-loved piece of kit, it needs regular care: checking springs and straps for wear, and giving it a wipe down with a microfibre cloth and a bit of water and washing-up liquid after each use.
Classical vs Contemporary Pilates
You may have heard people talk about “Classical” and “Contemporary” Pilates, so here’s the simple version.
Classical Pilates sticks as closely as possible to Joseph’s original method, in the order and style he taught it, as laid out in Return to Life Through Contrology. It’s structured, precise, and for the right person, incredibly effective.
Contemporary Pilates takes those same core principles, breath, control, centring, concentration, flow and precision, and builds on them using decades of movement science, anatomy and rehabilitation research. It’s more adaptable, allowing exercises to be modified or blended with other approaches to suit the person in front of you.
When I trained back in 2013, it was rooted firmly in the classical approach, but I was also taught how to adapt every single exercise to suit the individual. It gave me a brilliant foundation. It’s worth remembering too that Pilates was originally taught one-to-one. As it grew and moved into group classes, the whole approach naturally had to evolve, teaching a room full of different bodies, histories and goals is a very different skill to teaching one person at a time.
A Few Fun Facts
Even the Pilates community has had its dramas. In 1996, a legal battle broke out over who actually owned the word “Pilates,” when Sean Gallagher sued Balanced Body for using it. In 2000, the court ruled in Balanced Body’s favour, deciding that “Pilates” was a generic term, just like “yoga” or “aerobics.” Testimonies from Romana Kryzanowska and Ron Fletcher, two of the original Elders, helped settle the case.
I hope that gives you a nice bit of insight into where it all began, and why what we do together, whether on the mat or the Reformer, is rooted in something with real history and heart behind it.
Laura
