Pilates developed from the hard work and mind of Joseph Pilates. Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880 and he was a sickly child who suffered from the rickets and asthma among other things. He was never very athletic and as a result of his early limitations, he became determined to help others overcome their disabilities. He worked with veterans during and after World War I, helping them to recuperate from injuries. At this point, he began experimenting with springs as a method of resistance to exercise the patient's muscles. After arriving in America, he and his wife Clara opened the first Pilates studio in New York City in 1926. Joseph Pilates died in 1967, but his techniques continued on with his students who taught others.

The Pilates exercise system focuses mainly on resistance exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles throughout the entire body. Some of the ideas in Pilates originated in various forms of Yoga, but the way they are combined is rather unique to the Pilates method. Many dancers use Pilates as a way to strengthen and tone their muscles. Athletes of all varieties have used these techniques to rehabilitate from injuries.

Although Pilates has numerous proven benefits to everyone, there are some who criticize the technique. One is that Pilates is not a complete exercise program in and of itself. It does not include effective cardiovascular training. Also, if you are looking to build muscle mass, Pilates is probably not for you. Since the system does not promote high impact muscle training, the muscle mass accrued with Pilates is usually less than that found in other exercise programs. It has been proven however, to give you more flexibility and has proven benefits for your entire body.

Today, there are many variations on the Pilates method. There are those who were taught by Joseph Pilates himself and have handed that knowledge down to their students exactly as they received it from the master. There are many more who have added various exercises or changed some of the method, but they still call it Pilates. The advertising can sometimes be deceptive, so just make sure that you are going to get what you want out of the program with a trained, certified instructor.

Whether you are injured, disabled, a beginning exerciser or someone who has been exercising for years, there will be some form of Pilates that is right for you; just make sure you have a competent instructor whom you feel comfortable working with. After all, it is your body and you should have a say in the way it is trained.