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history

Joseph H. Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. It was while rehabilitating disabled people during World War I that Pilates began to create the machines and the exercise regimen that he is famous for today. Pilates used springs from hospital beds to provide resistance for strengthening the body. In the early 1920s, Pilates brought his method of physical and mental conditioning to the United States, and his work quickly gained notice and popularity with dance legends. In the past, mostly dancers, athletes, models and actors have practiced Pilates’ method. However, Pilates studios are opening up all over the country and attracting ordinary people who are discovering its benefits and are tired of the “pumping iron” and high-impact aerobics atmosphere of conventional gyms.