The Pilates Method was developed by the late Joseph Pilates, born in Germany in 1883. Being a frail child, he turned to physical fitness programs to improve his body image and became a keen sportsman developing talents in diving, gymnastics and boxing.

He studied many disciplines, including yoga, martial arts, circus training, gymnastics and body building. Drawing from each of them he formulated a system he called 'contrology' – now known as the Pilates Method.

Moving to New York in the 1920's, his studio soon attracted the city's elite with actors, dancers and athletes finding that his exercises perfected and complimented their traditional program and catered for their individual needs.