As a Pilates instructor, Nanci Kushner has been asked many times about the history of the exercise. Pilates has a rich and interesting history, one that can be traced back to Monchengladbach, Germany. Pilates was first developed by Joseph Pilates, a physical-culturist whose father was an award winning gymnast.

Nanci Kushner is at her core a teacher. During his youth, Joseph studies both the Eastern and Western forms of exercise, and was heavily influenced by yoga. Eventually he developed a system of exercises himself, all designed specifically to strengthen the human mind and body at the same time. Joseph believed that physical and mental health were closely connected.

Growing up, Joseph engaged in many different physical training regimes that were available throughout Germany. The philosophy of Pilates is clear when you consider that Joseph was exposed to many late nineteenth century exercise philosophies, including the belief that exercise could cure ill health. This was known as “corrective exercise”, as well as “medical gymnastics”.

Over the years Joseph began to start developing his own exercise methods using a variety of exotic equipment. The equipment that he created was designed in order to help strengthen, stretch, and align the body. It is clear that many of Joseph’s exercise efforts were designed around the model of his father, a world-class gymnast.

It was when Joseph Pilates published two books on his training method, that Pilates began to develop into a mainstream exercise regimen. The two books, “Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education” and the “Return to Life Through Contrology”, helped Joseph make a name as a physical education specialist.

Joseph’s first students would go on to open their own studios, growing the exercise discipline by spreading it all across Germany. It was not long until the exercise known as Pilates was being practices by fitness enthusiasts all over the globe. While modern Pilates is different from what developed in Germany, many core principles remain the same.

Nanci Kushner has always found the history of Pilates interesting. She enjoys sharing the origin story of Pilates with her students, and hopes to further foster their interest in the exercise.

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