Pilates Blog

Master pilates teacher Romana Kryzanowska being taught by the legendary Joseph H. Pilates over 50 years ago.

Pilates, one of the oldest forms of  exercise has stood the test of time and is now revolutionizing  the way fitness is taught around the world.  We are delighted that we can help fulfill his wish.

“I appeal to those interested in the future welfare of our race, to aid in putting my practical physical education method before the public where it will do the most benefit, and to have them see and test my health producing inventions to the end that mankind can enjoy
God’s blessings – health and happiness.”

Joseph H. Pilates,  1880 – 1967
Return to Life Through Contrology

Review a few of his quotes from Joseph H. Pilates book Return to Life Through Contrology.

“I’m fifty years ahead of my time” Joseph Pilates quotes. Boy, was he right.

• Physical fitness is: “the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure”

• “A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion.”

• “Patience and persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.”

• “I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They’d be happier.”

• The goal of Controlology (Pilates Method) ….. “the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind and the ability to perform life’s daily activities with zest and ease.”

• “I invented all these machines. Began back in Germany, was there until 1925 used to exercise rheumatic patients. I thought, why use My strength? So I made a machine to do it for me. Look, you see it resists your movements in just the right way so those inner muscles really have to work against it. That way you can concentrate on movement. You must always do it slowly and smoothly. Then your whole body is in it.”

• Joseph Pilates said this one year before he died in 1967 at the age of 87. “Contrology (Pilates) is complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit. Through Contrology you first purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then through proper repetition of its exercises you gradually and progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated with all your subconscious activities. “

• “Contrology is not a fatiguing system of dull, boring, abhorred exercises repeated daily “ad-nauseam.” Neither does it demand you joining a gymnasium nor the purchasing of expensive apparatus. You may derive all the benefits of Contrology in your own home.”

My Favorite

• ‘lt is the mind itself which builds the body’.