Pilates Then and Now
Joe Pilates and Eve Gentry at his New York City studio
I have practiced Pilates exercises for almost 60 years. I was at the Pilates Studio in Bendels when Joe was still alive. When he died in 1967, his method and machines almost died with him. After Joe's death, his wife struggled to keep the studio running. It wasn't profitable, and those who trained with Joe -- Ron Fletcher, Kathy Grant, Bruce King, and Carola Trier, among others -- weren't interested in taking on a failing studio. Not even Eve Gentry, who was his very first teacher, was interested. In 1968, she moved to Santa Fe and developed her own version. The exception was Romana Kryzanowska, who had nothing and was delighted to take over, even though she lacked business acumen.
A decade ago, an Indian friend of mine remarked on the yoga craze in America, "In India, people aren't leaving their offices at six and going to a yoga class." Many people forget that even though these activities existed, they weren't something the majority of people participated in or discussed. Despite this, it's noteworthy that even today, only about 35 to 40% of people exercise regularly, which is surprising given how often people talk about it. But let's focus on what I know best, Pilates exercises.
When Romana was running the studio, a fraudulent trademark on the Pilates name she applied for and somehow gained led to fear and confusion. This trademark, which was ultimately cancelled on October 19th, 2000 by Judge Cedarbaum of the Southern District Court, made people unsure about whether they could teach or practice Pilates. There was even confusion about the distinction between a patent and a trademark. Joe only patented one of his many inventions, the Universal Reformer, whose patent had expired by then.
In the absence of understanding about the apparatus – the reformer with its leather straps, four equal-tension springs, and no risers – the focus shifted to the exercises. Romana claimed that there were 500 exercises, based on little photos that Joe had taken of himself. He loved being photographed. She copied all of these images, which included every piece of apparatus. Most people know about the reformer, but many aren't aware of the Cadillac, let alone the Chair and the Magic Circle. Additionally, there were numerous other apparatuses like barrels of different sizes, the electric chair, the Pedi-pole, and other foot contraptions. Joe even invented a bed. Such creativity!
In the 70s, 80s, and 90s, even with the claim of 500 Pilates exercises, people struggled to classify some exercises as beginner, intermediate, or advanced. The categorizations eventually developed, but many people still look for Pilates exercises for beginners without really thinking it through. If a person has never exercised, then yes, they are a beginner, but what if someone has been doing barre, calisthenics, or any other form of exercise and then decides to start Pilates? They're not really a beginner because they've already been moving. Most of the Pilates exercises are just like any other exercise.
People often search for Pilates exercises for the core, a term that became popular in the 90s when crunches and 6-pack abs were all the rage. For many in the industry, we are talking about the entire torso, not just the waistline. Unlike other forms of exercise, everything in Pilates initiates from the core or the powerhouse, which is now a given. Sophisticated Pilates practitioners focus on deep connections from the foot arch all the way up through the inner thigh, into the pelvic floor and abdomen, then up to the roof of the mouth and the top of the head. So, it's not merely about the navel to spine or just the powerhouse.
The fascination with the core or the powerhouse speaks to people's growing self-awareness, even if from my perspective, after 60 years in the field, it can seem rather fundamental. Nonetheless, Pilates is experiencing another resurgence. The publicity in the 90s, largely due to the trademark dispute, helped solidify its place in popular culture. Stories of Joe in internment camps during World War I, crafting exercise equipment from bedsprings, certainly captured the public imagination.
The "medieval torture device" that was Joe's apparatus became a part of the fitness conversation. People desired to learn Pilates exercises. And then it expanded and expanded, with growth rates at some points reaching 30% a year. Only the tech industry could compete with that. Now, in 2023, there's a renewed interest, with more and more people searching for Pilates exercises, particularly Pilates exercises for beginners.
Why this resurgence? That's something I can't answer yet. I'm still analyzing this phenomenon. When I understand it better, I'll write another blog post. But for now, thank you very much for reading.
