Pilates moved to the UK in 1912 but was taken prisoner of war during the first world war because of his nationality. During his internment he developed a fitness regime for his fellow internees where he was given credit for the fact that none of them developed the flu epidemic that killed thousands. He worked as a nurse during this time and used hospital beds as equipment for his exercise routines where he removed bed springs and attached them to the wall so that the inmates could follow the regime while lying in their bed.

After the war he returned to Germany and then moved to the United States in 1926 where he met and married his wife Clara. He set up his first exercise studio in New York with his wife and his studio and the Pilates method soon became popular within the dance world. By the 1960’s dancers, actors, gymnasts and athletes became regular visitors to his studio. Many legendary names from Hollywood and the dance world have benefited from the technique – Martha Graham, Gregory Peck, Katherine Hepburn and George Balanchine who invited Pilates to work with his ballerinas in the New York City Ballet.

Pilates is practised in one of two ways:- matwork where exercises are performed on a floor mat, sometimes using small equipment such as isotoner, mini ball or the foam roller. The other method is using large equipment which is called the reformer. There are other pieces of equipment known as the Cadillac, wunda chair and arc barrel.