Designed to challenge your strength, flexibility and coordination, Pilates aims to put your body in perfect balance. During WWI, Joseph Pilates served as an orderly at a military camp, working with bed-ridden patients. Many of these patients were not able to move, but that did nothing to deter Pilates' determination to help them gain strength and mobility. Experimenting with his patients and on his own, Pilates devised a series of controlled exercises that engaged both mind and body. Watching patients carefully, Pilates saw them become more active and alert. The men taking part in Pilates' exercise regime recovered more effectively than those who did not.

At one point Pilates removed bedsprings from beneath the beds and attached them to the walls at or above bed level. These springs were used to excercise. His contraption later inspired the Reformer, a popular Pilates exercise machine utilizing springs, straps, and a box to perform a variety of exercises.

Those who performed Pilates exercises developed a strong immune system and managed to escape a deadly plague that killed many at the time. Not one of Pilates students died from the influenza epidemic of this time which he claimed was due to the result of his work. None of Pilates' followers succumbed even though the camps, where many were located were the hardest hit.

Becoming involved in a Pilates program will change the way you think about your body, exercise, and ultimately your total well-being.