Confessions of the influenced

"In 1914 Joseph Pilates was sitting in a World War I-era internment camp watching his fellow inmates waste away when he had an idea. As he later recounted to a journalist, the skinny prison courtyard cats kept spry and limber, stretching and moving even as they starved - could the German citizens interned in the camp at the Isle of Man do something similar? Pilates developed what would later become his namesake: a regimen of repetitive, controlled body movements with minimal equipment focused on flexibility and strength."

"The practice has come a long way since, especially in the last few years. An industry report found Pilates is the fastest-growing mode of exercise, and subscription service ClassPass named it the most popular class type of 2024. Along with the boom, there is a new wave of cultural cachet - and sometimes ridicule - that comes with practicing Pilates, the same way yoga strayed from its roots to become part of the crunchy wellness culture of the 2010s."

Joseph Pilates devised a low-equipment regimen in a 1914 internment camp, inspired by cats that remained limber despite starvation. The method emphasizes repetitive, controlled movements targeting flexibility and strength. Pilates transitioned from a survival practice to a mainstream fitness modality and now ranks among the fastest-growing exercise trends, with ClassPass naming it the most popular class type of 2024. The surge has brought cultural cachet and occasional ridicule as Pilates became linked to an aspirational lifestyle. Social platforms like TikTok amplify a distinctive aesthetic of mirrored studios, slender practitioners, and viral, music-driven clips. One practitioner previously disliked Pilates but reengaged after encountering online content while seeking exercise guidance.

Read at The Verge