Return to Life Through Contrology -- Joseph H. Pilates

<p>Is it possible to achieve peak physical health without a gym, workout equipment, or even space to run? If the exercise plan in 1945's <em>Return to Life Through Contrology</em> is followed, it may be. Written and compiled by Joseph H. Pilates and William J. Miller, this short exercise book demonstrates a series of movements at the core of what we now call simply "Pilates." Before it became mainstream, the practice was called <em>Contrology</em>, and it was much simpler than its current, equipment-heavy iteration. </p><p> </p><p>Creator Joseph Pilates was born in Germany, a sickly child who suffered from asthma and rheumatic fever, which caused joint and muscle pain. His father introduced him to gymnastics, body-building, and martial arts at a young age, and Pilates devoted the rest of his life to fitness and bodily health.</p><p> </p><p>As a young man, Pilates was a body-builder and gymnast. After immigrating to England in 1912, he earned a living as a professional boxer and circus performer. He also trained police at Scotland Yard in self-defense. </p><p> </p><p>When World War I broke out in 1914, anti-German sentiment reached a fever pitch, and many German citizens living in England were sent to internment camps. Pilates was among them. He spent nearly the entirety of the war as an internee, first at Lancaster Castle and then on the Isle of Man located between England and Northern Ireland. </p><p> </p><p>During this time, Pilates spent his days training his fellow priso