Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany.As of 2005, there are 11 million people who practice the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States.Pilates called his method Contrology (from control and Greek -λογία, -logia), because he believed his method uses the mind to control the muscles. The program focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and which are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles.

History of Pilates
Pilates was designed by Joseph Pilates, a gymnast born in Germany of partly Greek ancestry.He designed a system of exercises during the First World War with the proposal to improve the rehabilitation program for the many returning veterans. Joseph Pilates believed that mental and physical health are inter-related.[citation needed] He recommended a few precise movements emphasizing control and form to aid injured soldiers in regaining their health by strengthening, stretching, and stabilizing key muscles. Pilates created "The Pilates Principles" to condition the entire body: proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement.Joseph Pilates wrote two books related to the Pilates method: Return to Life through Contrology (1928) and Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education (1934).

Use and apparatus
The original Pilates repertoire was 34 exercises done on the floor on a padded mat (matwork), but Joseph Pilates later invented several pieces of apparatus, each with its own repertoire of exercises. Most of the repertoire done on the various pieces of Pilates apparatus is resistance training since it makes use of springs to provide additional resistance. Using springs results in "progressive resistance", meaning the resistance increases as the spring is stretched.The most common piece of apparatus is the Reformer, but other apparatus used in a modern Pilates studio includes the Cadillac (also called the Trapeze Table), the Wunda Chair, and the Ladder Barrel. Lesser used apparatus includes the Spine Corrector (Step Barrel), the Guillotine Tower, the Arm Chair, the Ped-a-Pul (Pedi-Pole), and the Foot Corrector.There are also many props used in Pilates including the Magic Circle, invented by Joseph Pilates, small weighted balls, foam rollers, large exercise balls, rotating disks, and resistance bands. However, some in the Pilates community, particularly the Pilates Method Alliance, maintains that exercises done on any piece of apparatus not designed by Joseph Pilates, such as large or small exercise balls, should not be called Pilates.Whether using the additional resistance of springs on Pilates apparatus, or the constant resistance of gravity in mat work, the Pilates repertoire builds strength, develops proper alignment and posture, and increases flexibility.