The surprising story of Pilates—the man and the method.
Part biography, part history, and part memoir, “Caged Lion” untangles for the first time Joseph Pilates’s opaque life story and the perilous journey of his exercise program known the world over as Pilates.
This is the story of Joseph Pilates, a gifted man who immigrated to the United States at forty-three with no assets or credentials. He not only invented an exercise regimen—which today is practiced by more than ten million people—but in the process, reinvented himself.
John Howard Steel brings Joseph Pilates and his eponymous exercise regime to life from his unique perspective as a student, friend, and confidant. Joe’s influence profoundly changed Steel’s life; in turn, Steel was crucial for the survival of the Pilates Method and Joe’s legacy. Steel’s vivid account traces the expansion of Pilates from a small cadre of dedicated adherents, through two periods of near extinction, to the global sensation it is today. Steel describes Joseph Pilates’s years as a prisoner during World War I, Joe’s motivation to discover his system of exercises, his inspirational teaching technique, and the unique attraction of the Pilates Method. It’s quite a story.
Jo Pilates. I would recommend this book to anyone who like me is just stating and is enjoying it or someone who has been at the coal face a while and wants to knew the history of their practice.
My greatest disappointment was the book itself - the binding was so terrible that the first 70 pages came apart on the first reading. I treat my books with love and respect - so this was a sad situation in which to find myself .
Joe como nunca visto antes.
História intrigante.
A lot of new information concerning his past in Europe and some new facts with uis life in NYC
The author did a great job in describing Joseph Pilates’s personality.
Your book made me proud of my itty, bitty studio. My studio is not much bigger than Joseph’s 939 Eighth Avenue studio. It is tucked away in the back corner of a cycling store, my lighting is dim, and I can only accommodate four students at a time. This business model is not going to make me a millionaire. However, I sleep good at night knowing I have the ability and talent to get my students to disconnect from their hurried lives and focus on a mind body connection for fifty minutes.
Every practitioner appreciates the genius of Pilates, but to discover through this book the intrigue of Joe Pilates the man, the tumultuous start of the movement and its transition to the Pilates of today was a delightful read. I had some goosebumps moments. Surely it was my mind and body connecting to a well written book on the story of Contrology.
I always wondered how Joe Pilates the boxer, the gruff and stocky man that he was, produced a movement that often leaned towards the graceful and feminine. I found my answer in this book. Some men(like me) instinctively recoil at the thought of a less than masculine pursuit, or being intimidated(or distracted) by a roomful of beautiful bodies in colourful skin tight clothing. This was the reason, as curious as I was about the method, I bugged my wife to make the appointment for trial lesson that day. I could always claim she was the one who dragged me into it reluctantly if things didn’t pan out.
Some of the discovery from this book were fascinating- eg the notion of reformers originating from Joe rehabilitating injured soldiers lying on beds with springs being a myth. Some were eyebrow raising(eg “I made my exercises like movements in sex.. it tricks the body into moving naturally and fluidly like it is having sex, and it strengthens the right muscles, so it improves their sex life”). The slight letdown however was the discovery that the claim of classical pilates being the true and original Joe Pilates method was more an interpretation of the true method of Joseph Pilates by the elders, most of whom had dance background, and no doubt injected many of their dance and ballet influences into the clinical approach of Joe’s original method. I imagine myself to be an exception, but I would have preferred the more clinical approach and less of the fancier moves of today, even if the substance remained true to its origins. Even the colorless attire of the early practitioners will proved helpful in aiding concentration during the workout, although I am sure there will be howls of disapproval today from the many who willingly indulge in distractions.
Overall, a masterly told tale. Kudos to the author. I could not put the book down.
I was intrigued by so many things I would have loved to have been present for: the revelation about the Magic Circle-LOL, the lack of instruction given during sessions, the way the practice was saved again and again by its disciples after Joe made it so difficult to keep a flourishing business although he wanted the world to know the wonders of his regimen. It was interesting to hear about the Pilates litigation issues, the new narrative about what Joe’s life may really have been like and why he may have developed Contrology, even the pictures and sketches leant a veracity to much of those possibilities. This was a fascinating inside look at the man so few knew well. It also gave an interesting look at a famous teacher who was no doubt talented but whose legendary persona was created out of necessity for the business. She then apparently and easily came to believe her own hype - from the perspective of the author, of course. We are grateful to you, Deborah Lessen, Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Endelman & Mr. Steel for helping to preserve Mr. Pilates’ legacy for all the rest of us despite litigation which may have worked against so many us and kept this work out of the light.
If you’re a Pilates instructor or enthusiast I highly recommend this book as a MUST READ. You will enjoy it, find it eye-opening, perhaps even shocking at times, but all around a true story you should read.
It is so fascinating to hear about Joe and Clara and their real lives from someone who was part of their real lives. Just buy the book!
The book is very well written and a fun read even for those who are not familiar with Pilates.
This is one great writer!!! Weather you are a pilates enthusiast or not, you will be entertained without question by this true story about a passionate american immigrant who although ahead of his time, was able to made his legacy real in NYC
Thanks for telling the story, John 👌🏽
Gina Jackson
Pilates4fitness
A wonderful book for us Pilates nerds. Thank you so much.
David G
I devoured this in one sitting. I highly recommend it.