Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising that Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education

by Joseph H. Pilates

First published in 1934, this new reprint of Your Health includes Joseph Pilates' early Twentieth Century philosophies, principles, and theories about health and fitness. He bases his work on the concept of a balanced body and mind, drawing on the approach espoused by the early Greeks. While some of his personal philosophies reflected early 20th Century viewpoints, his athletic and fitness doctrines were years ahead of his time. Readers will learn his observations and conclusions about people's approach to physical fitness. He describes the results of decades of scientific study, experimentation and research into the variety of troubles and ills that upset the balance of body and mind. Pilates makes extraordinary claims about the benefits of his defined science of Contrology and very specifically defines this science for all to read and understand. In this book, he exemplifies and clarifies the beneficial impact of his work.

Genres: Health

66 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1998

Reviews

[Julene · Rating 2 out of 5]

This dude would've fit right in with the rest of the Amazon self-publishing experts out there. This drawn out treatise against the "modern" (...) lifestyle proved of little value. I'm on board for Contrology, but not the rest.

[Stephanie Rhiannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those interested in learning more about Pilates and Contrology, this is certainly an interesting read. Getting inside of Joseph Pilates’ head is definitely not what I thought it would be.

It was striking to me how repetitive and unfounded his ideas appear in this piece. Time and time again he calls doctors and scientists “quacks” with unproven fitness programs, yet he does very little to try to prove the scientific backing of his own method.

Contrology becomes more of a philosophy than just an exercise program, but it’s not one that I feel I understand well after reading “Your Health.”

There are some points of contention, thrown out nonchalantly by Pilates, that I had to note - he flagrantly admits to being anti-vax, anti-medicine, and somewhat anti-sex. He refers to masturbation as the “curse of mankind.” He also lets slip a racial slur just pages earlier. This book was published in 1934, so it was a different world that Pilates was living in, but it doesn’t sit well with this modern reader.

As a lover of Pilates (the modern exercise method), reading “Your Health” makes me feel a bit ill at ease going into some of his other works.

[Joe Spradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring read for fellow instructors of Pilates. Joseph was a true Humanist. His language is dated but that adds to the fun of reading it through the lens of 1934 society. With his railing against “modern” health solutions, I would be very curious to know his feelings the today of today’s common man.

[Judy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m embarrassed it took me so long to finish this book. I wanted to slam my head into the wall for a good 98% of this. It’s such a short book but trying to a) understand b) relate and c) sympathise with him, took more out of me than expected. I love pilates (the exercises) but my word, this wasn’t what I was expecting it to be.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

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