What popular fitness regimen can be traced back to a WWI internment camp?
The popular fitness regimen that can be traced back to a WWI internment camp is Pilates. Developed by Joseph Pilates, a German national living in England at the outbreak of the war, the exercise system originated during his time as an internee in the Knockaloe internment camp on the Isle of Man. Faced with limited space and resources, Pilates devised a series of exercises that could be performed on a mat, focusing on core strength, flexibility, and precise movements, initially to help himself and his fellow internees maintain their physical and mental well-being during their confinement.
Pilates' initial work in the internment camp involved not only mat-based exercises but also innovative uses of the camp's environment. He reportedly attached bed springs to hospital beds to create resistance for bedridden patients, aiding in their rehabilitation and laying the groundwork for the resistance-based equipment that would later become a hallmark of the Pilates method. After the war, Pilates further refined his techniques, which he initially called "Contrology," and eventually emigrated to the United States, where he opened a studio in New York City. His method gained popularity, particularly among dancers, and evolved into the widely practiced fitness regimen known today as Pilates.
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAPSc0lzNRY
https://www.threads.com/@heavyweightwriting/post/DJT5InHzSUl
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