Shuttle 2000
Many “pilates myths” circulate throughout the pilates community, one of them being that “NASA invented the jumpboard for the reformer.” I personally distinctly recall learning that from one of my early classical teachers, and fully believing it!
This apparatus might explain where that misconception originated from. The article describes the Shuttle 2000, but what the article doesn’t tell you is what Sean Gallagher knows- not only was a prototype tested at the University of BC’s sports and medicine center, but another prototype was actually sent to The Pilates Studio while Wee Tai Hom was the owner.
The Shuttle 2000 had a jumpboard-like attachment so that one could jump horizontally, mimicky how an astronaut would move and exercise in outer space.
Sean recalls learning that when Romana saw the Shuttle 2000, she didn’t like the machine but she did like the jumpboard, which again, was not made for the pilates reformer but was for the Shuttle 2000.
When Sean bought the Pilates Studio business, Wee Tai wanted to give him the Shuttle as well but Sean said no thanks, since he was interested in pilates only.
Historically, we also know that Eve Gentry used a wooden board as a jumpboard, although we do not know if that was from Joe Pilates himself, or an idea that Eve had.
At this point, we still don’t know exactly who prompted the very first jumpboard for Gratz reformers, but we do know that the Shuttle 2000 was the first machine within the original Pilates Studio business that had one.
Image first shared 11/25/2023.
The Tiger Stretch
In the early 1940’s, an apparatus known as The Tiger Stretch was gaining popularity for invigorating muscles, correcting posture, and aiding with digestion. Those interested in the names of archival pilates exercises know that “Tiger Stretch” was also a reformer and junior reformer exercise by Joseph Pilates that had similar positions as to what is shown in this ads for The Tiger Stretch machine.
Joe was known for referencing cats when he spoke of the influences to his work, and Joe’s Tiger Stretch most likely came from his observations. In my opinion the similarities between Joe’s exercise and this apparatus are coincidental, although they both seem to have originated around the same time period.
Rolling a Barrel for Health
This early 1920s article shows what might be considered one of the first versions of a barrel exerciser, or a precursor to Joseph Pilates work on “The Barrel.” Images first shared 11/25/2023.
Original Resister Chart
This original Resister chart comes from the research of Cathy Strack and was first presented in full, as well as in workshop form, at Pilates at The Pillow® Fall 2018! Images first shared May 11, 2023.
So grateful to Cathy’s hard work in uncovering amazing historical items like this so that we can continue to learn the depth of Joe’s original work!
And grateful to Sean Gallagher for creating a derivative poster of the same series. If you’d like a copy for yourself, visit the PilatesPosters Etsy store!
Join Sean every Tuesday for his Resister Springs class, where you can practice these archival arm, leg, and head springs exercises with feedback and guidance from Sean. Sign-up here!
Related Topics: Atlas Athletic
The History of the Small Barrel
This Pilates Source® discovery was first presented at Pilates at The Pillow® Spring 2022 by Sean Gallagher and Elaine Ewing. Within Joe Pilates’ original library (part of Sean Gallagher’s Pilates Archives®) we found a 1940s book about cabinet making with these images and plans inside. Amazingly, the structure and design of the cabinet is almost identical to the original small barrel in Sean Gallagher’s Pilates Archives®, and possibly how Joe Pilates was inspired to create his barrels in general. Images first shared May 11, 2023.
Learn More: Original Pilates Apparatus
Oldest Known Pilates or Universal Reformer Ad
This original ad is believed to have been placed by Joseph Pilates in Germany in the early 1920s, before he came to the US. It is the oldest known Pilates or Universal Reformer ad known to date. Here we also have the English translation. The ad contains many fascinating insights into Joe’s early ideas for his equipment and method that he later refined and developed. Images first shared May 11, 2023.
Related Topics: Contrology Advertisements, Pilates Patents
Wunda Chair
Have you ever “Wunda-ed” why Joe called his chair, The Wunda Chair?
Or where he might have gotten the idea for a sprung seat and sprung back? (Did you know his original Wunda Chair had springs in the back AND the seat? (Check the patent below to see what I mean)!
Through my pilates history research I was able to find these ads from the 1930’s, for furniture called the “Wunda Chair.”
These chairs were advertised with such terms as “made with a spring back and deeply-sprung seat,” “patent spring seat,” and “the ‘Wunda’ sprung seat.”
Interestingly, Joe also patented his Wunda Chair in the 1930’s.
There is a very good chance that these chairs were Joe’s original inspiration for his Wunda Chair, based on the name of the chair, and spring loaded seat and back.
Over the years I’ve read and heard speculation as to where he got the name for the Wunda Chair, including that he named the chair after his client, “Cathy Wunda.” This historical evidence shows that the likelihood is that he knew of the furniture called a “wunda chair” and made it himself, in his own way, that fit within his ideas for Contrology.
All images first shared on 9/18/2021.
Here we can see how Joe’s original Wunda Chair patent also had “a spring loaded seat and back.”
