Caged Lion: Joseph Pilates and His Legacy

I could not put this book down!! Such an interesting and well written book by the author who was actually trained by Joseph Pilates.If you have an interest in Pilates, then this book is a must read.Would highly recommend!!!

I teach Pilates and found this book absolutely fascinating. It is a really interesting to have a book written by someone who knew Joe and Clara and was there in the original studio. It’s an easy to read, entertaining, well written book. It gives details of how Joseph Pilates ran his studio and how Pilates has evolved, how we nearly lost Pilates and the characters involved. If you teach Pilates it’s a must, if you practice Pilates and love it, it will give you an insight into why you do what you do in your class and why your teacher is so picky you do it correctly!

A beautifully written book and such a blessing that we finally get to learn something real about the genius that was JP. Thank you for writing this insightful and warm piece of history.

Not your typical author, not your typical book."Why don't you write a book" ... and so he did. I thought I knew quite a bit about Pilates, but I knew nothing. It's a fascinating account of the life of Pilates as the author knew him. He tries to grasp the later global success. And he tries to trace the earlier years of Pilates.That's where I've come to find the book frustrating. The author explains that there is little evidence for many of the claims that are so often quoted. But "evidence" is so scarce, one must wonder how those stories ever came about.Still, the story of Pilates (or Contrology) is fascinating, and it took a bunch of very dedicated people for it to survive and be accessible.I can't stop talking about this book.

I loved this book and the honesty of the author. It gave me a great insight into the mind of Joseph Pilates his wife Clara and to all he came in contact with that helped to save Pilates to be the prestigious workout/rehap (whatever you want to call it ) that it is today. I loved it and I loved all the very interesting new facts that he gave through his own research, even though we will never really know if they are true or otherwise. It is clear the author did his utmost best to write this with massive love and respect for Joseph Pilates and his work.

This book relates the history of Pilates and gives a good understanding of Pilates practice

I did enjoy this book. A bit like exercises you don't always known why. Seriously was a well written and researched book by some one who knew and admiredJo 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.

A lot to think about as a pilates teacher as you feel you know Joseph Pilates and the Pilates story better having read it. Well written to read quickly. Dispels some of the myths that are repeated but don’t seem to have basis in fact.