Joseph went to England in 1912, where he worked as a self-defence instructor for detectives at Scotland Yard. But at the outbreak of World War 1 he was interned as an 'enemy alien' with other German nationals.

During his internment, he refined his ideas about body conditioning and devised a series of controlled movements that engage the mind and body in developing strong flexible muscles without adding bulk.

He placed an emphasis on developing deep torso strength and flexibility - known as "centering" - to ensure proper posture and reduce the risk of injury, rigging springs to hospital beds so that bedridden patients could exercise against resistance and with assistance; an innovation that led to his later equipment designs.

An influenza epidemic struck England in 1918, killing thousands of people, but not a single one of Joe's trainees died. This, he claimed, testified to the effectiveness of his system.

So what is so good about the Joseph Pilates system?

Pilates develops a strong core, or centre of the body; this consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine.

And it elongates and strengthens muscles in a way that develops elasticity, and with increased joint mobility this balanced strength and flexibility means you're less likely to suffer injuries when engaged in day-to-day activities or more rigorous exercise.

You see, in an unconditioned body, weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger. The result is muscular imbalance - a primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates is designed to evenly condition the whole body helping you enjoy daily activities and sports with greater ease and less chance of injury.

And by training several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements, and by developing proper technique, you can re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion - invaluable for injury recovery, sports performance, good posture and optimal health.

Pilates is also designed to improve the mind-body connection. It can help get your mind in tune with your body; as you focus on letting the tension go with an emphasis on breath, alignment, control and form, you're on the path to a healthier body inside and out.

The quality of movement is valued over the quantity of repetitions leaving participants feeling refreshed not exhausted. And proper breathing is also essential because this helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency - and, of course, learning to breathe properly can also reduce any feelings of stress.

Pilates is promoted as a safe workout. It is designed to be gentle to your body while giving it a challenging workout. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and only partially weight-bearing.

So, if you're looking for a safe and effective way to gently raise your level of fitness, posture and mobility, then Complete Pilates will help you achieve it.