Who owns the Pilates trademark?
Pilates is named after Joseph H. Pilates, the man who developed the exercise regimen back in the 1920s. Purists devoted to Joe’s original teachings believe the word “Pilates” should be trademarked specifically for this tradition and not for the variations on the theme that have emerged throughout time. However, in a 2002 landmark court case, it was legally determined that the word “Pilates” is a generic noun that can apply to both Joseph’s specific approach and the exercise adaptations it inspired. Some camps feel this dilutes the credibility of the word (and to be fair, there are some less-than-scrupulous programs and practitioners jumping on the Pilates bandwagon), but others believe it is time the word got off its perceived pedestal and joined the popular vernacular that denotes an exercise method – much like the word “yoga” or “karate” does. Several reputable training programs have emerged that teach a Pilates-inspired regimen, and new accessories are being added to the mix as the
Pilates is named after Joseph H. Pilates, the man who developed the exercise regimen back in the 1920s. Purists devoted to Joe’s original teachings believe the word “Pilates” should be trademarked specifically for this tradition and not for the variations on the theme that have emerged throughout time. However, in a 2002 landmark court case, it was legally determined that the word “Pilates” is a generic noun that can apply to both Joseph’s specific approach and the exercise adaptations it inspired. Some camps feel this dilutes the credibility of the word (and to be fair, there are some less-than-scrupulous programs and practitioners jumping on the Pilates bandwagon), but others believe it is time the word got off its perceived pedestal and joined the popular vernacular that denotes an exercise method – much like the word “yoga” or “karate” does. Several reputable training programs have emerged that teach a Pilates-inspired regimen, and new accessories are being added to the mix as the
Pilates is named after Joseph H. Pilates, the man who developed the exercise regimen back in the 1920s. Purists devoted to Joe’s original teachings believe the word “Pilates” should be trademarked specifically for this tradition and not for the variations on the theme that have emerged throughout time. However, in a 2002 landmark court case, it was legally determined that the word “Pilates” is a generic noun that can apply to both Joseph’s specific approach and the exercise adaptations it inspired. Some camps feel this dilutes the credibility of the word (and to be fair, there are some less-than-scrupulous programs and practitioners jumping on the Pilates bandwagon), but others believe it is time the word got off its perceived pedestal and joined the popular vernacular that denotes an exercise method – much like the word “yoga” or “karate” does. Several reputable training programs have emerged that teach a Pilates-inspired regimen, and new accessories are being added to the mix as the
