I have always thought of the combination of
Pilates and yoga as the perfect marriage. Both are transformational,
focused methods of movement that facilitate positive change in the body,
mind and spirit. In my opinion, their differences complement one
another in the best of ways. Pilates is known as a "workout," and yoga
as a "practice"; however, the irony here is that, in order to improve at
anything, we have to practice, and when we practice well both Pilates
and yoga are can be exceptional workouts. And as you will see, both are
worthy of your time and attention for innumerable reasons.
Unless
you're very familiar with both—or a trained instructor—it may be
difficult to tell how these two programs are different. In truth, there
is a lot of overlap and similarities between yoga and Pilates. And what
better way to understand them both than with a little history lesson on
each.
Pilates
Born near Dusseldorf,
Germany, in 1880, Joseph H. Pilates had his challenges as a child,
suffering from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. His determination
to heal led to his study of Eastern and Western forms of exercise,
including yoga and ancient Greek and Roman exercise regimens.
By
the time he was 14, Pilates had quickly become a veritable renaissance
man of exercise. Accomplished as a wrestler, diver, skier and a gymnast,
he was even asked to pose as a model for anatomical charts. When World
War I broke out, he was interned for a year in England, and while in the
camp, he taught his fellow internees the physical fitness program he
had developed, boasting that they would emerge stronger than they were
before imprisonment. Those who followed his program are said to have
resisted the influenza epidemic that killed thousands.
Always
curious and compassionate, after encountering soldiers who were disabled
as a result of wartime injuries, he began devising machines using the
springs from old hospital beds to facilitate their rehabilitation. These
machines were the very prototypes of the specialized equipment that is
used in Pilates studios today, which utilize pulleys and springs as
resistance to build strength and increase overall flexibility in the
spine and limbs. These Pilates apparatus, which includes the Reformer, Cadillac (or Trapeze Table), Wunda Chair, and barrels, are still used today to create a body that is uniformly sculpted, powerful and bio-mechanically efficient.
Pilates
fittingly called his method "Contrology," (the study of control) and
believed that it would help people to develop the strength and fortitude
in body and mind, not only to accomplish daily mundane tasks with ease,
but to live life to the fullest.
"Contrology is complete
coordination of body, mind, and spirit. Through Contrology you first
purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then through
proper repetition of exercises you progressively acquire that natural
rhythm and coordination associated with all your subconscious
activities. It develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures,
restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the
spirit." – Joseph Pilates
Often called a "moving
meditation," because of the incredible focus of mind on the body,
Pilates is a non-impact exercise system that emphasizes alignment and
body awareness. Done regularly, Pilates exercises can change people's
bodies, helping them sculpt muscles and improving flexibility. It helps
practitioners develop unmatched core strength, and optimal posture. It
helps to improve breathing and increases efficiency of movement.
Pilates
exercises focus on the "powerhouse," or the stabilizing muscles of the
torso, which support the spine. True for exercises performed both on the
mat and the apparatus, every movement one does in a Pilates workout
emanates from the core, keeping practitioners "honest," by gently
forcing them to use both sides of the body symmetrically. In order to
successfully initiate and achieve a movement, both sides have to
participate equally, giving the dominant, overused muscles a break, and
demanding that the "weaker" underutilized muscles have an opportunity to
participate, hence, literally balancing the body.
Pilates is based on six principles which enable you to learn to move with maximum efficiency while minimizing stress on the body:
- Centering: Strengthening the powerhouse and "corset" muscles of the body, which include the abdominals, pelvis, buttocks and back.
- Concentration: Bringing one's full attention to the form and execution of each exercise.
- Control:
Engaging the mind to unite with the body to economize movement (i.e.
learning to use only the muscles necessary to perform a task, while the
rest of the body relaxes).
- Precision: Employing
the notion that every movement has a purpose, resulting in a "less is
more," and "quality over quantity" philosophy. When a movement is
performed well a few times, there is no need to do more.
- Breath: Moving
in tandem with the breath, resulting in enhanced lung capacity, overall
coordination and facilitating a stronger mind-body connection.
- Flow: Every movement in a Pilates exercise is performed with the grace and ease of a dancer.
Because
Pilates is gentle and challenging at the same time, it is safe and
effective for nearly everyone, irrespective of age or fitness ability,
from expectant mothers to the super fit. It is also a phenomenal
cross-training tool, helping you to maximize the sports and activities
you love the most. Many professional athletes turn to Pilates when they
want to bring their best, and the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil
regularly trains on the Pilates apparatus to perform their awe-inspiring
feats.
The medical community also recognizes Pilates as a
modality that assists with physical therapy. Pilates work is often
incorporated into conventional therapy to facilitate healing and protect
clients from future injury. It's so beneficial, in fact, that many
people continue with a Pilates regime long after they have healed from
their injuries. Pilates also offers tremendous benefit and relief for
people who suffer from chronic conditions, such as arthritis and asthma.
Because every exercise involves deep, diaphragmatic breathing, Pilates
aids specifically in opening the lungs, helping shallow breathers learn
how to breathe properly and build respiratory stamina. Pilates enhances
circulatory function and builds the muscles that surround the joints,
providing a new support, and simultaneously lubricating the joints,
helping to reduce inflammation, which leads to arthritis. Finally,
through the development of a stronger core, and emphasis of neutral
spinal alignment, Pilates helps people to correct postural imbalances,
prevent and heal chronic back pain, and improve overall spine health.
"In
10 sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 sessions you will see
the difference, and in 30 you will have a new body." – Joseph Pilates
Yoga
Yoga
means "to yoke," or "to conjoin." This holistic practice is deeply
rooted in ancient Indian culture that unites the mind, body and spirit
through movement, breathing techniques and meditation.
Yoga's
exact origin and history is uncertain; however, we do know that it is
thousands of years old, the earliest signs of yoga postures having
appeared as drawings on artifacts dating back to 3000 B.C. Yoga was
introduced in the West during the early 19th century where it began as a
movement for health and vegetarianism, and by the 1960s, there was an
influx of Indian teachers who expounded on yoga and are responsible for
the myriad styles we have available to us today. The yogi Swami
Sivananda, a doctor in Malaysia, is best known for codifying the "Five
Principles of Yoga" which are now taught in yoga classes all over the
world and facilitate strength, balance, flexibility, anti-aging and the
curing of illness and disease. These five principles include:
- Asanas (proper exercise)
- Pranayama (correct breathing)
- Saucha (proper diet)
- Dhyana (positive thinking and meditation)
- Savasana (complete relaxation)
The
origin of yoga is a spiritual one. It was originally used as a means to
move energy through the body in such a way that the student is left
feeling calm enough to sit in meditation after the practice. While many
schools of yoga still have these spiritual goals and components, many
others focus on the physical aspects alone—using yoga as a form of
exercise that builds strength, flexibility and balance.
On the
physical level, yoga postures, called asanas, are designed to tone,
strengthen, and align the body, increase flexibility, and promote blood
flow to all the organs, glands, and tissues, keeping all the body's
systems healthy and balanced. Sun salutations, warrior poses, standing
balances, seated forward bends, twists, backbends, inversions and
savasana are all standard poses that you will see in just about any yoga
class, regardless of the style. Nearly every class generally follows a
progression from standing to seated poses. While yoga is practiced by
many with goals of spiritual union and improved health, make no mistake:
It is quite a workout, too. Every muscle gets stretched, strengthened
and challenged is a yoga class.
The yoga philosophy believes the
breath to be the most important facet of health, because it is the
largest source of prana, or life force, we have available to us, and
when we learn to harness it, anything is possible. Hatha yoga, the
primary influence in modern yoga, utilizes pranayama, which literally
means "the science or control of breathing" to help the practitioner
quiet the mind, embrace the present moment and manifest good health.
Achieving
proper alignment in each yoga posture, and moving into greater ranges
of motion while staying connected to one's breath, challenges your
comfort level and leads to transformation from the inside out;
practitioners of yoga often see improvements in patience, physical
strength, balance, flexibility, stress, energy levels and more.
"Yoga
is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, science of
youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul." – Amit Ray
Pilates vs. Yoga: Similarities & Differences
Many
of the exercises you'll see in a Pilates workout are inspired by yoga,
and the postures in yoga are incredibly similar to the shapes and
positions used in Pilates exercises. At the same time, there are
exercises that are completely unique to Pilates as well as those that
are specific to yoga class alone. A major difference is that in yoga,
one generally holds each pose for a longer period of time, while in
Pilates, you move at a slightly faster pace. Rather than holding a pose
longer the way you would in a typical yoga class, staying in one
position and cajoling the body into stretching more deeply through the
breath, in Pilates, the practitioner dynamically extends as far as
possible within a limited amount of time using resistance, core
awareness and breath.
Here are some additional similarities between yoga and Pilates.
-
Both are considered mind-body forms of exercise, intended to cultivate
greater awareness and connection between the body and the mind.
-
Both tend to focus on the "journey" of moving, rather than the end
goal, which can be anything from a stronger, well-toned body to peace of
mind.
- Both encourage you to focus on the present moment and the movement itself rather than the outcome.
-
Both mat-based programs tone and condition the muscles using body
weight as a natural resistance tool. Pilates, however, does have the
option to incorporate machines or "apparatus" to perform exercises.
- Both need little more than a sticky mat to be performed. Yoga also incorporates simple props used to enhance comfort and form (such as blocks, cushions and straps).
Some Pilates mat exercises use props that can either increase the
challenge (by adding resistance) or aid in form, such as the magic
circle (a resistance ring), inflated balls, or resistance bands.
- Both improve circulation and highly oxygenate the system.
A Few Key Differences between Yoga & Pilates
-
Yoga concentrates mostly on increasing strength and flexibility of the
spine and limbs; Pilates focuses on building abdominal strength first,
and then symmetrical musculature as well as overall flexibility.
-
In Pilates, every movement emanates from the center (core) and
extending through the limbs. In yoga, it is the concentration on the
breath, first, then focusing on deepening a pose.
- In yoga,
the primary goal (aside from proper alignment in the poses), is to stay
connected to the breath; in Pilates, the first order of business is the
precision of movement, and then, the coordination of that movement with
the breath.
- The breathing patterns are different in both. In
yoga, for the bulk of the asana practice, the breath is either ujjayi, a
smooth, heat-inducing breath that sounds like the ocean, or
kapalabhati, a rapid breath that creates greater internal heat. In
Pilates, the breath for most exercises is a slow, controlled,
diaphragmatic breath, but a few exercises use a rapid, staccato-like
breath (similar to kapalabhati breathing in yoga).
- In
Pilates, most of the exercises are performed lying down, either prone
(on the stomach), supine (on the back), or side-lying. These movements
aim to defy gravity the entire time, engaging the abdominal center in
order to lift up from the ground to lengthen muscles. In yoga, most of
the poses are done standing, and work with gravity by rooting down into
the earth in order to lengthen the body away from the floor (with the
exception of arm balances and inversions where one tries to defy
gravity). Note that in yoga, there are a number of poses done on the
floor as well, such as seated forward bends, twists, bow pose, and plow,
and in Pilates, there is also standing series, such as the sculpting
series or exercises that integrate the magic circle prop.
My
love of Pilates and yoga began long before their popularity rose and has
served as pillars of strength for me in all aspects of my professional,
athletic and artistic life—conditioning my body, enlivening my spirit,
reinforcing my self-esteem and overall sense of well-being. I continue
to be amazed and delighted every time I teach a class (or I take one!)
at just how simple, yet powerfully transformational Pilates and yoga are
and the positive impact they have on body, mind and spirit. They center
and balance me, making me more aware of myself and my surroundings, so
that I have greater reserves to share good feelings with others,
reminding me of what is truly important in life. All differences aside,
both practices make us into healthier, kinder, more generous, more
connected, conscious people, which, in turn, makes the world a better
place.
What's the best way to really learn how they're
different? Try them for yourself and experience them live! As I've said,
together, they are the perfect combination.
Source
hysical
fitness is incredibly important to a person’s overall health, and there
are a ton of different ways to make sure that you’re taking good care
of your body. Sometimes, however, it seems like you can’t turn your head
without hearing somebody proclaiming the many benefits of things like
Yoga and
Pilates.
What’s interesting, however, is that these two different things can
easily start to seem confusingly similar. While they do, in fact, share a
few similarities, there are some very important differences between
yoga and pilates that make the two forms of exercise distinct from one
another.
Both Yoga and Pilates are considered forms of movement therapy, each
seeking to help their practitioners achieve a sense of balance in mind,
body, and spirit. Each goes about this through the practice of repeated
controlled movements, so it’s perfectly understandable that the two can
start seem very similar. In truth, Yoga is more focused on flexibility
and peacefulness, while the alternative option puts a stronger emphasis
on muscle development, strength, and precision.
One way of describing Yoga’s ultimate goal is the unity of the mind,
body, and spirit. Ideally, when you practice Yoga, your body finds
harmony and is able to heal itself. For these reasons, it is considered
to be very therapeutic. It’s designed to help you connect with your
physical self in a much more immediate way, helping you to improve
things like your posture and alignment. Yoga also helps you to
understand movement patterns and become more flexible. You will use
various poses to reach these goals, and will learn to employ your body’s
own weight as resistance.
Pilates is similar to Yoga in that it achieves its goals through a
series of controlled movements, but it incorporates both matwork and
work that is done on a machine. Specifically, Pilates has a tendency to
focus on your abdominal muscles, your lower back, and your glutes.
Together, these form your “powerhouse,” which is the center of movement
in this form of exercise. One of the best things about Pilates is that,
like Yoga, it’s a very low-impact form of exercise. For this reason, it
is used in a lot of physical therapy courses. It strengthens your
muscles and helps to build a focus on efficient movement with minimal
impact upon the rest of your body. While doing this, it helps you to
improve your concentration, control, and breathing in ways that will
benefit you in your everyday life.
Both Yoga and Pilates are wonderful forms of exercise that will help
you to build and experience a more intimate connection between your
mind, body, and spirit. While each might employ a slightly different
methodology, either will help you learn how to create and maintain a
greater sense of inner balance. From free online resources to local
classes, there are a ton of different ways that you can start learning
either type of exercise, and get on the path to a more peaceful and
physically fit lifestyle
- See more at: http://www.trainbodyandmind.com/2013/03/the-major-differences-between-yoga-and-pilates/#sthash.nqbtZRkP.dpuf
Physical
fitness is incredibly important to a person’s overall health, and there
are a ton of different ways to make sure that you’re taking good care
of your body. Sometimes, however, it seems like you can’t turn your head
without hearing somebody proclaiming the many benefits of things like
Yoga and
Pilates.
What’s interesting, however, is that these two different things can
easily start to seem confusingly similar. While they do, in fact, share a
few similarities, there are some very important differences between
yoga and pilates that make the two forms of exercise distinct from one
another.
Both Yoga and Pilates are considered forms of movement therapy, each
seeking to help their practitioners achieve a sense of balance in mind,
body, and spirit. Each goes about this through the practice of repeated
controlled movements, so it’s perfectly understandable that the two can
start seem very similar. In truth, Yoga is more focused on flexibility
and peacefulness, while the alternative option puts a stronger emphasis
on muscle development, strength, and precision.
One way of describing Yoga’s ultimate goal is the unity of the mind,
body, and spirit. Ideally, when you practice Yoga, your body finds
harmony and is able to heal itself. For these reasons, it is considered
to be very therapeutic. It’s designed to help you connect with your
physical self in a much more immediate way, helping you to improve
things like your posture and alignment. Yoga also helps you to
understand movement patterns and become more flexible. You will use
various poses to reach these goals, and will learn to employ your body’s
own weight as resistance.
Pilates is similar to Yoga in that it achieves its goals through a
series of controlled movements, but it incorporates both matwork and
work that is done on a machine. Specifically, Pilates has a tendency to
focus on your abdominal muscles, your lower back, and your glutes.
Together, these form your “powerhouse,” which is the center of movement
in this form of exercise. One of the best things about Pilates is that,
like Yoga, it’s a very low-impact form of exercise. For this reason, it
is used in a lot of physical therapy courses. It strengthens your
muscles and helps to build a focus on efficient movement with minimal
impact upon the rest of your body. While doing this, it helps you to
improve your concentration, control, and breathing in ways that will
benefit you in your everyday life.
Both Yoga and Pilates are wonderful forms of exercise that will help
you to build and experience a more intimate connection between your
mind, body, and spirit. While each might employ a slightly different
methodology, either will help you learn how to create and maintain a
greater sense of inner balance. From free online resources to local
classes, there are a ton of different ways that you can start learning
either type of exercise, and get on the path to a more peaceful and
physically fit lifestyle.
- See more at: http://www.trainbodyandmind.com/2013/03/the-major-differences-between-yoga-and-pilates/#sthash.nqbtZRkP.dpuf
Physical
fitness is incredibly important to a person’s overall health, and there
are a ton of different ways to make sure that you’re taking good care
of your body. Sometimes, however, it seems like you can’t turn your head
without hearing somebody proclaiming the many benefits of things like
Yoga and
Pilates.
What’s interesting, however, is that these two different things can
easily start to seem confusingly similar. While they do, in fact, share a
few similarities, there are some very important differences between
yoga and pilates that make the two forms of exercise distinct from one
another.
Both Yoga and Pilates are considered forms of movement therapy, each
seeking to help their practitioners achieve a sense of balance in mind,
body, and spirit. Each goes about this through the practice of repeated
controlled movements, so it’s perfectly understandable that the two can
start seem very similar. In truth, Yoga is more focused on flexibility
and peacefulness, while the alternative option puts a stronger emphasis
on muscle development, strength, and precision.
One way of describing Yoga’s ultimate goal is the unity of the mind,
body, and spirit. Ideally, when you practice Yoga, your body finds
harmony and is able to heal itself. For these reasons, it is considered
to be very therapeutic. It’s designed to help you connect with your
physical self in a much more immediate way, helping you to improve
things like your posture and alignment. Yoga also helps you to
understand movement patterns and become more flexible. You will use
various poses to reach these goals, and will learn to employ your body’s
own weight as resistance.
Pilates is similar to Yoga in that it achieves its goals through a
series of controlled movements, but it incorporates both matwork and
work that is done on a machine. Specifically, Pilates has a tendency to
focus on your abdominal muscles, your lower back, and your glutes.
Together, these form your “powerhouse,” which is the center of movement
in this form of exercise. One of the best things about Pilates is that,
like Yoga, it’s a very low-impact form of exercise. For this reason, it
is used in a lot of physical therapy courses. It strengthens your
muscles and helps to build a focus on efficient movement with minimal
impact upon the rest of your body. While doing this, it helps you to
improve your concentration, control, and breathing in ways that will
benefit you in your everyday life.
Both Yoga and Pilates are wonderful forms of exercise that will help
you to build and experience a more intimate connection between your
mind, body, and spirit. While each might employ a slightly different
methodology, either will help you learn how to create and maintain a
greater sense of inner balance. From free online resources to local
classes, there are a ton of different ways that you can start learning
either type of exercise, and get on the path to a more peaceful and
physically fit lifestyle.
- See more at: http://www.trainbodyandmind.com/2013/03/the-major-differences-between-yoga-and-pilates/#sthash.nqbtZRkP.dpuf
Physical
fitness is incredibly important to a person’s overall health, and there
are a ton of different ways to make sure that you’re taking good care
of your body. Sometimes, however, it seems like you can’t turn your head
without hearing somebody proclaiming the many benefits of things like
Yoga and
Pilates.
What’s interesting, however, is that these two different things can
easily start to seem confusingly similar. While they do, in fact, share a
few similarities, there are some very important differences between
yoga and pilates that make the two forms of exercise distinct from one
another.
Both Yoga and Pilates are considered forms of movement therapy, each
seeking to help their practitioners achieve a sense of balance in mind,
body, and spirit. Each goes about this through the practice of repeated
controlled movements, so it’s perfectly understandable that the two can
start seem very similar. In truth, Yoga is more focused on flexibility
and peacefulness, while the alternative option puts a stronger emphasis
on muscle development, strength, and precision.
One way of describing Yoga’s ultimate goal is the unity of the mind,
body, and spirit. Ideally, when you practice Yoga, your body finds
harmony and is able to heal itself. For these reasons, it is considered
to be very therapeutic. It’s designed to help you connect with your
physical self in a much more immediate way, helping you to improve
things like your posture and alignment. Yoga also helps you to
understand movement patterns and become more flexible. You will use
various poses to reach these goals, and will learn to employ your body’s
own weight as resistance.
Pilates is similar to Yoga in that it achieves its goals through a
series of controlled movements, but it incorporates both matwork and
work that is done on a machine. Specifically, Pilates has a tendency to
focus on your abdominal muscles, your lower back, and your glutes.
Together, these form your “powerhouse,” which is the center of movement
in this form of exercise. One of the best things about Pilates is that,
like Yoga, it’s a very low-impact form of exercise. For this reason, it
is used in a lot of physical therapy courses. It strengthens your
muscles and helps to build a focus on efficient movement with minimal
impact upon the rest of your body. While doing this, it helps you to
improve your concentration, control, and breathing in ways that will
benefit you in your everyday life.
Both Yoga and Pilates are wonderful forms of exercise that will help
you to build and experience a more intimate connection between your
mind, body, and spirit. While each might employ a slightly different
methodology, either will help you learn how to create and maintain a
greater sense of inner balance. From free online resources to local
classes, there are a ton of different ways that you can start learning
either type of exercise, and get on the path to a more peaceful and
physically fit lifestyle.
- See more at: http://www.trainbodyandmind.com/2013/03/the-major-differences-between-yoga-and-pilates/#sthash.nqbtZRkP.dpuf
Physical
fitness is incredibly important to a person’s overall health, and there
are a ton of different ways to make sure that you’re taking good care
of your body. Sometimes, however, it seems like you can’t turn your head
without hearing somebody proclaiming the many benefits of things like
Yoga and
Pilates.
What’s interesting, however, is that these two different things can
easily start to seem confusingly similar. While they do, in fact, share a
few similarities, there are some very important differences between
yoga and pilates that make the two forms of exercise distinct from one
another.
Both Yoga and Pilates are considered forms of movement therapy, each
seeking to help their practitioners achieve a sense of balance in mind,
body, and spirit. Each goes about this through the practice of repeated
controlled movements, so it’s perfectly understandable that the two can
start seem very similar. In truth, Yoga is more focused on flexibility
and peacefulness, while the alternative option puts a stronger emphasis
on muscle development, strength, and precision.
One way of describing Yoga’s ultimate goal is the unity of the mind,
body, and spirit. Ideally, when you practice Yoga, your body finds
harmony and is able to heal itself. For these reasons, it is considered
to be very therapeutic. It’s designed to help you connect with your
physical self in a much more immediate way, helping you to improve
things like your posture and alignment. Yoga also helps you to
understand movement patterns and become more flexible. You will use
various poses to reach these goals, and will learn to employ your body’s
own weight as resistance.
Pilates is similar to Yoga in that it achieves its goals through a
series of controlled movements, but it incorporates both matwork and
work that is done on a machine. Specifically, Pilates has a tendency to
focus on your abdominal muscles, your lower back, and your glutes.
Together, these form your “powerhouse,” which is the center of movement
in this form of exercise. One of the best things about Pilates is that,
like Yoga, it’s a very low-impact form of exercise. For this reason, it
is used in a lot of physical therapy courses. It strengthens your
muscles and helps to build a focus on efficient movement with minimal
impact upon the rest of your body. While doing this, it helps you to
improve your concentration, control, and breathing in ways that will
benefit you in your everyday life.
Both Yoga and Pilates are wonderful forms of exercise that will help
you to build and experience a more intimate connection between your
mind, body, and spirit. While each might employ a slightly different
methodology, either will help you learn how to create and maintain a
greater sense of inner balance. From free online resources to local
classes, there are a ton of different ways that you can start learning
either type of exercise, and get on the path to a more peaceful and
physically fit lifestyle.
- See more at: http://www.trainbodyandmind.com/2013/03/the-major-differences-between-yoga-and-pilates/#sthash.nfHMT2fM.dpuf
Physical
fitness is incredibly important to a person’s overall health, and there
are a ton of different ways to make sure that you’re taking good care
of your body. Sometimes, however, it seems like you can’t turn your head
without hearing somebody proclaiming the many benefits of things like
Yoga and
Pilates.
What’s interesting, however, is that these two different things can
easily start to seem confusingly similar. While they do, in fact, share a
few similarities, there are some very important differences between
yoga and pilates that make the two forms of exercise distinct from one
another.
Both Yoga and Pilates are considered forms of movement therapy, each
seeking to help their practitioners achieve a sense of balance in mind,
body, and spirit. Each goes about this through the practice of repeated
controlled movements, so it’s perfectly understandable that the two can
start seem very similar. In truth, Yoga is more focused on flexibility
and peacefulness, while the alternative option puts a stronger emphasis
on muscle development, strength, and precision.
One way of describing Yoga’s ultimate goal is the unity of the mind,
body, and spirit. Ideally, when you practice Yoga, your body finds
harmony and is able to heal itself. For these reasons, it is considered
to be very therapeutic. It’s designed to help you connect with your
physical self in a much more immediate way, helping you to improve
things like your posture and alignment. Yoga also helps you to
understand movement patterns and become more flexible. You will use
various poses to reach these goals, and will learn to employ your body’s
own weight as resistance.
Pilates is similar to Yoga in that it achieves its goals through a
series of controlled movements, but it incorporates both matwork and
work that is done on a machine. Specifically, Pilates has a tendency to
focus on your abdominal muscles, your lower back, and your glutes.
Together, these form your “powerhouse,” which is the center of movement
in this form of exercise. One of the best things about Pilates is that,
like Yoga, it’s a very low-impact form of exercise. For this reason, it
is used in a lot of physical therapy courses. It strengthens your
muscles and helps to build a focus on efficient movement with minimal
impact upon the rest of your body. While doing this, it helps you to
improve your concentration, control, and breathing in ways that will
benefit you in your everyday life.
Both Yoga and Pilates are wonderful forms of exercise that will help
you to build and experience a more intimate connection between your
mind, body, and spirit. While each might employ a slightly different
methodology, either will help you learn how to create and maintain a
greater sense of inner balance. From free online resources to local
classes, there are a ton of different ways that you can start learning
either type of exercise, and get on the path to a more peaceful and
physically fit lifestyle.
- See more at: http://www.trainbodyandmind.com/2013/03/the-major-differences-between-yoga-and-pilates/#sthash.nfHMT2fM.dpuf
