Pilates vs Yoga

The Differences Might Be The Tools, But Both Exercises Require Physical And Mental Stamina

Pilates vs Yoga. The competition is on! I often get asked about the difference between Yoga and Pilates and which one is better. The answer is simple. It’s all good.

Both these exercise methods tend to get smashed into the same category. The truth is, they are different animals, as different as east and west.

Being a Pilates instructor, I naturally have more to say about Pilates than Yoga, but Yoga is one of my favorite forms of exercise. Let’s look at the differences:

• Pilates vs Yoga: the heritage

Yoga dates back centuries and it’s eastern roots make it a mindful, sometimes meditative, form of exercise. Though the postures are physical in nature, Yoga is really about the mind and living a balanced, peaceful life.

Pilates got its start in the west. German born Joseph Pilates made his exercise method about physical conditioning. There is great emphasis on breathing, control and basically mind over matter, but his exercises are about physical strength.

• the exercises

Both methods require physical and mental stamina. Getting into a Yoga pose and then holding it dispenses stagnant energy and helps to get your chi flowing again. Tension in the body eases as you center your mind and condition your body.

Pilates conditions the whole body and builds strength, flexibility and balance. Your mind gets a workout too, but the emphasis is on looking and feeling better.

• the tools

Perhaps the main difference between Pilates, Yoga and any other form of exercise, comes down to the tools and toys you get to play with. Pilates definitely wins out. Where as Yoga uses a special kind of mat and a few props, Pilates uses machines, mats, and small apparatus to get the job done. It’s fun. Like a playground for adults.

In addition to the mat workout, the Pilates machine work uses added resistance in the form of springs to make it more like strength training Pilates tends to be more dynamic than Yoga and uses the machines to obtain greater load on the muscles.

• the similarities

Both methods are breath oriented, increase physical strength, increase flexibility, encourage use of your mind and can be done in a group or single settings.

So which one is better for you? The one you will stick with and do regularly. That is the better exercise for you. Try them both and find out for yourself just how amazing both Pilates and Yoga are.

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