Yoga versus Pilates

Written by Elements

Yoga and Pilates have been the buzz workouts for the past couple decades but what are these workouts and which is right for you?

Let’s talk history.

Yoga was created in India as long as 5,000 years ago and made it’s way to the Western world about 100 years ago. It is focused on creating harmony between the mind, body, and spirit. The goal is to create equal strength of all muscle groups; Socialism for the body. It promotes mental and physical balance through a series of poses and a focus on breathing. Yoga focuses emotions as well as physical sensations.

Pilates is a baby compared to Yoga. Joseph Pilates created the program in Germany in the 1920s. Born with rickets, asthma, and rheumatic fever, Pilates became obsessed with the frailties of the body and how to overcome them. He migrated to New York City in 1926 and opened a studio above and the New York City Ballet location. Many dancers embraced his style.

You don’t need to have rhythm to get a dancers body with the Pilates method. It focuses on building strength and flexibility but not bulk. Pilates’s intelligent design allows you to get double the results with the same energy and effort of traditional workouts.

So which should you chose?

Yoga and Pilates are very similar; the main difference is what they emphasize. Yoga centers on poses and breathing, while Pilates is more focused on movement and the development of the core. Yoga emphasizes flexibility where as Pilates focuses on toning. Both promote mindful movement and the connection between mind and body fitness.

Yoga is a spiritual experience that takes focus and an open mind. There is a strong meditative aspect to Yoga and the focus is mind and body harmony over a perfect body. The emphasis is peace.

Pilates is more of a functional workout. If Indian terminology and hands on instructor is a bit too granola for you, then Pilates may be the workout to chose.

Try both. Some days when you are reaching for the self help book it may be a good time to free your mind in a Yoga class. Other days the thought of contorting your body to look like a lotus seems torturous. Pilates and Yoga are non-competitive and nurture a no judgments atmosphere. Work at your own pace and the results will amaze you.

Namaste