Yoga Vs Pilates

Pilates and Yoga
by Jillian Hessel


You may be wondering: If Pilates and Yoga are both considered mind/body disciplines, what are their similarities and differences? Let's start out with the similarities, and then we'll discuss the differences.


Both Pilates and Yoga use the breath to focus your mental concentration. For example, your instructor may ask you to inhale as you rotate your spine, and exhale as you return to center. The use of the breath in both disciplines yields dual results. Firstly, you are obligated to keep your mind innately focused on the present when you pay attention to your breath pattern. In this way, you are doing a form of active meditation when you do either Yoga or Pilates. Secondly, many of the breathing patterns in both forms of exercise are intended to actually enhance the execution of the movements.

Another similarity is that many of the exercise movements in Pilates (or "poses" as they are called in Yoga) look alike. This is because Joseph Pilates studied Yoga, as well as many other types of exercise, as he was developing his system. Mr. Pilates "borrowed" some of the best things about Yoga, but most of the similarities stop there.

So what about the differences? More importantly, how can you tell if you will like Pilates exercise if you already know you absolutely hate Yoga? To start with, Yoga is not really considered by serious yogis to be a form of exercise. Rather, the poses are considered a preamble to center, calm, and prepare your body for concentrated sessions of seated meditation.

In contrast, Pilates was definitely developed as a logical system of exercises specifically designed to enhance and balance the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the human body. In other words, Pilates is not about sitting still or holding poses — Pilates is about movement! So, if one of the things you dislike about Yoga is the idea of twisting yourself up like a pretzel and holding the pose, don't worry, because you won't be asked to hold any position for long in your Pilates class.

In addition, although both Yoga and Pilates are breath-based disciplines, the primary styles of breathing are quite different. Yoga teaches you to breathe in and out through the nose, which helps to calm the nervous system down. Pilates teaches you to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. The Pilates breathing is called diaphragmatic, whereas Yoga often emphasizes abdominal, or belly breathing.

Why are the breathing styles different? Primarily because Pilates is preparing you for active movement and emphasizes strong abdominal contractions on the exhale, which builds more support in your core muscles. Yoga is working to calm you down and center you for meditation, and there is not the same emphasis on core support. Since these breathing styles are so different, you are going to get a much harder abdominal workout from Pilates than from Yoga, and Pilates will be more energizing and invigorating, while Yoga will calm you down.

Once you understand the similarities and very real differences between these two disciplines, it is easier to understand that Yoga and Pilates are complementary to one another. This should enable you to choose which workout is right for you, depending upon your goals and individual needs.


Benefits of Pilates:


Pilates refreshes your mind and body with the help of some non-strenuous workout. Since, it focuses on proper breathing techniques and instructs on maintaining a correct posture and pelvic alignment, you would be able to learn about the correct body posture and the importance of maintaining one. One can easily learn to control body movements and follow a proper breathing schedule. Remember that proper breathing is extremely essential to reduce stress. Pilates is the best way to build strength without attaining those bulky muscles. Bulky muscles have more tendencies to succumb to injuries. Pilates help in strengthening, lengthening muscles, enhancing muscle elasticity and joint mobility.

Pilates would help you developing a flat abdomen and a strong back. Within few weeks of practice, you would feel enhancement in your joint mobility, flexibility and following a better posture.


Benefits of yoga:


Yoga is an exercise pattern that focuses on physical as well as mental well being of an individual. It works towards enhancing flexibility, lubrication of the joints, tendons and ligaments. You would be surprised to know that yoga is the only medium through which you can offer a massage to all the internal glands and organs of your body. This physical fitness system works towards a complete detoxification of the body and toning of the muscles. Yoga is the best way to keep your body away from diseases.


Compatibility of Breath in Pilates And Yoga

By Caron Bosler - Caron has been teaching Pilates for over 15 years. She received her Yoga Teacher Training from Yoga Vida Gurukul. She is the author of 3 books on Pilates. For more information please go to www.cor-e-nergy.com

By practicing both Pilates and Yoga many benefits can be achieved. But their differences can leave the uninitiated feeling confused and frustrated. As both a pilates instructor and a yoga practitioner, I am often asked how to rectify the main difference: The Breath.

Breath is essential to life. Yet, most people have no idea of how they are breathing! Yoga and Pilates bring conscious awareness to what most people consider an unconscious activity. Unfortunately though, the methods differ vastly on ‘How to Breathe’. Clarity and understanding can only be achieved by looking at the solid principles and valid reasoning of each.

Breath in Yoga is referred to as pranayama. Prana, means life force or energy, and yama means discipline. Pranayama is literally the control of energy through the control of breath. There are two main reasons why focus on breathing during yoga is important: To deepen and utilize the full capacity of the lungs and to intensify the effects of a posture.

In yoga, there are three stages of breathing. The first stage is abdominal breathing, which involves inhaling into the abdominal cavity. In order to achieve this, the diaphragm drops down and the abdomen expands, allowing the air to fill deeply into the lower lungs.

The second stage of inhalation is called thoracic breathing. This stage requires the expansion of the rib cage. Think of inhaling into the back and sides of the ribs as well as the front.

The third stage is clavicular breathing. Most people over-exaggerate this aspect when initially attempting to understand the movement. Place your fingertips lightly on your collar bones. Close your eyes and gently breathe normally. Feel the slight rise and fall of the collar bones as you inhale and exhale. Try not to over-exaggerate the movement by raising and lowering the shoulders.

In yoga, each inhalation starts with the abdomen, then moves into the thoracic region, and finally into the clavicular region. Throughout inhalation, the muscles surrounding the lungs are actively working, and during exhalation the muscles are passive. This does not mean focus is not maintained throughout! During an exhalation, the exact reverse must be accomplished. Think of the collar bones relaxing back to their original position, and then the ribs softening, and finally the abdomen.

The breath in Pilates is called Lateral, or Thoracic Breathing and is slightly different from the way in which breathing is performed in yoga. While the process of inhalation varies, the intention is the same. In both modalities the breath dictates the movement. In Pilates, the effort of an exercise is usually done on the exhale by pulling the navel into the spine. The easiest way to explain this is to try a simple exercise. Place your hands on the sides of your rib cage with your fingertips pointing towards each other. Inhale and breathe into your hands. As you exhale, let your ribs relax. On your next inhale, think of breathing into your back and hands. On your next exhale, let your ribs fall. While performing each Pilates exercise, think of breathing fully and deeply into the sides and back of the rib cage.

Joseph Pilates use to tell people to think of squeezing, ‘every atom of impure air from your lungs in much the same manner that you would wring every drop of water from a wet cloth.’

While each method has valid reasoning underlying its principles, they are fundamentally different. Practicing each method fully - with it’s own principles, backgrounds, (and in the case of Yoga traditions) can only enhance and deepen greater understanding.