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Pilates vs. Yoga - The Sexy Truth
Pilates or Yoga are very popular and more and more people are practicing them to increase strength, flexibility, and to reduce stress. What are the similarities and differences between Pilates and Yoga?
The goal of yoga is to keep the body supple through movement and stretching. Yoga movements are executed on a special Yoga mat. The body's own weight is used for resistance and a focus is accorded to the movement from one posture into the other. There are many different Yoga styles.
Pilates on the other hand is physical conditioning first and foremost. Pilates exercises stretch and strengthen and are unique in their ability to encourage coordination between the muscles that stabilize the body. The major difference is that the Pilates technique not only has a full complement of matwork, but it incorporates work on Pilates machines. The emphasis of the exercises is to strengthen the abdominals, improve posture, stabilize and lengthen the spine, improve balance and overall strength. Pilates gives you a longer, leaner, body.
Pilates works the whole body, emphasizing control, precision and concentration in both the mind and the body. Movements are not performed rapidly. The low impact nature of Pilates makes it ideal for injury prevention and rehabilitation of injuries. Pilates features six principles- concentration, control, centering, breathing, flow and precision. The balance between strength and flexibility creates a healthy, vigorous and symmetrical workout for all muscle groups resulting in a leaner, more balanced, and stronger body.
Generally speaking, I think it's fair to say yoga is more about how it makes you feel while Pilates is about how you look -- how you carry yourself and move.
