Pilates Fitness; the same as yoga?
Due to the fact that both Pilates fitness and Yoga hit the mainstream around the same time, some people assume that they are similar. The truth is, Yoga and Pilates are quite different and though they both offer tremendous health benefits, they work and strengthen the body in completely different ways.
Pilates fitness focuses on the building and development of core strength. It encourages its participants to work their bodies while being aware of protecting and straightening their spine. Yoga on the other hand, focuses on the overall body and places an emphasis on achieving unity between mind, body and spirit. Yoga also primarily involves holding positions of varying difficulty to increase the body’s flexibility. This is not the case with Pilates. Pilates is based more on particular movements and repetitions.
Though proper breathing and mental focus are fundamental in both types of exercise, people who practice yoga are taught to inhale and exhale through their nose only. Where as in Pilates, the participants are told to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth to ensure proper breathing during their exercises.
Another major difference between Yoga and Pilates is the ability to train using machines. Pilates involves many pieces of exercise equipment, such as The Pilates Power Gym, the Reformer and Magic circles that allow a person to perform movements which work the trunk of the body. These exercises can also include varying levels of resistance. Yoga consists of only one essential piece of equipment and that is the floor mat on which any number of positions and movements can be achieved and held.
If someone is trying to decide between these two very beneficial, yet very different, forms of exercise they should first consider what it is that they wish to accomplish. If they are looking for tranquility and unity between body and spirit than Yoga is right for them. If they would rather focus solely on strengthen their body than Pilates fitness may be the better choice.
