Yoga Vs. Pilates

We break down the differences between the two, so you guys can gauge which workout is best for you…

 

Yoga aims to help you feel happier, more energetic and at peace with yourself. It creates flexibility and is supposed to help in times of stress. It is considered a tried and true workout for overall health and well-being.

 

Yoga is about creating balance in the body through the development of suppleness and strength. This is achieved by the performance of postures or poses. A lot of focus is directed on the flow from one posture to another and your body’s own weight is used for resistance. 

 

There are many different styles of Yoga you can choose from. It can be calm and leisurely or fast-paced and challenging, it can be preformed at home alone or in a gym class with aid from an instructor. There is a style to match everyone’s wants and needs.

 

Pilates has much of the same goals of Yoga and is similar in the way that it uses a series of controlled movements. A general view many people have is that Pilates focuses more on strength, while Yoga focuses more on stretch.

 

Pilates is based on six basic principles that aim to help the body move more efficiently and with minimum amount of impact. The principles include; centering, concentration, control, precision, breath and flow.

 

Pilate’s techniques are preformed with the focus on quality not quantity and can include work on specialised Pilate’s machines. The goal of the exercises is to strengthen the abdominals and stabilise and lengthen the spine in order to improve balance, posture and overall strength. 

 

Many people do it with the hope of achieving a longer, leaner body, and the low impact nature of Pilates makes it ideal for injury prevention and rehabilitation.

 

So which of these techniques do you choose? Well both are time-proven and very popular (that has to tell you something!), and with the help of an experienced instructor you can reach any targets you set for yourself; whether it be weight-loss, increased strength and flexibility or general health and well-being. It is up to you…