Pilates Vs. Yoga

In the recent times, specially after the increased popularity of Pilates in the general fitness circles, many people confuse Pilates with yoga. Some people are of the opinion that Pilates and yoga is the same thing while others think of Pilates as part or branch or yoga just like Hatha yoga, Ashtanga yoga, or Bikram yoga. As a matter of fact, both of the viewpoints are wrong as Pilates is a separate exercise routine, which shares only a few similarities with yoga in terms of the end results as well as the techniques and methods, which are used to achieve those end results. These techniques are mainly the unique sequence of movements in the case of Pilates while as far as yoga is concerned, these techniques to achieve physical and mental healing consist of various yoga poses, which are also known as yoga positions. These yoga movements or Pilate’s movements contribute towards helping the body to build a higher level of resistance, which helps it to carry out the movements or the postures in a more effective way.

Having discussed the similarities shared by Pilates and yoga, it is time to observe the differences existing between the respective regimes of fitness. From the historical perspective, while Pilates has only been a recent development only a century old, yoga is a practice of the historic times, which originated thousands of years ago in the region of Northern India. As a matter of fact, yoga, itself, has been one of the major sources of inspiration in the development of Pilates. In the case of yoga, the use of a yoga mat is very common as it eases and improves the entire yoga experience. As far as Pilates goes, the use of mat is there in the very fitness routine yet at the same time Pilates exercises are not exclusively performed on a mat. There are some Pilates machines also, practicing on which could give one a graceful and sculpted physique.

Speaking about clothing and apparel, both yoga clothing and Pilates apparel are preferred to be fitted cotton clothing. However yoga clothes are preferred to be of a more loose fitting, which makes the yoga experience more relaxing and convenient as there are certain postures in yoga, which become difficult to be accomplished in tight clothing. There are many shops which discount yoga clothing, which also include women yoga apparel and yoga pants for men. Similarly in the case of Pilates, the same shops offer discounts for Pilates clothing as well. There are many people who prefer to do yoga without any clothes on, which is known as naked yoga. Then there is yoga booty ballet, which is another special type of performing yoga.

There are many websites, which have free online yoga exercises and free online Pilates exercises. Another very important difference in the fitness routines of yoga and Pilates is the use of props. While yoga relies heavily on props, the exercise regimen of Pilates focuses a little less on props such as blocks, straps, blankets and mats. Also the breathing and concentration mechanism incorporated during both yoga and Pilates differs a little. The employment of breath in the case of yoga is done on a much deeper level. Whereas Pilates teaches to inhale through the nose and exhale from the mouth, yoga exclusively focuses on the nose for both inhaling and exhaling. Last but definitely not the least, the overall routine of Pilates aims towards the instillation of core strength in the body and improving the posture while on the other hand, the ultimate aim of yoga is the integration of the body, mind and spirit.

Considering this stream of differences, Pilates and yoga could easily be concluded as two exclusive sets of exercise routines, which share a few similarities.