Both yoga and pilates will help improve your fitness and lose weight. But not everyone can determine the difference between yoga and pilates to be able to choose the one that help them achieve their goals and consistent with their fitness level and lifestyle. Truly, there are many different and similar views between yoga and pilates.
A few words about yoga and pilates
Yoga is a practice group of physical, mental, and spiritual originated in ancient India. The word “yoga” has many translations and can be interpreted in many different ways. Many translations geared towards “participation” or “focus” – essentially a mean to combine or a method of discipline.
Yoga is used as a form of exercise to transfer energy through the body in the way that left you feeling calm after practice. You can use yoga as a form of exercise that accumulates strength, flexibility, and balance. More modern yoga can by more physical than spiritual.
Pilates is a method of weight loss by combining series of exercises to increase muscle strength and improve health. Pilates is a physical fitness system was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. It was originally designed exclusively for veterans to help their physical rehabilitation and mental postwar World War. And with today’s busy life full of nervous tension, pilates will help you relieve your stress.
Pilates, apart from the ability to enhance your health, also helps you strengthen willpower, improves flexibility and adjusts physique for more balance. Pilates is said to give a positive effect for all organs in your body, stimulating and removing toxins and wastes. Pilates is not the kind of practice to make you feel tired and disheveled. Instead, you will leave the practice studio with increased energy levels and focused mind.
So are they the same?
Perhaps, if you look at pilates as inspired by yoga, they are quite similar. Yoga poses are also the same shape and position as pilates. Both are considered the mind-body form of exercise, to cultivate awareness and connection between body and mind. But there are some differences between yoga and pilates you should know.
One of the main differences between pilates and yoga is pilates started with a small range of motion and range towards the end of joint movement while yoga postures tend to hold the end of the joint motions and practice core muscle length.
Secondly, the breathing techniques differ greatly. In yoga, breathing exercises are the key to help you achieve relaxation. During the practice of yoga, it is important to focus on how the breath is used, to use your breath to send “chi – your body energy” to areas that have tension to help relax that particular muscle groups in your body. With pilates, the breathing is used as a technique to provide the energy needed for muscles to perform effectively, similar to normal workout. Focus on breathing techniques throughout pilates will help you manage the oxygen that enters the body and goes to the muscles.
In summary, although both yoga and pilates have some differences, you should choose one to suit your goals. Yoga is more spiritual, with the added benefit of stretching and strengthening muscles. The main goal of pilates is to improve muscle efficiency, to tone muscle and increase flexibility.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
