What is the difference between Yoga and Pilates and which is right for me?
Many people think Pilates and Yoga are the same thing, however, they are very distinct practices with different approaches and techniques.
What do they have in common?
Pilates and Yoga are both low-impact forms of exercise, that use your own body weight as resistance.
They both incorporate elements of stretching and breathing.
Both have huge benefits and can increase overall health, leading to a better quality of life. They both focus on improving physical AND mental health.
They both emphasise a mind-body connection, helping to increase co-ordination, balance and proprioception.
They can both increase flexibility and range of movement.
Some of the "shapes" we are making with our bodies are very similar in Yoga and Pilates, but the emphasis and technique we are employing is different (more of that later).
Where do they differ?
There is evidence that Yoga has been practiced for nearly 5,000 years. Pilates on the other hand was only developed in the early 20th century, and has influences from Bodybuilding, Yoga, Martial Arts and Gymnastics.
Whilst this is a generalisation, and one that differs depending on the type of Yoga being practiced, Yoga primarily focuses on flexibility, and Pilates primarily focuses on strength. With Pilates there is also a lean towards building core strength (everything from the ribs to the knees!).
Yoga focuses more on holding static poses, whereas Pilates uses repetitions of certain exercises to challenge stability and build strength.
Breathing – very often if people have been practicing Yoga before they start to practice Pilates, they struggle to switch to Pilates breath. With Yoga, you breathe in and out through the nose, and the inhale is usually on the start of the movement (as the body expands and space is created in the torso for the lungs to expand). Pilates breath is not only different in that the exhale is through the mouth (pursed lips), but also in that the exhale is done on the part of the exercise that involves the biggest exertion (usually the first part of the exercise). The reason for the different breath is that exhaling through pursed lips makes it easier to engage the core muscles.
There are certain exercises that appear similar between both disciplines, but they are actually practiced quite differently. An example of this is Shoulder Bridge (Pilates) and Bridge (Yoga). In Yoga, the main emphasis is on stretching – moving into that posture and staying there for a few breaths. There isn't much focus on the transition into and out of the posture, students get into the posture and stay there. Whilst there will be some strength being built, most Yoga teachers teach this with very little emphasis on muscle engagement. Whereas with the Pilates exercise, the emphasis is on strength more than flexibility. The exercise is practiced in repetitions with much more emphasis on the whole movement – the flow of the spine, the stability throughout the whole movement, and really engaging core muscles and glutes – slow steady, controlled movement, pelvis level the whole time. Sometimes variations such as half reps (coming down half way then returning to the top of the movement) are used to really get the glutes firing!
Yoga is much more than about the physical body. Only one of the eight limbs of Yoga involves the physical postures (these were originally designed to improve posture to be able to sit in meditation for hours). The other seven limbs are about the philosophy of Yoga and the way you live your life – our interaction with the world around us – for example morals, meditation etc. In contrast, Pilates does not have any spiritual side to it – it’s all about your own body.
So – which is right for me – Yoga or Pilates?
The answer to that is not straightforward as it depends on so many different factors. For the majority of people a combination of both would be the ideal, however most of us don’t live in an ideal world and haven’t necessarily got the time to do both.
It also depends on our own physical attributes and what our goals are. For example if you are already pretty strong, but have little flexibility I would suggest starting with Yoga to try and increase flexibility. If you are pretty flexible, but not very strong I would definitely suggest Pilates is your priority.
There are also health conditions or injuries that may lead you more in the direction of one or the other.
If you are recovering from an injury I would also suggest starting with Pilates – for a couple of reasons – 1) Pilates exercises tend to be slower, with more focus on engaging certain muscles, which means it’s easier to “protect” the injured area, 2) the focus on building strength is usually what’s necessary for rehabilitating an injury, 3) Pilates teacher training includes more focus on anatomy and physiology than Yoga teacher training so a Pilates teacher is more likely to have a deeper understanding of the mechanics of the injured body part.
There is such a thing as being too flexible. Roughly 1 in 10 people are Hypermobile (their joints can overbend). The majority of people who have hypermobility are not even aware of what it is or that they have it. Like most conditions, there are varying levels of severity – some people only have it very mildly, whereas some people’s joints can overbend so much that it actually makes their body quite unstable. For hypermobile people, practicing Yoga should only be done with awareness and caution – making sure they vary postures to ensure they are only stretching muscles and not overstretching joints. Having a teacher that has high awareness and experience of this condition is key. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve spoken to someone about their hypermobility and they’ve been practicing Yoga for years and no other teacher has ever mentioned it to them. Repetitive overstretching of joints can lead to bones rubbing against each other which can be both painful, and long term can lead to the bones getting worn away – potentially needing surgical intervention. Pilates on the other hand is often recommended for those with hypermobility as building the strength of the muscles that surround the joints can help support the joint and provide more stability. Again getting a Pilates teacher with high awareness of how to adapt the exercises to accommodate this is key.
If you are more interested in the mental benefits rather than the physical benefits, I would without doubt recommend Yoga as even though Pilates is great for mental health, Yoga take this to another level.
If you are in any doubt about which is right for you – speak to someone who is trained in Yoga and Pilates. Some who is just trained to teach Yoga will tell you that Yoga is what you need, and someone who is just trained to teach Pilates will tell you that Pilates is what you need! Someone who is trained in both will give you an unbiased answer based on a deep understanding of both disciplines.
