Yoga or Pilates?

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For a long while I thought yoga and pilates were basically the same thing. The two disciplines are often compared and no one can deny that they share many similarities. While I don't practice either extensively, I've experimented enough with both fitness programs to see some crucial differences.

• Yoga: The principle focus of yoga is flexibility. While there are more intensive yoga classes, such as flow or hot yoga, many yoga classes are longer in length and focus on inner awareness. Balance is another key aspect of yoga. You don't necessarily need to be flexible or have great balance to get started with yoga, but both are focuses of the discipline. One problem with yoga, however, is the repetition. If you're the type of person who prefers to be constantly stimulated, the repetitive series may be overkill.
• Pilates: If you want to focus on the core, pilates might be better for you. Pilates emphasizes control and strength of the core. Pilates definitely focuses more on strength than yoga does. While you can do simple Pilates workouts at home, if you take a class you also have an option of using various Pilates machines.

Neither discipline is better than the other. I prefer yoga, personally. It's an all-body workout and I love the feeling I get when my entire body has been stretched. Yoga has also greatly improved some of the joint pains I get thanks to standing up all the time and my job and doing intensive cardio work.

Posted in: exercise, pilates, stretch, yoga