At face-value, Yoga and Pilates may seem like the same thing. Both work as mind/body practices, and a lot of the poses are similar.
This is because Joseph H. Pilates, the namesake of the Pilates Method and the one who formed the method, was a student of yoga and developed many of the poses of Pilates from yoga.
The only difference is in the reasons why each is used and the areas both focus on. Where yoga is designed primarily for relaxation purposes and for spiritual evolution, Pilates is more workout-based and is more often used when desiring a toned body.
Nevertheless, the two practices share a number of the poses and exercises techniques, albeit with different holding-times and paces.
Mind/Body Disciplines
The most obvious similarity between Pilates and yoga is their focus on attuning the mind and body order to help the individual improve self-awareness.
However, the intent of yoga is to focus on the connection to the spiritual, whereas in Pilates, the opportunity of connecting to the spiritual is a secondary priority.
Improving Endurance and Flexibility
Both Pilates and Yoga aim not only at strengthening the mind, but also help build endurance. By stretching the muscles to their limits, they also aim to increase flexibility. The focus of both is on building your core strength, but the areas of focus is different for both. Because the focus areas are different, you can try both on the same day and in succession too.
Used for de-stressing
Since both of these disciplines focus on relaxation of the mind and body, the primary focus of both disciplines is taking care of your stress levels. By stretching and compressing muscles of the body, both disciplines elevate areas of stress build-up, enabling you to feel lighter and more at peace with yourself and your life. It has also been scientifically proven that exercise of any kind helps the release of endorphins in the body, making you more relaxed and happy.
Improve Circulation and Oxygenation
A lot of the poses in both disciplines help with the circulation of blood throughout the body and help with the oxygenation of various organs.
The Double Triangle in yoga helps increase flow of blood to the brain, whereas the Hundred in Pilates helps improve blood circulation all over the body.
Similar poses
Some positions, such as the boat pose in yoga are very similar to others in Pilates, such as the Pilates open leg balance exercise.
Both are used as core strengtheners, with the weight of the body resting on the hip bones.
Similarly, the Swan pose in Pilates is just another name for the Cobra pose in yoga—the only difference being the amount of time one holds the pose for. Other poses with similar positions include the Roll over in Pilates and the Plow pose in yoga.
If both disciplines are so similar, why are they just not grouped together into one? While the two disciplines may have their share of similarities, at their core, they use different methods used for different purposes.
Want to know which class to opt for based on your needs? You might want to start with checking out some beginners Pilates and yoga classes in NYC, finding one best suited to your interests, or even consulting a trained professional to help you make the decision
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