Pilates vs Yoga
In our opinion, there should not be any conflict between Pilates and Yoga, as both are beneficial for the body and the decision on whether to go for either one would have to be purely a matter of preference.
Joseph Pilates was inspired by the Eastern practice of Yoga and Greek Mythology and used both Eastern and Western practices whilst developing his method, so there are similarities between the two methods.
Yoga is a holistic spiritual discipline with its roots in Eastern forms of meditation. The physical postures, although they condition the body, are really aimed at the mind. They symbolize the goal of living your life in a state of balance and composure.
Pilates on the other hand is physical conditioning first and foremost – and there’s nothing quite like it. When Joseph Pilates was looking for a way to rehabilitate injured soldiers after World War I, he developed an assortment of machines such as the “Reformer”, the “Cadillac” and the “Wunda Chair”. Using springs and pulleys and unusual body positioning, Pilates exercises stretch and strengthen and are unique in their ability to encourage coordination between the muscles that stabilize the body.
Yoga breathing entails the individual to fill their stomach with breath whereas in Pilates they pull the stomach in and fill their lungs with air, thus breathing laterally into the lungs, allowing the ribs to expand and contract.
Whilst Yoga and Mat Pilates use gravity and our own body weight as resistance when training, Studio Pilates is a form of weight resistance training through the use of pulleys and springs.