Yoga or Pilates?
Surely you have asked yourself this question more than once and it is that these two techniques have some points in common but, also, many significant differences that must be known if what you want is to choose one of the two practices to start working day by day. . In OneHowTo we are going to discover the differences between Pilates and yoga, highlighting the characteristics of each method but also indicating the differences and similarities between the two. The goal is that you can end up choosing which of the exercises is the right one for what you are looking to incorporate into your routine.
Table Of Content
1. Characteristics of yoga
2. Pilates Characteristics
3. Differences between yoga and Pilates
4. Yoga or Pilates: which is the best for me?
Characteristics of yoga
We will start talking about yoga since it is an ancient technique whose origin must be sought in India. This practice is not only a physical exercise, but yogis seek the perfect union between mind and body through concentration, breathing and the practice of asanas (that is, yoga postures). Therefore, yoga is a spiritual exercise that, in addition, has important benefits in our physical condition but without this being the main objective that it pursues.
During the practice of yoga we subject our body to different muscular stretches that are achieved with the different positions, it is a static exercise because the objective is to maintain postural balance since, to achieve this, you need great mental concentration. Thus, thanks to the balance of the mind, the balance of the body is also achieved because the human being is a whole that is strongly connected.
Thus, in yoga there is a factor that is very important: meditation. Being able to concentrate, connect with your interior to be able to bring tranquility and relaxation to the outside is the objective pursued with asanas. This practice is not a physical exercise but rather a philosophy of life, a way of understanding that in order to achieve peace, tranquility and balance you have to try to unite the two poles of the mind and the body that seem to be so far apart.
In addition to this, breathing in yoga requires abdominal breathing that must be followed during the practice of asanas. But, in addition to postures, during a yoga session, time is also dedicated to exercises to control breathing and are known as ” pranayama ” (“prana” means “energy” and “yama” means “control”).
Pilates Characteristics
Pilates is a physical and mental training technique that originated in the early 20th century. Joseph Pilates was the creator of this method, which is inspired by the principles of yoga but also by gymnastics and traumatology to try to achieve a complete exercise that achieves relaxation, control breathing and the mind, but also to tone our body and keep it strong and athletic.
The main objective of this method is to strengthen the body by increasing muscle strength, improving flexibility and improving body coordination through specific passive gymnastics exercises. The exercises that are carried out in a Pilates session are focused on the abdominal muscles as they are considered to be the central muscles of the body.
The 6 principles of Pilates are the following:
- Concentration
- Control
- Center
- Breathing
- Flow
- Breathing
The abdominal muscles are the ones that are worked the most in this discipline because the objective is to strengthen our energy center and, thus, allow energy to flow throughout the body; for this reason, the muscles of the belly are the ones that will be worked the most during these sessions.
The breathing exercises in Pilates are designed to teach how we should breathe correctly, that is, inhalations and exhalations that activate the abdominal and pelvic muscles to achieve greater stabilization of our body posture, thus improving back pain. that they can suffer.
In short, Pilates is a more physical practice than yoga and is designed to help treat or prevent muscle or bone injuries (osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, etc.). Through breathing and relaxation, the body is strengthened, achieving a more toned result.
Differences between yoga and Pilates
Now that we have talked about the characteristics of both disciplines, we are going to highlight the differences between yoga and Pilates so that you can get to know them and, thus, choose which one best suits your interests and preferences:
- The word “yoga” means “union” in Sanskrit and refers to the union that seeks to seek between body, mind and spirit; in the case of Pilates, however, the method seeks to find coordination between the three parts without considering them to be a whole.
- Another essential difference is that yoga is an ancient practice whose origin is unknown for sure, while Pilates is a new method dating from the early twentieth century and whose creator is Joseph Pilates.
- To do yoga, different static postures are performed that do not require repetitions, on the other hand, Pilates is different dynamic movements that are repeated to get the body’s muscles to work to a greater extent.
- With the practice of yoga, first of all, an increase in body flexibility is achieved as well as mental relaxation and connection with your inner “I”; On the other hand, with Pilates it is possible to improve muscle mass, strength and, also, correct the posture of our body.
- Breathing is important in both practices and they promote deep inhalation and exhalation; however, in the case of yoga the breath must come from the diaphragm and in Pilates it must be thoracic.
- Another difference between yoga and Pilates is that in the postures of the former, balance is sought from the extremities towards the center and, in the latter, the posture starts from the center towards the extremities.
Yoga or Pilates: which is the best for me?
After the explanation that we have just given you, it is time to choose which of the two practices is the best for you. Depending on what you are looking for, you will have to decide on one or the other because, as you have been able to verify, yoga is more indicated to achieve spiritual peace and Pilates to strengthen the body and correct its ailments.
So if you are looking for a low-impact exercise that will help you improve balance and flexibility as well as generate emotional well-being and relaxation, yoga is what you are looking for. It will help you to be in shape but, above all, to have a more peaceful, meditative and interior life.
On the other hand, if what you are looking for is a dynamic training thanks to which you will be able to improve your breathing, correct your posture and, above all, tone your body, Pilates is what you are looking for. It does not have spiritual connotations but it does seek relaxation through deep breathing.
People who practice yoga are not looking for physical exercise but rather a lifestyle, a path of self-discovery that includes postures that exercise our muscles and improve our physical condition; Pilates is designed to, above all, exercise the body consciously and without risk of injury.