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Yoga and Pilates, both of which have gained popularity and reach in recent years, are movement practices with quite a few similarities and also some major differences. Many people enjoy both practices, but it’s helpful to understand where they come from and their distinct approaches when making informed choices about your fitness.
Keep reading to discover the unique benefits, similarities, and main differences between yoga and Pilates.
Yoga vs. Pilates in a Nutshell
The key differences between yoga and Pilates are:
• Equipment
• Movement style
The major similarities are:
• Focus on Alignment
• Mind/Body Connection
What is Yoga?
Modern yoga has roots in ancient India, but most yoga asana practices today trace their lineages back to the innovations introduced by T. Krishnamacharya, who taught yoga at the Mysore Palace in India in the 1930s-50s.
Krishnamacharya is called the Father of Modern Yoga for his integration of ancient philosophy and contemporary movement, which heavily influenced the next generation of yoga teachers, including the founders of Iyengar and Ashtanga Yoga.
Yoga today includes postures (asana), breathwork (pranayama), and meditation to improve flexibility, strength, and mental clarity. In addition to fostering a strong connection between mind and body, yoga can be a spiritual practice.
There is a wide breadth of yoga styles, each with its own focus and methods. These include Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Kundalini. Most make use of the same canon of postures, but yoga has continued to evolve and welcome new variations.
What is Pilates?
Founder Joseph Pilates emigrated to New York City from Germany in 1926 and soon set up a gym where he taught the exercise regimen and breathing techniques he had developed, which he called Contrology. Contrology focused on rehabilitation, building core strength, strengthening the whole body, correcting posture, and improving alignment. It was renamed Pilates after his death in 1967.
Pilates includes exercises using a floor mat, a chair, and various specialty equipment. Professional dancers were some of Pilates’ earliest proponents, as they found it helped prevent injury and extend their careers.
Pilates’ teachings were interpreted by his successors, including the ‘5 Elders’, who were his direct students and helped preserve and promote his methods.
Today, these five lineages have further evolved to include an extensive network of approaches under the Pilates umbrella. Classical Pilates is the closest to the original.
Key Differences Between Yoga and Pilates
Movement Style
Yoga poses are the heart of the practice. Some types of yoga flow fluidly from pose to pose and others hold each posture for longer with rest between. Some styles always do the same sequence of poses in the same order while others mix it up differently every time.
Yogic breathing (pranayama) can be practiced independently of movement or in support of the postures. In flowing yoga styles, movement is initiated on an inhalation or exhalation of breath.
Yoga asana is a bodyweight exercise.
Pilates is built around controlled, precise, smooth repetitive motions that target underutilized support muscles as well as the major muscle groups. Classical Pilates as created by Joseph Pilates is a set series of exercises that each student worked on independently at their own pace. Contemporary Pilates classes guide groups of students through a routine which the teacher may vary.
In Pilates, the breath supports movement, core engagement, and body awareness. It focuses on accessing the diaphragm to expand the capacity and efficiency of the breath.
Pilates uses bodyweight with added resistance.
Equipment
Yoga is practiced on a mat. Props like chairs, blankets, blocks, straps, and bolsters can also be used to provide additional support, but they are optional in most methodologies. Yoga is most often done barefoot.
Mat Pilates, as the name suggests, also requires a mat. Compared to a yoga mat, a Pilates mat is typically thicker. A variety of other props, such as balls and bands are also frequently used to destabilize the body, which encourages the development of core strength.
Classical and Contemporary Pilates rely on specialty equipment that was developed by Joseph Pilates for the express purpose of his exercise method. Chief among these is the Reformer, which consists of straps, springs, and a sliding platform. Myriad exercises can be done by reconfiguring the Reformer.
Pilates also invented other apparatuses that are still in use today, such as the Wunda Chair, the Cadillac, the Ladder Barrel, the Guillotine, and the Magic Circle. Some styles of Pilates require grippy socks.
A Few Similarities Between Yoga and Pilates
Alignment
Alignment is the precise way that each yoga posture or Pilates exercise is done. For example, how the feet are set up, the orientation of pelvis and shoulders, which muscles to engage, how to safely progress.
From this intense focus on alignment comes a marked improvement in body awareness, which is the learned sense of where your body is in space and how to move it in specific ways.
The translation of mental intention to physical action fosters a strong mind-body connection in both practices.
Mind/Body Connection
Yoga is often defined as the union of mind, body, and spirit. Early texts indicate that asana was originally intended to reduce tightness in the body so that practitioners could more comfortably sit in meditation for longer.
Though long, seated meditations are no longer the end goal of much of contemporary yoga, the opening of the body continues to facilitate the opening of the mind.
Pilates takes a technical approach to body mechanics, encouraging students to work from their cores. As its original name, Contrology, indicates, Joseph Pilates emphasized the importance of physical and mental control. He also recognized the mental and spiritual benefits of intensely training the body.
Many people come to yoga and Pilates to work on their bodies but soon find that the positive effects on their mental well-being and spiritual development are just as powerful.
Physical practices that require your complete attention also give your mind a break from its constant activity and consequently reduce stress and have many associated health benefits.
The Health Benefits of Yoga vs. Pilates
Doing yoga improves your overall strength, flexibility, and balance. It’s emphasis on mindful movement and breathing techniques can reduce stress and anxiety. It also improves your range of motion and joint health.
Pilates strengthens your core, which has many benefits for balance, injury prevention, and healthy aging. It improves your posture and muscle endurance. Pilates methods are often used for rehabilitation.
Which Practice is Right for You?
The only sure way to know is to try both!
Choose yoga if your goals include stress relief, flexibility, meditation and breathing techniques, and mind/body integration.
Choose Pilates if you are looking for injury prevention or rehabilitation, core strength and posture improvement, and whole-body conditioning.
Yoga and Pilates: Complementary or Competing?
Yoga and Pilates are very complementary, borrowing from each other’s methodologies as they both continue to evolve. There is so much variety within each discipline that the best way to find the right fit for you is to get out there and try them both.
Whether you opt for yoga, Pilates, or a combination, we’ll see you on your mat!
Yoga vs Pilates FAQs
Can I do both yoga and Pilates?
Absolutely! Many people enjoy doing both practices as part of their overall fitness routine.
Which is better for beginners: yoga or Pilates?
Beginners are welcomed in both practices. Most studios offer classes just for beginners and these are a great place to start. Remember that even the most experienced practitioners were once beginners!
Do I need special equipment for Pilates or yoga?
Both practices use mats as basic equipment. Other yoga equipment such as blocks and straps is usually optional, whereas some types of Pilates are centred around specialized equipment, which will be provided by the studio. If you plan to practice at home, you’ll soon discover what additional equipment you need.
