Which Is Best - Yoga or Pilates?

Many people who have heard of yoga will not even have heard of Joseph Pilates. However, many thousands of people do know of him, and the exercise routines he developed during the First World War. In fact, the Pilates physical exercise system does have a big following, which actually seems to be growing in the 21st century.

What is the Pilates Exercise System?

The exercises developed by Pilates, a German who was interned in Britain during the war, were inspired by his wish to help those unfortunate people who were victims of the 1918 influenza epidemic, and needed physical rehabilitation within the confines of their bed. He eventually developed about 500 exercises, which concentrated mostly on strengthening and developing key posture muscles. In other words, mostly back and abdominal muscles.

Pilates also focussed on lengthening and stabilizing a person's spine, with the aim of achieving and then maintaining a good posture. It has been found through some scientific and medical research, and by experts in biomechanics, motor learning, and musculoskeletal physiology that beneficial claims made by Pilates practitioners do have foundation.

So, What Has Pilates Got to do With Yoga?

The exercise regime developed by Pilates did draw on some inspiration from ancient yoga positions, though the two disciplines do have some big differences. Yoga is undoubtedly the more holistic of these two health and fitness routines, while Pilates does try to attain a similar level of physical fitness aims. Pilates exercises use a series of controlled breathing and movement routines, and can be especially effective, for a good shaped body, and helping people look more lean and taller than they otherwise might.

When Pilates was developing his exercises during confinement, the only exercise equipment available was the hospital bed. Through imaginative adaptation of a few yoga positions and a bed, a system of exercises evolved over time, and the bed inspiration can be seen in the Pilates machine or reformer, the mainstay of Pilates exercise gear.

The Pilates machine makes the exercise he developed easier to learn, and to some more enjoyable too. Like yoga, Pilates does focus too on breathing, concentration, precision and control. Also, a person's own body weight serves as resistance in many exercises.

Despite the yoga influence, Pilates really only encompasses small aspects of the enormous yoga discipline, and does not try to compete with it. They are best seen as complementary to each other, and if your doctor agrees, they could be used together with good effect

Yoga puts more emphasis on flexibility, relaxation, spirituality, meditation and breathing than Pilates. Given the way Pilates exercises developed, that is no surprise. He made good, or even ingenious, use of what was available in particular circumstances for specific reasons.

It is probably wrong to say yoga is better than Pilates, or vice versa. They are best seen as two possible disciplines in your health and fitness armoury, disciplines which may suit different people at different times.