Yoga versus Pilates – Which Exercise Will Benefit You More

In recent years our seemingly ceaseless hunt for health and wellbeing has become more obvious, with a variety of exercise regimes such as Yoga and Pilates growing in popularity with each passing month. If you yourself are looking to join an exercise class that promotes healthy living and provides you with the ability to feel and look better, you might have considered either, or both, of these two activities. So how do you choose between the two?

Yoga

The practice of Yoga has been around for several thousands of years and is deemed to be more than simply a form of exercise due to its focus on lifestyle changes. The spiritual healing of the body is given as much of the limelight within Yoga as the physical benefits to be reaped from the exercises.

A lot of importance is placed upon your breathing as you take to the different Yoga poses under instruction of a tutor. But don’t think that it’s all about simply striking an odd stance and taking a few deep breaths; a good Yoga workout will do wonders for toning your muscles. You might be surprised at the feeling of having completed a great workout when, during the activity itself, you were likely just concentrating on the wonderfully relaxing and unwinding feeling that Yoga creates.

Pilates

Pilates is a more modern form of exercise, founded early in the 20th century in Germany. It is more focused on the physical body, rather than the spiritual aspects highlighted within Yoga. Pilates is occasionally recommended as a physical treatment as, along with its obvious toning benefits, it can also improve the overall health of a person that regularly undertakes this form of exercise.

The primary focus of a Pilates workout is on strengthening the core muscles of your body and on lengthening your spine, although you will find that every muscle is given a thorough opportunity to work within the course of a session. Dancers will commonly use Pilates during their training schedules for the benefits that it brings.

Choosing your workout

Both Yoga and Pilates certainly have benefits to offer to those looking to sculpt their body, improve their overall health and unwind after a long and difficult day. Although there are certain elements that the two practices have in common, such as a focus on breathing and on a general sense of well being, the two are as different as peas and carrots, as has hopefully been demonstrated to you here.

Should you still be unsure as to which practice would suit you and your particular fitness level and lifestyle, the best choice might be to sample both Yoga and Pilates by attending a local evening class. Give each a go for a couple of weeks and before long you will certainly develop a preference.

Although DVDs and online videos can give you an introduction into these two exercise practices, attending a Yoga or Pilates class, particularly as a beginner, is important to fully appreciate the differences between the two, as well as in ensuring that you do no damage to yourself.

Rebecca L. Smith is a full time freelance writer based in the UK. She specialises in creating an assortment of articles on a range of different topics of interest.