Pilates and vinyasa yoga (there are many other different styles of yoga) are both really popular practices that compliment each other well, offering benefits for overall physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Both practices focus on building strength, increasing suppleness and flexibility through mindful movement, though their origins, approach, techniques and overall goals are different.
Yoga’s roots and philosophy can be traced back to around 5,000 years ago to Northern India, whereas pilates is a modern twentieth century discipline with a really interesting back story.
Where does pilates originate from?
Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates in the early 1920’s as a method of injury rehab and strengthening and was originally called contrology.
He himself was a poorly child, very frail, suffering from rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever and longed to be strong and agile like the other children in his neighborhood. In his quest to be stronger, Joseph studied yoga, meditation, varied Greek and Roman exercise strategies and his dedication led him to become a strong young teenager and skilled gymnast.
The results of Joseph’s combination of exercises brought him much attention and he was asked to develop a rehab program to help the many wounded soldiers after world war one.
Joseph opened his first pilates studio in NYC in the mid 1920’s where students included circus performers, dancers and gymnasts amongst others.
What’s the history of yoga?
Yoga originated in India over 5,000 years ago as a philosophical and spiritual practise. The philosophy of yoga is rooted in the Hindu tradition and was first mentioned in the ancient texts called the Rig Veda. The Vedas are a collection of four sacred texts written in sanskrit. The Rig Veda is the first and is made up of many hymns and mantras spread out over ten chapters known as mandalas and used by Vedic priests.
In the late 1890’s Indian monks began to share their knowledge with the western world, translating Hindu texts into English, lead by Swami Vivekananda, though physical (asana) focused yoga practises arrived slightly later in the 1920’s and 30’s.
The popularity of yoga studios and the physical practices as we know them today began to open up in the 1970’s. By the early 2000’s yoga had grown into a widespread wellness practise, with the focus more on fitness, flexibility and strength to help relieve stress, rather than the traditional spiritual aims.
How is yoga different to pilates?
Pilates emphasises core strength, body alignment and controlled precise movements. Vinyasa yoga focuses on the flow between postures, connecting breath to movement and encourages a moving meditation with deliberate transitions between each pose.
Pilates exercises bring focus to the deep core muscles including the abdomen, back and pelvic floor, aiming to stabilise the spine and pelvis. A lot of the exercises are performed laying down or on equipment like a reformer machine amongst others. These machines use springs and pulleys that provide resistance, when building physical strength. These low impact exercises help to reduce stress on weight bearing joints like wrists, knees and hips. The specific breath pattern of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through pursed lips helps to engage those deeper core muscles.
Each set of exercises target a specific muscle group. Movements tend to be slow, controlled, with constant attention to the core and core stability, helping to improve posture and muscle tone. Whether done on a mat or a reformer, props can be included during exercises, such as magic circles, pilates balls and hand weights. Spring boards and boxes can be added to reformer exercises for additional cardio benefits.
Pilates is often used for injury prevention and rehabilitation. The strengthening benefits of pilates help support bone density through hormonal changes and the low impact movements can be helpful for those living with arthritis and osteoporosis.
Vinyasa yoga typically focuses on balance between strength, flexibility and breath control, with lots of stretching and fluid transitions. It’s a dynamic practise incorporating strong warrior poses and weight bearing postures such as downward facing dog.
The breath technique of inhaling and exhaling through the nose is aimed to maintain heat and energy within, with some practitioners choosing to focus on ujjayi breath. This is an audible breath that constricts the back of the throat during the exhalation. The constriction is thought to cause vibration to the larynx, stimulating the senses which send signals to the vagus nerve to soothe body and mind.
Movements in vinyasa yoga are fluid, flowing from one posture to another in harmony with the breath. Classes can vary in intensity, though faster paced in comparison to pilates and include standing and balancing postures, inverted shapes and arm balances for those that want to have a play. Although not central to a yoga practise, props like blocks, bricks, straps, bolsters and blankets can be helpful when support and space in postures is lacking.
The aim of a yoga practise can vary depending on the individual, though the intention of a physical practise is to give the practitioner something to focus on. The view is if we focus on one thing, we will be able to streamline all thoughts into one channel (the asana) resulting in improved concentration and increased mental clarity. A holistic approach to mind/body health and wellbeing.
So, which one is for you – yoga or pilates?
Both pilates and yoga offer complimentary benefits and enhance physical fitness, emotional and mental health. So, try both and see for yourself…
If you’d like to try vinyasa yoga at any of our studios, new customers can take advantage of our Intro Offer. Find your nearest Hotpod Yoga studio here.
Written by Catherine Weston, Lead teacher at Hotpod Yoga. Catherine has been teaching yoga for over a decade and guides students through their 200hr Hotpod Yoga Teacher Training.
