Yoga or Pilates? So what's the difference? Put simply, it's all in the mind.
Yoga is an ancient art first developed in Northern India thousands of years ago. It is a way of moving energy through your body; the more freely the energy flows, the healthier and more energetic you feel. The goal of yoga is to keep the body supple through movement and stretching.
But there's another dimension. Yoga is a holistic spiritual discipline with its roots in Eastern forms of meditation. The physical postures, although they condition the body, are really aimed at the mind. They symbolise the goal of living your life in a state of balance and composure that will leave you feeling wonderfully relaxed, refreshed and spiritually enlightened.
Pilates, on the other hand, is primarily physical conditioning based on callisthenic-style exercises and stretches. Having suffered ill-health as a child, German-born Joseph Pilates developed an exercise regime to build up his strength.
He adapted his ideas to help rehabilitate injured World War l soldiers but it was after he moved to New York in the 1920s and 1930s that his techniques quickly became a hit with dancers, who found them a highly effective way to improve body awareness and alignment and promote graceful, fluid motion.
If you're looking for a limbering, rejuvenating workout that will provide as much of a lift for your brain as your body - and you're not too concerned about building muscle, try yoga.
If you're interested in a more dynamic system of muscle conditioning - or if you just want to try something new and different - Pilates may be the answer.
Generally speaking, yoga is more about how it makes you feel while Pilates is about how you look. Whichever you choose, both systems build up strength, flexibility, co-ordination and relieve stress.
It just depends on your physical goals and your personal preference. And what’s really good is that there are classes for all ages and all abilities within just a few miles - or possibly even a few minutes - of where you live here in Staffordshire!
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