What’s the Difference Between Pilates and Yoga?

As a long time teacher of Pilates, I’m surprised by the number of people who still ask me, “How’s your Yoga Studio going?”. When I remind them that I teach Pilates (I have never taught Yoga), the next question is often “What’s the difference?” While it’s true that there are similarities between Pilates and Yoga, there are also differences between the two. Understanding these differences will help you make choices toward fulfilling your needs and goals in personal health.

Origins of Yoga

First, Yoga and Pilates have different origins. Yoga is interwoven with spiritual and religious traditions dating back thousands of years. It is often framed as a practice of creating a connection between mind/body/spirit. I’ve often heard that the word yoga loosely translates to ‘union’. This yoga/union is achieved by practicing various poses or ‘asanas’. It is said that these poses and series of poses were originally conceived of to enable the body to sit for extended periods of time in meditation. The apparent benefits to mind, and body and spirit from practicing yoga are too long to list, which is reflected in the explosion of it’s popularity over the last few decades in the West. There are dozens of lineages of Yoga as well as several different styles within each. Yoga is usually done on a mat in a group class setting. Finding the right Yoga class for you depends on your overall goals. To find out the style of Yoga class that would suit you best, check out this article in Yoga Journal.

In Yoga, there are several different breathing techniques – called ‘Pranayama’ – that may be used based on the style and level of the class. Yoga is about more than poses and breathing; it integrates a holistic way of living as well.

Origins of Pilates

Pilates was created specifically within the context of rehabilitation. German born Joseph Pilates suffered from several different body ailments as a young child and dedicated his life and work to healing the body through movement and breath work and later went on to become an accomplished athlete. Pilates was later picked up by the dance community in the early 1980’s and has since become a mainstream form of body conditioning used by a wide variety of people including athletes, dancers and people with physical disabilities. My mother has had progressive Multiple Sclerosis for almost 40 years, and weekly sessions with me have helped to keep her mobile.

Intentions and Goals of Pilates

If the goal of Yoga is to foster union in body/mind/spirit, the goal of Pilates is to bring symmetry and balance to the body through exercise and body awareness.

Typically, mainstream Pilates training does not include an overtly spiritual component. However there is strong emphasis on using the mind to control the muscles. Joseph Pilates coined this specific practice Contrology. While Pilates is predominately taught as a body-centered practice, my experience as an instructor has taught me that being centered in mind is also necessary for being truly centered in body. In that regard, students of my Centering & Grounding classes have been able to apply those practices in their Pilates work. And since a centered mind is the foundation for any type of meditation, Pilates integrates nicely with any type of spiritual practice.

Pilates Equipment

One of the main things that sets Pilates aside from Yoga is that, in addition to Pilates on the mat, Pilates also includes apparatus work – a series of exercises done on various pieces of equipment, centered around the Reformer.

One of the benefits of equipment based Pilates is that most of the apparatus is more accessible to people with physical limitations such as difficulty getting up and down off the floor, kneeling, or sitting crossed legged (for example The rehab reformer is set at a height that allows you to get on and off with ease)

Pilates Breathing

Pilates uses one specific breathing technique – a dynamic full breath, breathing deeply through the nose into the lower lobes of the lungs – (also known as posterior lateral breathing) and a forced exhalation out the mouth which is the breath that facilitates the deepest abdominal connection.

Pilates & The Core

What defines Pilates above all else is the fact that all movements originate from the intrinsic core muscles that lie deep in the abdomen and surround the spine. This area is referred to in Pilates as ‘The Powerhouse’. Focusing on these deep muscles improves posture, balance, stability and functional movement. With a great emphasis on muscle lengthening, Pilates leaves you with a longer and leaner muscle.

Choosing between Pilates & Yoga

It doesn’t have to be an ‘either/or’. The more cross training and variety you incorporate into your exercise regime, the less likely you are to get injured or bored and you will have a more well rounded education about your body and what nourishes it most. My suggestion is to find a teacher you resonate with. This will make all the difference in what you get out of your practice.