Yoga and Pilates

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Yoga or Pilates…or Yoga with Pilates-What do you recommend?

Nearly all fitness or health clubs, wellness centers and spas feature yoga or pilates in the holistic solutions section of their menu. There is a tremendous amount of interest these days in both yoga and pilates. Both are very sophisticated systems, where movements are not just physical but also mental. There is a lot in common between the two sciences but their concepts and principles differ widely.

A Tale of Two Exercise Regimens

Yoga developed with a view to harmonize and compose various modifications of the lower mind and to unite it with the higher mind. According to yoga philosophy, there are five koshas (sheaths) of existence - the annamaya kosha (physical body), the pranamaya kosha (energy or vital body), the manomaya kosha (mental body), the vigyanamaya kosha (intuitive body) and the anandamaya kosha (bliss body).

Yoga advocates that these five sheaths are interrelated; hence, any change in one has a corresponding effect on the others. In yoga, we move from gross to subtle, from the physical to the psychic strata. It represents a progressive evolution from the simplest form of life to the most complex, that of a fully realized human being. It is evident that the scope of yoga is vastly expanded and covers each and every dimension of a human life.

Yoga is the best and most time-tested path to physical and mental well-being. While some people think of yoga simply as a physical exercise regimen, it is actually a science for overall health and well-being. It includes everything from physical postures, personal hygiene and a healthy diet, to meditation, breathing and relaxation techniques. The most advanced forms of meditation and techniques for self-realization are also a part of yoga. At Divine Wellness we follow the same samagra (holistic) approach to yoga.

Inspired by ancient yoga practices, the pilates exercise system was formulated by Joseph Pilates over 80 years ago for more specific, but limited purposes. Pilates was developed to rehabilitate injured soldiers after World War I. Although pilates is not a complete, balanced or holistic health system, it is quite useful. Unlike many other training programs, pilates works the whole body, emphasizing control, precision and concentration in both the mind and the body. Movements are not performed rapidly or repeated excessively, instead, the focus is on quality and not on quantity.

The abdominal muscles, lower back and buttocks together make the core or powerhouse of the body by generating power, strength and stability. The powerhouse serves as the center of all movement, allowing the rest of the body to move freely. This focus on core stability makes one stronger from the inside and is critical for the advancement of a practitioner. Pilates can be a valuable tool for enhancing strength, muscle definition and a good posture.
Now, let us study some differences between the two:

• Origin:

  Yoga we know today was developed as a part of the tantric civilization which existed more than ten thousand years ago. The first texts on yoga were the ancient Tantras and later the Vedas, which were written in the time of the Indus Valley civilization. At this time yoga was popular but its tenets were never specifically compiled. This was later done by the famous sage Patanjali nearly five thousand years ago.

  Pilates on the other hand is physical conditioning first and foremost, and there is no historical background to it that is worth mentioning. Its creator, Joseph Pilates, founded it 80 years ago.

• Principles:

  According to the first definitive, unified and comprehensive explanation in Sage Patanjalis treatise on yoga, the Yoga Sutras, yoga comprises eight folds:

  • Yama (Self-restraint)
  • Niyama (Self-observances)
  • Asana (Postures)
  • Pranayama (Breath expansion)
  • Pratyahara (Disassociation of consciousness from the external environment)
  • Dharana (Concentration)
  • Dhyana (Meditation)
  • Samadhi (Identification with pure consciousness)

  Pilates gives us six principles to train the body to move efficiently with minimal impact on the body:

  • Concentration
  • Control
  • Centering
  • Breathing
  • Flow
  • Precision

  Yoga being far from just a physical exercise regimen is an aid to establishing a new way of life which embraces both the inner and outer dimensions of a human being.

• Purpose:

  According to yogic texts, the purpose of asanas is to create a still and steady posture for advanced meditative practices. Although the physical postures condition the body, they are really aimed at a higher purpose. The free hand practices of yoga make an aspirant strong, healthy and disease free. They symbolize the goal of living ones life in a state of balance and composure.

  The low impact nature of pilates makes it ideal for injury prevention and rehabilitation. Joseph Pilates developed an assortment of curious machines with names like the Reformer and the Cadillac. Using cables and trolleys and unusual body positioning, pilates exercises stretch and strengthen the body and are unique in their ability to encourage coordination between the muscles that stabilize the posture.

• Scope:

  Yogasanas are specific body positions that open energy channels and psychic centers. They are tools to higher awareness and provide a stable foundation for the exploration of the body, breath, mind, emotions and spirit. Due to their intrinsic nature, yoga practices can easily be a curative as well as a preventive lifestyle science. The union between strength and flexibility creates a healthy, vigorous and symmetrical workout for all of the muscle groups, resulting in a leaner, more balanced, and stronger body.

  Pilates focuses mainly on cultivating core strength in the body and lengthening the spine. Practiced for decades by dancers, it has become popular in recent years largely due to its aesthetic body sculpting effects.

Between Yoga and Pilates

If after reading about both techniques you are still in a dilemma about which of the two fitness techniques is right for you, then here is the answer: practice them both in conjunction! Both are complementary, but not the same and this is the benefit of adapting the two into ones fitness regime.

The nature of pilates techniques complements the physical stage of yoga. Get the stretch from yoga and maintain it with pilates. Strengthen your abdominals on the Reformer and watch your yoga poses improve. Use the breathing techniques of pilates to hold the muscular contractions and meditation in yoga, and feel the stress of everyday life begin to dissipate. Both techniques are time-proven and established, and with the help of an experienced instructor, one can surely reach the desired goals.