Yoga vs Pilates – What we recommend

We get this question asked on a regular basis so we thought it would be a great idea to note the difference between them so it can help you make the right decision choosing the right form of exercise for you.

Lets start with what they are:

What is Yoga:

According to yogaaustralia.org.au: ‘Generally [yoga] is recognised as an ancient system of philosophies, principles and practices derived from the Vedic tradition of India and the Himalayas, more than 2500 years ago. It is a system that recognises the multi-dimensional nature of the human person, and primarily relates to the nature and workings of the mind, based on experiential practice and self-enquiry.

In Yoga, the body, breath and mind are seen as a union of these multi-dimensional aspects of each and every human being. The system and various techniques of Yoga cultivate the experience of that union, leading to greater integration of being, internal peacefulness, and clarity of the mind. It is a system that is designed to cultivate health and happiness, and a greater sense of self-awareness and higher consciousness.’

What is Pilates:

According to the Pilates Fitness Institute: ‘Pilates is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates was formed by Joe during the First World War with the intention to improve the rehabilitation programme for casualties. During this period, Pilates was designed to aid injured soldiers in regaining their health by strengthening, stretching, and stabilising key muscles….Joe preferred fewer, more precise movements, requiring control and technique over increased repetition. He believed that mental and physical health were essential to one another, creating what is a method of total body conditioning. Pilates uses correct alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement (the Pilates principles) to establish a perfect working body from the inside out.’

You can see they have very different origins and philosophies behind them which means they serve different purposes. So now which one is for me?

What you should take into consideration from any exercise is – what is your goal?

This is something our health professionals here at Dulwich Hill Chiropractic & Therapeutic Centre take into consideration when recommending either type of exercise.

So below is a table for reasons we would recommend to either one:

You could say in some circumstances, the recommendations in the table above could also be found in the opposing side. We have allocated according to which exercise we believe will address each condition better.

We would love to hear from you and what you think. So please comment.

For more information you can call us on 02 95645222 or contact us through our contact us page.