Pilates? Yes Please!

Yesterday on Twitter I asked my followers their recommendations for Pilates or Yoga and the responses I received on both were overwhelming. I have already done Yoga in the past and knew how much it helped; I really saw a difference in my body from doing Yoga in terms of feeling more lean and less bulky. So what is the difference between the two and why should I invest time and money into Pilates when I can do my Yoga DVD at home?

The distinction between Yoga and Pilates is not easy to find, for one Yoga is often connected with spiritual history and processes that focus much more on reaching actualization than they do on what their physical aim is. Pilates is more straightforward.

The Pilates method seeks to increase the strength, flexibility and control of the body. Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps to not only build flexibility, but also strength, endurance, and coordination in the legs, abdominals, arms and back.

Another site lists the benefits of Pilates and Yoga, citing they complement each other and one would benefit greatly from the combination of the two (which I plan to do - Yoga on Saturdays and Pilates on Sundays.) This site states that Pilates helps with the core, elongates muscles, etc. and Yoga's benefits are targeted towards the internal organs and overall health of the participant with the added bonus of stretching, flexibility, toning, balance as well.

I think fully understanding what you're getting yourself in for and why it's so good for you is essential to actually seeing it through. If you're looking for a good Yoga DVD I recommend 'The Biggest Loser Yoga' it's with Bob Harper and it's not as spiritually focused as some which I find to be boring but it definitely works. When I used it a few summers ago (it was free on Comcast under their Sports and Exercise section, I just recently purchased it on Amazon) I was running Lake Calhoun on a regular basis. I noticed immediately how elongated my legs looked and it felt great to stretch out as they recommended. My balance (which is awful) improved markedly and overall I felt great. I tried other Yoga workouts and never noticed the same results, often getting bored and listless during the workout and eventually dropping it from my routine all together.

And for those looking for a good Pilates exercise I suggest checking out local Pilates studios, there are often really good deals for newbies or to attend classes by a teacher in training. This upcoming Sunday I am taking my first ever Pilates class at Align Pilates in Uptown. Their 'Save Your Bucks Sunday' offers mat classes for $5 and reformer classes for $10, with personal one on one instruction for $20. So this Sunday I'll be on the mat, the following Sunday I'll be on the reformer. I'm excited to try something new, and for $30 a month to get a good workout in, I'll take it!