Naturalpath

Yoga and Pilates are two of the most popular mind-body modalities around. Everyone from professional athletes to Hollywood a-listers does one or both. People are often curious as to which is better. The truth is, one is not necessarily better than the other. It is dependent on individual physical needs, goals, and personalities.

Below are some key distinctions from a philosophy and physical perspective:

Philosophy/History

Q. What is cross training?

A. Cross training is the answer to any exercise rut. Simply combine the trio of fitness staples aerobics, strength training, and flexibility to your weekly workouts and you will be cross training. Aerobics is any sport or activity that raises and sustains your heart rate. Think running, swimming, cross-country skiing, and bicycling. Strength training increases muscle endurance and power, which can be achieved through weight lifting, isometrics, push-ups, and pull-ups. Flexibility creates muscle suppleness and expands your range of motion. To gain flexibility, try yoga, dance, and simple stretching.

There is no denying the benefits of exercise. And with the growing trend in wellness comes a popularity in "mind-body" exercise including yoga, tai chi, and pilates amongst a few. Pilates is one of the fastest growing forms of exercise in the world. In the U.S., Pilates participants have grown in number from 1.7 million in 2000 to 10.5 million in 2004 – more than 500% growth in just four years! Pilates is a form of exercise combining the best of Western and Eastern traditions, blending the mind and body and viewing them as a unity working in complete harmony with one another. The Eastern approach to exercise is a path to calmness, being centered and whole, with an emphasis on stretching and limberness. The Western approach emphasizes motion, muscle tone and strength.

Joseph Pilates believed that in order to achieve happiness it is imperative to gain mastery of your body. Pilates' development of his method evolved into a vision of an ideal lifestyle, attained only through balance of the physical, mental, and spiritual. The Pilates method was born out of Joseph Pilates personal experiences with yoga, martial arts, weight lifting, and chinese acrobatics. Through visualization, physical strengthening and stretching of the body, he belived mental vigor and improved blood flow returns to inactive brain cells. This renewed spirit of thought and movement is the first step toward stress reduction, grace of movement, alacrity, and a greater enjoyment of life.