People in the past decades were not much concerned about a healthy diet or a healthy lifestyle. As the world developed and technological advancements like the internet and smartphones came into being, people have started learning more about health. The internet is full of relevant content and the number of gyms is also increasing. This is all due to increasing awareness about health risks among people.
The society is becoming more and more health-conscious with the passage of time. There are hundreds of diet plans and thousands of exercises that are gaining popularity. Everybody wants to be fit and have a healthy lifestyle. The eating habits are changing and so is the workout session.
There are some common practices that you may have heard about. Yoga and Pilates are two of these trending exercises. In the beginning, most people did not understand the concept of yoga and now, it is made its way into many families. Similarly, Pilates was not very popular but now, it is getting famous as well.
Both yoga and Pilates have a difference that most people are unaware of. For the majority of the people, there is no difference between the two and the hype for Pilates is fake. On the contrary, research and the internet have something different to say on the subject.
After thorough research, this article is here to guide you to the difference between yoga and Pilates. Here is what you must know.
What Is Yoga? How Does It Work?
Yoga has been around the globe for approximately 3000 years and its purpose revolves around five beliefs. These five beliefs are positive thinking and meditation, relaxation, diet, exercise, and breathing. All the poses are somehow linked with these beliefs.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga is widely accepted for its health benefits and improving the flexibility of the body. There are many other benefits of yoga and some of them are:
Improved mobility, flexibility, posture, and balance
Different yoga poses are meant to improve the mobility of the body as they work on the joints and muscles of the body. Your posture is maintained and rounded shoulders and back regain their strength. Yoga also improves the balance of your body. So, if you have any issues with balancing as you fall often, yoga can help. Hence, yoga is a solution to increase flexibility, mobility, better posture, and body balance.
Reduces anxiety and other mental problems
Some of you may be unaware of the mental health benefits of yoga. Most doctors prescribe yoga to their patients and the results have never been disappointing. Stress, anxiety, and depression have been long known to mankind but yoga poses help you release tension and brings your mind in a state of peace.
Helps in weight loss
This is the most attractive benefit of yoga. People have been trusting yoga as a weight loss technique as well. Every asana or pose has a different impact on the body muscles. The body is toned and you can lose a lot of body fat with yoga.
Tremendous for type II diabetes
Type II diabetes patients were hopeless until people found out that yoga can help them as well. It was a remarkable discovery a few decades ago when diabetic patients were asked to perform yoga. Surprisingly, the diabetes was cured from scratch.
What is Pilates? What Is Their Procedure?
Pilates is another exercise routine that not only includes mat-based exercises, but it also includes a variety of machines. The concept emerged after World War I and was introduced by Joseph Pilates. The wounded soldiers were treated with this phenomenon.
Pilates focuses on relaxing the muscles and stabilizing them from injuries of any kind. On the contrary, yoga focuses more on the flexibility of the muscles.
Benefits of Pilates
There are several benefits of Pilates and some of them are similar to the yoga ones. Here are a few to name:
Improves Muscular Strength
This is the key benefit of Pilates. The exercise session is beneficial for improving muscular strength. It may not be very effective in improving flexibility but is extremely beneficial for strengthening the muscles.
Better Posture
Many people have problems with their body posture. Pilates as well as yoga help in improving the posture of the body. Flexibility with Pilates comes at a slower rate.
Improved Body Balance
As the posture of the body improves, the balance of the body is also restored. You would not trip and fall often if you have Pilates or yoga in routine.
Helpful in Urinary and Respiratory Problems
Pilates is also beneficial for people with urinary incontinence and respiratory problem as it focuses on increasing the breathing rate.
Do Yoga and Pilate Have Any Similarities?
Apart from the differences, both Pilates and yoga have many similarities as well. Both of these programs have amazing weight loss techniques. Various poses help in toning the body. Pilates, as well as yoga, have a great impact on the back muscles. Your core becomes stronger with the passage of time and the right exercises in either program.
These two exercise programs have also been found to tone the abdominal muscles. You get a flat and perfectly toned stomach. Yoga, as well as Pilates, establish a strong and healthy connection between your mind and body. Also, both exercise methods improve the circulatory system of the body.
The key similarity between the two methods is that both focus on the breathing, balance of the body, and better posture of the body. The intensity may vary but the focus is the same.
The Takeaway
Yoga has been known for its tremendous health benefits for a long time. As the world stepped forward and the individuals became desperate for weight loss, Pilates was introduced. This is an advanced exercise format that includes some exercises on the mat and a few machines as well. On the contrary, yoga is all about mats and different poses designed for different purposes.
Yoga and Pilates have differences but they also some similarities when it comes to benefits. Note that you have to do research before starting any of the two exercise programs. The more you know about them, the better you can execute them.