Aside from being celebrities, what do Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford, Hugh Grant, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman, Rod Stewart, and Kristi Yamaguchi have in common? They’ve all hopped on the yoga and pilates trend for physical toning and spiritual relaxation!
To achieve maximum balance, coordination, flexibility, body sculpting and strength, it is recommended that you add at least one yoga and pilates class to your weekly regimen. While you won’t achieve the weight loss or endurance that cardio workouts provide, you will gather other important skills to help your performance in other activities. Yoga focuses more on breathing, relaxation and spirituality, whereas pilates will give you more of an athletic strength training.
Clear differences between yoga and pilates include some of the following:
First, yoga is an ancient Indian practice that dates back approximately 5,000 years, whereas pilates is an adaptation of yoga dating back eighty years to a German athlete, Joseph Pilate.
Secondly, in addition to physical activity, yoga is an entire holistic program that encompasses diet, meditation, breathing techniques, religious edict and a moral code; Pilates is simply a form of exercise and body sculpting technique.
Thirdly, yoga aims to unite mind and body, as well as cleanse the body of toxins, while pilates is fashioned to strengthen, define and improve posture.
Additionally, in yoga, you are taught to inhale and exhale through the nose, whereas pilates employs the traditional athletic mode of breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth while performing an action.
Lastly, yoga can generally be done with just a mat (although sometimes props are used), while instructors ensure everyone’s in proper form; pilates, on the other hand, has specific machinery designed to assist practitioners.
Advanced students of yoga and pilates will find it advantageous to visit a yoga center or fitness club to further their goals and study. Mentoring and working with advanced equipment can really expedite body sculpting or enlightenment, depending on what is being actively sought.
For beginners who are unsure if they’re willing to commit just yet, there are a multitude of pilates and yoga videos to try at home.
A couple of recommended pilates videos are: Denise Austin – Hit The Spot, Jennifer Kries – Pilates Method, Karen Voight – Core Essentials, Pilates For Dummies and Kathy Smith – Pilates For Abs.
A couple of recommended yoga videos are: Basic Yoga Workout For Dummies, Living Yoga – AM/PM, Ali Macgraw Yoga Mind & Body, Shiva Rea – Yoga Shakti and Kundalini Yoga: With Grace and Strength.
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