Question:
Is Pilates the same as Yoga?

Also has it been working for you?    — M. S. (posted on April 1, 2002)

March 31, 2002
No, Pilates (pronounced puhlahteeze) is not the same as yoga. If you go to www.google.com and type in pilates you will get a zillion hits and you can read about it's history and what it is. Basically it's a series of low impact exercises that concentrate on particular muscles, especially the core (abdomen) to strengthen and develope long strong elegant muscles. It's used by many dancers. Although there is special pilates equipment all you really need is a good book or tape and a matt. Pilates tapes can be bought reasonably, under 20 dollars. I think walmart even has some. there is a tape out that combines a pilates and yoga workout, but I don't think it was highly recommended by fitness experts because it muddles the two instead of getting a great work out. As to whether or not it works, I put mine aside until I lost a little more weight. I simply don't have the muscle strength in my belly to hold the proper form so I thought I'd start easier, with more traditional aerobics and crunches and stuff and work my way up until I can do it right. I don't expect to jump in and be an expert, but my muscles were jelly the next day... I'll get there though! Good Luck
   — Becky K.

April 1, 2002
Becky is right on the money about the difference between yoga and pilates. Yoga is mainly stretching and breathing unless you do power yoga where you perform a "routine" moving from one pose to another and another to get your heart pumping. I have done that and it is a workout--makes you more flexible, too! I have a combo yoga/pilates tape by denise austin. She is annoying but the workout is okay and the music is unobtrusive. It is probably not really yoga or pilates but I felt the effects of the workout and gained some flexibility with it. I found that I could do all the moves more or less successfully with the yoga, but pilates was much more challenging and some of the moves it was like, "Yeah, right!" and I just struggled on the floor like a turtle on its back until she moved on to the next move. My daughter asked me, "Mommy, what are you doing?" while looking back and forth between me and the screen. :P The pilates DID help strengthen my abs--after only a few workouts I was able to pull myself up from a lying position using my abs which I have NEVER been able to do!
   — ctyst