What's Your Taste?

What do you prefer, Yoga or Pilates?  Well, my curiosity got the best of me!  In my quest to eliminate boredom from my workouts, I decided I would give Pilates (both reformer and mat) a try. I have been working one-on-one with Maggie, the owner of Personal Euphoria, www.personaleuphoria.com for several months.  She is much younger than I am, (though I don't hold that against her) and challenges my core like no other workout I've had!  She has proved to be extremely capable for our weekly challenging, muscle shaking, and core tightening sessions utilizing the reformer. She has a keen eye for identifying imbalances in the body.

The reformer is an amazing piece of equipment with a movable carriage, which utilizes springs to vary the degree of resistance.  The reformer allows your body to work precisely (while in alignment) to help to increase core strength and flexibility. The reformer easily identifies weaknesses in the body, especially notable differences on each side. My absolute favorite, the jump board, used to jump, similar to plyometric jumps, but is softer on the joints! The jump board is not only a fun core/cardio workout, but also strengthens the feet, ankles, calves, hams, quads and inner/outer thighs.  The reformer will take your workouts to a whole new challenging level!  Next onto Mat Pilates!

The mat version starts with a warm up, usually “The Hundred” (a famous move) but these classes, like Yoga, depend upon the instructor. Mat Pilates utilizes breath control like Yoga, (inhale through the nose, and exhale through the mouth) and continues to draw the belly to the spine on the exhale. Scooping the belly is synonyms to Pilates, as this engages your transverse abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle that forms an internal girdle for your center. Pilates moves at a faster rate than Yoga, repetitions are quick, short and you do not need to do 20 repetitions to feel the benefits. Quality over quantity applies! Pilates incorporates a full core workout to include the back, hips, shoulder girdle, the benefits also expand to increase muscle tone, more strength and endurance.

Pilates and Yoga do share some very similar moves (many Pilates exercises where borrowed from Yoga). While both systems, (Pilates and Yoga) are built on strength, breath work and control, Yoga unites the mind, body and spirit. Yoga movements can be slower, but depends on the type of yoga you are practicing.

Both systems have tremendous benefits; the blends of both are lethal and complement each other!

Consider a mixture of Pilates and Yoga, not just for a strong, defined core and body, but for the mind and spirit too! Include Yoga and Pilates as a cross-training tool to help keep your body injury-free and flexible!  

Lynn MacDonald, ACE Personal Trainer/Registered Yoga Teacher
www.getcorepower