Pilates or yoga. Anyone know.

[Sleeplessinseattle234]

I was looking for some advice. I have had a bad back for years now. And I am now 47. So really want to put more effort into keeping it in better condition.

I was going to start either yoga or Pilates. And was wondering which one would be better for back problems. Would love to be more flexible as well. Looking forward into the future the older I get.

I've only done pilates, I think it's more specifically intended/designed for the physical benefits whereas while yoga may also be good it's not the primary purpose.

What you definitely should do is find a good instructor, certainly till you've got the basics mastered. Don't try to diy from YouTube. A good instructor should start with at least one 1 to 1 session to understand your specific issues and then adapt exercises as apt.

There was an episode of Inside Health specifically about back pain earlier in the year. It specifically mentioned the benefits of yoga.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jksr

(Though the chiropractor made me a bit 🤔🤔)

Having done a bit of both, I found them deeply unpleasant until I got a bit fitter doing weights/cardio

I thought they would be the enjoyable bit but for me I just felt inflexible and wobbly, with not even an endorphin rush to show for it.

I was coming from an almost zero level of fitness though.

Pilates will work on core strength which will help your back. Definitely find a good instructor because they can adapt things to protect your back while you build up the strength.

Have a listen to Michael Moseley's radio programme from last Wednesday on Radio 4 about Pilates

Have a look at Iyengar yoga. Well trained teachers and precision with a view to correctly aligning the body and strengthening weaknesses as well as flexibility. I loved it, did it for years.
Sadly I've become a sloth.

Pilates is good too but I found yoga much more varied and interesting.
Some yoga sucks though. Too fluffy to be of any use.

I find that yoga hurts my back whereas Pilates doesn’t.

My osteopath recommends Pilates over yoga. Maybe it depends on what your back problems are? I physically can’t bend in some directions (Cobra - no thanks!) because if the way my spine is.

I would find a good pilates instructor if I were you. I went to a pilates class a while ago and the instructor was also a physiotherapist. She was great at helping people to modify the exercises based on their needs (there were a few people in the class with disabilities).

I think both can be helpful but the main factor is the quality of the instructor. I would approach some and ask about their knowledge of back issues and how they adapt their classes to accommodate.

My osteo also recommended Pilates over yoga to help my back pain.

Definitely Pilates.

Pilates, if done correctly and regularly, is amazing for your core strength (which really helps with back issues) and your overall shape & flexibility. But... it's very expensive (in my opinion anyway) I did it for a while and saw really good results but just couldn't keep up with the costs of it unfortunately. I don't think it's something you can do yourself, you need an instructor to make sure you're doing each movement correctly.

A good friend has had spinal surgery and his surgeon recommended Pilates during his recovery.

@AnnaMagnani "I thought they would be the enjoyable bit but for me I just felt inflexible and wobbly, with not even an endorphin rush to show for it".

I think the point of Yoga and Pilates is to increase your flexibility and balance, with practice, over time. Also, I'm not sure endorphin rushes are a part of this type of exercise, isn't that more for sweaty cardio? I could be wrong. I do Pilates and cardio, never had an endorphin rush in 6 years😀

Pilates definitely (but I would say that coz I'm a pilates instructor). But absolutely go to a face to face class rather than doing it online.

I do yoga as well (just a class, not teaching) and that has certainly improved my flexibility but it's Pilates that has definitely improved my strength.

Classical tower Pilates is working wonders for me

There are lots of varieties of yoga. Some are more strength-based than others. I've never done pilates, but yoga is fantastic for strength, flexibility and balance.

I've had a bad back recently and I asked my physio whether I should swap from yoga to Pilates.

She said if you're inflexible to do yoga. If flexible to do Pilates. I'm extremely inflexible so I'm carrying on with yoga.

My yoga instructor does Vinyasa yoga also concentrating on core work and I feel it's a proper work out.

DH has a bad back and does both.

Yoga for me.

Also look up anterior pelvic tilt. It’s an issue for a lot women, it definitely was for me.

There are physiotherapists who practice Rehabilitative Pilates in individual or small group (up to three) classes. I found it very helpful for fairly complex back issues as my teacher was a specialist spinal physio trained in this kind of pilates. She moved me onto this gradually alongside regular physio.

Completely echo the recommendation to pick your teacher carefully and start with one to one or very small group classes.

No reason not to do yoga as well but more for general flexibility.

A specialist physio pilates instructor (dh is having one to one from a great one), But yoga as well if you can manage both. I do both.

Having done both I prefer Pilates by a long, long way, but I fully agree with previous posters that the important part is finding a good teacher and doing the exercises correctly.

Definitely Pilates. I have back problems particularly osteoarthritis in my right hip. I have done Pilates's for the past 9 years. My back is definitely better for it. My Pilates teacher actually has a contract with a local chiropractor and my doctor just recommends Pilates for back problems. If I stop the Pilates I need painkillers so I do it at least once if not twice a week.

I've done both. I loathe Yoga with a passion - all the woo.
Pilates is definitely better for your back. A good teacher will give different levels to work at. I have RA and had slipped disc / trapped nerves last year, continued Pilates throughout with some adjustments.
One of the men at my regular class has had major back surgery and goes specifically because of that.