Pilates and/or Yoga? Interested in the pros and cons of each

[Thingsarel00kingup]

Just that really, please. Are they similar or very different? What does each aim to achieve? Is one 'better'?

I'd like to do one, or both TBH, with a general aim of toning up and feeling less 'stiff' as I age. Would be very interested to hear from people who favour one over the other to help me choose which might suit me best.

Thanks 😊

Anyone....please

I’m by no means an expert but in my limited experience I have much preferred yoga to Pilates. I find it much more relaxing and flowing. With Pilates you seem to hold your muscles tense and I just find it boring (and painful....which probably means it works but....I’ve never stuck with it)

There is yoga for all abilities and so many different types, it doesn’t get dull and I seem to leave classes feeing a good mixture of energised and calm

@Youngatheart00

I’m by no means an expert but in my limited experience I have much preferred yoga to Pilates. I find it much more relaxing and flowing. With Pilates you seem to hold your muscles tense and I just find it boring (and painful....which probably means it works but....I’ve never stuck with it)

There is yoga for all abilities and so many different types, it doesn’t get dull and I seem to leave classes feeing a good mixture of energised and calm

Ditto for me, much prefer yoga, although I think Pilates is excellent for pelvic floor/abdomen

I have done both but by far my favourite is Les Mills body balance. It's a combination of tai Chi yoga and pilates done to music and through lock down have been doing it every day. Would very much recommend.

Yoga is definitely better for flexibility. Pilates is more about strengthening and conditioning certain muscle groups. Both good for pelvic floor if you do it right... And having done both by class and video, I found yoga much easier to pick up by watching YouTube, Pilates movements are very specific and small and I feel you need an instructor to get started off on the right foot.

I’ve started doing wild stretch which I like. Cuz it’s not the typical yoga routine. There are loads of yoga now comparing when I used to go years ago. Wild core. Wild flow. Asthabga yin vinayasa.

Done both, both good, but prefer yoga as in my experience it's more holistic - mind and body, helps me relax and calm down as well as v good for strength, tone and flexibility.

I prefer yoga as it’s gentler on the body I find. Pilates is slower and more intense holds. Yoga is a full body and mind workout; I love it.

Much prefer yoga as there’s much more variety.
Find Pilates dull

Thank you all, some really great advice and interesting views of both, and Les Mills sounds great! Haha, it's far too hot for anything right now though (not moaning!)

Done both, much prefer yoga. I am hyper mobile and always thought that yoga gave you a stretch and flexibility and Pilates put your skeleton back where it should be. I find I get less back and shoulder pain with yoga - and it is easier to come to as a novice whereas Pilates I found you needed one to one to start to make sure you do it right. OH prefers Pilates and won’t touch yoga as his osteo recommended it.

I prefer Pilates but never got anywhere with yoga. My physio (for shoulder injury) said Pilates better for me as I lift heavy weights and my elbows slightly too flexible anyway. I found it very good for rehabbing my shoulder and also working on form as lots of the exercises are also used in strength training so you can practise them at much lower intensity.

I always think tho if no medical issues etc - the best exercise for you is one you enjoy and do regularly and commit to!

I prefer pilates too.
There was also yogalates which combined the two.

I do both. I have done yoga for years, both a class (now Zoom) and Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube. Yoga has been great for my flexibility and is very calming. It can be good for upper body strength, but only if you really work at it - a couple of downward dogs once a week won't really do it.

I was still finding that my core wasn't great and my lower back wasn't as robust as I'd like, so I've recently started private pilates sessions. As others have said, pilates isn't as easy to pick up from YouTube as yoga. Having one on one lessons is great as you work really hard and can't really cheat, plus you know that you're squeezing the right bits!

I kind of know what people mean about pilates being duller than yoga, but I'll be continuing with both as I think they're both really valuable.

I much prefer Pilates. It’s much more technical and has a sound scientific basis whereas Yoga I’ve found is a bit wishy-washy. I don’t like holding poses, it’s just dull and some of them aren’t actually all that good for you. I can see that people enjoy it as a mind/body/relaxation thing but as a proper, body improving exercise then I think Pilates is better. I guess it depends what you want and what your end goal is.

I'm in the pilates camp because I use it for core strength and stability. I quite like Body Balance as a good all round class. I really really don't like yoga, i actually find it stressful which is everything it's not meant to be!! To be completely honest, I don't either will make you toned unless you do a couple of hours a day every day.

I prefer Pilates.
I'm not very flexible and feel that it would take decades doing yoga to improve that.
With Pilates my balance and core strength has improved so much. My body really favoured my left side previously but now I feel more balance.
I go to class once a week and do it on zoom at the moment.

I prefer pilates. I find yoga boring and my mind wanders. With pilates you can see and feel the difference really quickly.

Yoga myself. I have had injury problems in the past and yogas approach of working with the whole body and accepting that you listen to and move with your body seems to suit me

I found Pilates focussed too much on core/back, too prescriptive and not progressive enough for me ( although I suspect that a lot is finding the right teacher. And I have had poor ones for both)

I prefer Pilates, I feel like with Pilates I can feel what each position is working whereas with yoga sometimes it feels like I’m all twisted up like a pretzel when a simpler pose would have done the same thing.

I think yoga is nicer for mental health and relaxation though, I like a yoga with Adriene video before bed sometimes.

I enjoy yoga more, but pilates has made a massive difference to a long term back problem and when I get lazy about it the back pain flares up again very quickly.

Much prefer Pilates.
Yoga I feel prizes flexibility over strength. Advanced poses are only available to those super flexible and some people are just anatomically more flexible. I could do yoga for 20 years and I doubt I’d get in to some poses. Therefore I get pissed off as I’m strong and fit and want to workout.

Also hate the spiritual side of yoga.

Pilates is more based around core strength. It has done wonders for my back by strengthening my core. Also strengthens glutes and hips so has helped me run injury free. I’m more flexible through Pilates but for me that’s not the main benefit more of a side benefit. You need to find a good instruction who can keep things interesting. I also love reformer Pilates.

Physios and doctors recommend Pilates more now.
Yoga actually put my back out a few years ago and it was excruciating.

I've got my first yoga and Pilates class on Wednesday at my new gym and I'm bricking it. I hurt my knee last week so a bit dubious about some of the positions I might need to do

I do both (not enough of either at the moment with my toddler around but anyway).

I think yoga is more holistic, it’s good for flexibility, relaxation, a great night’s sleep or an energising way to start the day. Ashtanga or Vinyasa flow type yoga are more athletic and especially good for strength.

Pilates is amazing for strengthening your core and great for posture. It feels more technical. I know some people find it boring but I actually find concentrating on small movements quite relaxing and satisfying.

Pilates classes are either mat or reformer based and tend to be fairly similar in my experience. Teachers are serious but it doesn’t feel like a ‘lifestyle’ in the way yoga is for some practitioners, just exercise. One of my Pilates instructors was also a physiotherapist. Yoga classes vary wildly. I’ve been to classes with instructors who really go in for the spiritual side (not my thing at all) and do lots of chanting and breathing, while classes at gyms tend to feel more like standard exercise classes. Different types of yoga are very different from one another.