Pilates or yoga?

[HouseHuntingShenanigans]

Background - I'm an active 55 year old. Run regularly. Several half marathons done. Walk everywhere. Have a physically active job.
2 years ago had breast cancer. Now on hormone blocker drugs which make me feel so old. I'm stiff and often achy, starting each day feeling like I've done a really long run the day before. This is a common side effect of the drugs but it's so miserable. I can't come off them (I've tried a couple of variations with minimal difference).
I know this is a small price to pay to be free of cancer. However I think some other exercise could be beneficial.

So there's my question. Pilates? Yoga? Something else?

Thanks for any help 😊

I’ve always been a fan of Pilates since ante- natal days (I’m a few months younger than you, and did my first half marathon in April). Great for strength and flexibility, and benefits other exercises well as you become more aware of alignment and posture. A strong core will also help the running.

Do you do any strength training? Highly recommended for ladies of our age! I love body pump, although it may make you ache more in the early days (but in a good way!)

What exercise are you doing now.

If you are aching on no exercise, does exercise make you ache more or does it make no difference, so then may as well get lots of exercise.

Thanks for the replies.

Yes I am doing exercise. Plenty of running, plenty of walking, my job involves lifting etc so not sedentary. I don't feel worse after these things. Just mornings and getting up if I've sat on floor or loafed around for too long
I know I need to improve core/flexibility/strength so just wondering what might be useful.

I love yoga as an all round flexibility and core thing and I feel
It really helps prevent injury and niggles

( despite current injury )

I find yoga has helped enormously with my flexibility especially in the hip area. I also like barre classes for core strength. I haven't done much pilates so would be interested to hear if people find it more effective than yoga for strength and flexibility.

I have been doing yoga for a few years, it's given me strength and flexibility. I'm 52 and I still ache every morning though, sorry!

I think it depends on the teacher and the style. Find out whether you can try a class. I've never found a Pilates class that suited me, whereas I love yoga.

Do you have a Reformer Pilates studio near you? The Reformer machine supports your body as well as providing resistance through springs, so I think it would be ideal for you.

Personally I prefer Pilates and find the teachers better at making the link to other forms of exercise. I also dislike the 'spiritual' aspect of yoga off-putting, I want to stretch and get stronger, not align my chakras or whatever.

I would totally agree though that the teacher matters most and I'd rather do a good yoga class than a crap Pilates one.
Hope you find a class you enjoy!

Thanks all.
It sounds very much like down to preference and the teaching.

I might put out some feelers locally, see if I can get any trial sessions

I'd do yoga plus strength training. You could get what you want from Pilates but teachers and intensity are so variable.

Currently I do strength/weights, and am looking to restart yoga. At some point I will take a break from strength/weights and do a stint/incorporate Reformer Pilates.

Late to the party, but it's Pilates all the way for me. Yoga made my bad back worse, where as Pilates has cured what 35 years of nursing caused. It's also helped my osteoarthritic hips enormously. I have a fantastic, experienced, teacher. Just realised I sound like a right old crock 🤣

I find people are either in the yoga or pilates camp - it's rare you find someone who likes both <awaits hoards of people now coming on to contradict that>

Personally I love pilates. Done it for 15+ years. I enjoy the science based approach the and more dynamic exercises. I find it's really improved my figure and posture. I have a very strong core. I can't get on with yoga but that's me. It's a personal thing so try both and see what you like. I think so much can depend on the teacher and their style too.

I suffer from painful lower back ever since my first pregnancy. Pilates helps keep pain in check, yoga exacerbates the pain. For me anyway.

I do both. Though I prefer to do Pilates at home nowadays rather than pay for a class. There's so much out there.

I've done both at different times and am debating restarting yoga.
I have done a couple of hours of Pilates weekly for five years now. It is great for core strength and resistance training. I think that yoga is better for flexibility although Pilates isn't bad for that I don't find it as effective as yoga was.

I would add that I find the benefits of yoga more meditative, and possibly a bit of help with flexibility and balance, rather than any great physical benefits.

Pilates (and incorporating weights) has helped more with strength and toning.

Just my opinion

Me too. I actually have scoliosis, which is notoriously incompatible with yoga, and I stick to Pilates.

I find the "om" aspect of yoga off putting and have been doing regular pilates for years (currently a typical week is a reformer session in a private studio pilates setting and 2 mat classes at my gym).

I am noticeably more flexible, stronger and less injury prone since I restarted this routine after a covid induced hiatus (I really didn't get on with online classes at all). I've also changed shape although I haven't really lost any weight.

However, my gym also has a tonne of yoga classes and I've started going to one particular yoga class once a week as I like the teacher and they don't do masses of the spiritual stuff. I find it complements the pilates well but if I had to choose one I'd stick with the pilates.

Depending on where you live pilates can be a bit variable. I find the classes at the smaller dedicated pilates studios tend to be better than big "gym" classes in London but they also cost more. I also like the variety of classes they tend to offer e.g reformer, mat, spine corrector compared to the classes at my gym and at the gym there are a couple of teachers I actively avoid and a couple I follow all over London to different gym branches.

I hurt my back earlier in the week and whereas in the past I might have tried to see a physio I simply booked a private pilates class with one of my regular teachers. She had me up and moving and back at work (physical healthcare role) the following day with a list of exercises to do at home. In theory I've done enough pilates & have enough anatomy knowledge to work out which exercises I should do for myself but I found the knowledgable input really helpful.

Oh and I've also had some assisted stretch recently. It is fab at making you feel all loose and limber. I thought it was a gimmick but would rather do that now than have a massage.

Pilates is now just what was called Body Conditioning in the 80s.

Yoga IME is so much better - next level stuff.

Either will be good. From my experience, yoga tends to be more hippy-getting-in-touch-with-your-chakras and Pilates tends to be more like a straight exercise class. But, as PPs have said, this can very much depend on the style and teacher. I’ve done both, just because of what was available at a time and venue that suited me, and benefitted from both.

I don't like the 'om' aspect either @TrishTrix

I like bikram but find the heat intolerable now.

@SheerLucks Pilates is now just what was called Body Conditioning in the 80s.

It really is not.

I have done both and find Pilates absolutely fantastic for all over body strength and flexibility, make sure your teacher is well trained though. I’m 57 and Pilates has helped so much with aches and pains which have come with the menopause.

Like others I really disliked the “om” stuff which comes with yoga.

If I had to choose I'd choose yoga as it's so good for body and mind but I do both.