Pilates and Yoga

Posted on by Rosemary Godfrey

I have practiced yoga since my teens and Pilates since my thirties. I choose to become a Pilates teacher because I felt that Pilates had done more to improve my posture, overall strength and generally transform my body. I wanted to learn more about it and to help others to do the same. I still practice and enjoy both.

You may be wondering what the differences are and which would be best for you. It depends on many things including your current fitness, goals, schedule, budget and not least your teacher. I recommend you find someone with a comprehensive qualification who teaches small classes.

For more background, I asked ChatGPT to compare Yoga to Pilates. The results follow. Note they only relate to group mat classes. Pilates can also be taught using studio equipment including the reformer.

Yoga and Pilates are often compared because both are low-impact, mind–body practices that emphasize controlled movement, breathing, and core strength. But they come from very different origins and have distinct focuses. Here’s a breakdown:

Origins

  • Yoga:
    • Dates back thousands of years to ancient India.
    • Rooted in philosophy and spirituality, with practices designed to unite mind, body, and spirit.
    • Includes not just physical poses (asanas), but also meditation, breathwork (pranayama), and ethical principles.
  • Pilates:
    • Created in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates.
    • Originally designed to help rehabilitate injured soldiers and dancers.
    • Focuses on strengthening, alignment, and controlled movement with a more clinical/fitness approach.

Primary Focus

  • Yoga: Flexibility, balance, relaxation, and mind-body awareness. Many styles emphasize mindfulness and stress reduction.
  • Pilates: Core strength, posture, stability, and functional movement. It’s often used in rehab and athletic conditioning.

Movement & Style

  • Yoga:
    • Flows through sequences of postures (like in Vinyasa) or holds them (like in Hatha or Yin).
    • Wide variety of styles: some gentle and meditative, others physically intense.
    • Often integrates breath with movement and includes meditation at the end (savasana).
  • Pilates:
    • Structured, repetitive exercises often done on a mat or with specialized equipment (like the reformer).
    • Focuses heavily on precision, alignment, and small, controlled motions.
    • Less spiritual; more about body mechanics and efficiency of movement.

Breathing

  • Yoga: Uses breath as a tool for relaxation, energy control, and meditation (pranayama).
  • Pilates: Uses specific breathing techniques (often lateral breathing into the ribs) to aid core engagement and movement control.

Benefits

  • Yoga:
    • Increases flexibility and balance.
    • Reduces stress and anxiety.
    • Enhances body awareness.
    • Can improve circulation and joint mobility.
  • Pilates:
    • Strengthens deep core muscles.
    • Improves posture and spinal alignment.
    • Enhances stability and injury prevention.
    • Supports athletic performance and rehabilitation.

Mind-Body Connection

  • Yoga: Strong emphasis on mindfulness, meditation, and sometimes spirituality.
  • Pilates: Mind-body awareness is present, but the focus is more on body control and physical function than spirituality.

✅ In short:

  • If you want flexibility, relaxation, and a more meditative practice → Yoga.
  • If you want core strength, posture improvement, and rehabilitation-friendly exercise → Pilates.