Pilates - The New-Age Yoga
What is Pilates?
Pilates is a rather modern form of workout which aims to improve the core strength along with flexibility, posture, and mobility. It was developed in the early ’90s by Joseph H. Pilates.
It is a low-impact exercise which is a combination of approximately 50 easy to perform exercises and the repetitive nature of them. These exercises aid in building muscular exertion, improvement in flexibility, and alignment of the body.
Types of Pilates -
Pilates exercises are performed either on a mat or a machine called ‘reformer’, a sliding platform with springs and stationery bars along with pulleys to provide resistance. Other forms of Pilates includes weights in the form of dumbbells and other small equipment.
Pilates sessions that are performed using a mat only are known as ‘Mat classes’. These exercises have shown great results in improving the core as it focuses more on mid-body workout. Some of the popular exercises performed under mat classes are hundred mat exercise, roll up mat exercise, open leg rocker mat exercise, one leg circles mat exercise, saw mat exercise one leg stretch, and double leg kick mat exercise.
Reformer classes use reformer machines and are usually complex than mat classes. They are said to give better and faster results with less effort. Also, they’re more entertaining and people working out in studios prefer reformer classes over mat classes. The reformer can be used simply by lying, sitting, and standing over it and pulling and pushing the footbar. Some of the popular exercises performed using reformer classes are reformer footwork, leg circles on the reformer, frog on the reformer, stomach massage - rounded, stomach massage-arms back, short box, elephant on reformer and knee stretch on the reformer.
All the exercises are based on the six principles of breathing, concentration, centre, flow, precision, and control. It is the application of these principles which often makes Pilates a step ahead in the fitness world. Although these principles might sound haphazard, but altogether they account for an improvement in balance, grace, and ease which can be experienced as a result of practising Pilates.
Benefits of Pilates -
Pilates is known to offer countless health benefits ranging from improvement in postural alignment to muscular gains. The exercises involved in Pilates ramble around the core and are considered to effect abdominals, hips, inner and outer thighs and back with similar outcomes. Some of the considerable health benefits that can be achieved experiencing Pilates are -
1. Improving Bone Density -
Both bone and muscle are dynamic tissues and responds to resistance and weight-bearing exercises. A tension is created when muscles are pulled while performing Pilates and it helps in the fortification of the muscles.
2. Weight Loss -
A normal Pilates session helps in burning of about four to eight calories per minute. An intense session of around 60-90 minutes has been proved to burn 500-750 calories which helps in synthesising a calorie dearth and hence leads to weight loss.
3. Easing body Pain -
Recent studies have proved that people with back pain benefitted a big-time within four weeks of joining of the Pilates program. Pilates exercises like roll up and swan prep has been significant in spine strengthening.
4. Increasing Flexibility -
While most exercises in a fitness regime involve motion of body parts in a forward and backward direction, Pilates exercises move the body in several planes. Movements involved in extension, flexion, internal and external rotation, and side bending not just aids in the strengthening and flexibility of the muscles but also decreases the risk of injuries.
5. Improving Posture -
Pilates helps in creating improved muscle symmetry and balance. The strengthening of the core helps to emancipate daily activities without pain and overall improvement of the postures.
How different is Pilates from Yoga?
If we seek a simple one-line answer to the difference between these two, the answer would be Pilates is much more than just mats and mind. While yoga is mostly spiritual, Pilates, on the other hand, is goal oriented.
While yoga is known to improve physical, mental and spiritual health, Pilates is popular for strengthening the core, improving posture, spine elongation and developing overall balance and strength.
Pilates apart from mat uses a reformer machine which helps in gaining tremendous results as compared to mat based exercises and asanas of yoga. Exercises often include weights in forms of the dumbbell which is completely absent in the case of yoga.
Also, postures and motion involved in yoga and Pilates are far apart from each other. There is also a difference in the amount of time spend in the poses.
The similarities between Yoga and Pilates are the goals of focusing on technique, breathing, and alignment. Both methods aid in improving mental health, flexibility, and alignment.
