Yoga Vs Pilates: The 7 Differences & Benefits To Know

1. Each One Uses Different Equipment

While both exercises work the body in effective ways, they employ different equipment. “Yoga is usually practiced primarily on a mat, whereas Pilates (aside from sometimes a mat), offers a spectrum of apparatuses such as the reformer, tower and Wunda chair to specifically target the core and a wider range of muscle,” says Jordan Ashley, Founder of Souljourn Yoga.

2.  They Challenge The Body Differently

“Yoga and Pilates have so many similarities, and there is a huge scope of practitioners that teach vastly different repertoires,” explains Caron Bossler, Founder of Pilates Squared. “But generally speaking, what stands out to me in terms of their difference is that Pilates focuses on building muscular strength and co-ordination, as well as improving flexibility, preventing injury and of course, promoting grace through different equipment techniques to yoga.” That’s not, however, to say yoga doesn’t challenge the core, too. “Yoga’s benefits are endless (think posture, strength and flexibility), but the difference to me, is that it focuses more on being a lifestyle than just a workout,” confirms Jordan. “After practicing it regularly, you may find that you start to become less stressed at work, more present at home and even that you get a better night’s sleep – it’s pretty incredible when you start to notice the positive changes it has on your body in terms of general wellbeing. Think of yoga as slightly more holistic.”

3. Posture Poses Vary With Each

 Not only are the poses and moves performed in each exercise quite different, so is the amount of time spent holding them. “Typically, in yoga, you hold poses for longer than you do in Pilates,” says Jordan. “Yoga creates strength in the body by holding shapes for longer that require endurance and concentration, such as the standing warrior poses, as you have to use more than just your legs to feel grounded and strong. It’s all about alignment and posture to ensure you’re more in tune with yourself. Pilates, on the other hand, doesn’t always repeat the flow of moves. “Often the movements are shorter and with few repetitions, there is more of a focus on control and precision with a specific set of exercises in a set order,” confirms Caron. “It comes down to a mixture of what the client wants to achieve and what we know they need, always with a cool down to finish.”

4. The Wellbeing Components Differ

This is possibly one of the biggest contrasts between the two. Pilates is more traditional exercises originally developed to help injured athletes, whereas yoga was created as a path to spiritual enlightenment through a series of poses. Put simply, yoga is a more meditative experience, depending on what type of class you’re attending. “Yoga doesn’t just mean physical. It could mean practicing things like ‘karma yoga’ or ‘service yoga,’ by volunteering somewhere or cultivating a meditation practice just by sitting, starting with 3-5 minutes a day,” explains Jordan. “The beauty of yoga practice is that very little is needed, just try setting aside a space that’s clean, organised and quiet. Create an inviting ambiance with a few candles too, it’ll help inspire you.” While Pilates is lesser known for its meditative benefits, it does challenge the mind as much as the body: “It requires you to engage everything simultaneously and has actually been proven to reduce negative emotions by changing and balancing the levels of chemicals in the brain,” says Caron.