PILATES VS YOGA

By PW Nutritionist Grace Scott

Ever since the early 2000s yoga and pilates have been rising in popularity and it’s now fashionable and trendy to get your zen on and downward dog. Yoga and pilates are often interchanged and mistaken for one another, so what actually is the difference? And are you more suited to one rather than the other? Take our quiz below to find out!

Yoga is a traditional ancient Indian practise over 5,000 years old designed to release stagnant energy and find mental harmony. There are many different forms of yoga but the most widely practised, and also the one you’ve most likely taken part in is Hatha. Hatha yoga is a gentle introduction to the basic poses, think tree pose, warrior and everybody’s favourite, (or at least mine!) child’s pose! The claimed benefits of yoga are endless, but most predominantly it’s a de-stressor. Even an hour before your hectic day to take time for yourself, or after the busiest day of your week, yoga can be a chance to re-centre and find your balance, whatever your reason there’s no denying the mental relief after a yoga class.

Whilst yoga focuses on mindfulness and spiritual wellbeing, Pilates takes more of a focus on the body. Originally curated by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s to treat athletes and dancers’ injuries, it has now, like yoga, become a global sensation. Any major city will have countless stylish reformer Pilates classes designed to strengthen and sculpt your muscles with the added benefits of increased circulation and joint mobility while of course getting that perfect Instagram shot in your gym gear in the studio mirrors. Some celebs such as the likes of Joan Collins, Hugh Grant and Jennifer Aniston even attribute their perfect arms and abs to reformer Pilates due to the extensive work in a standard class.

No matter which you choose, both can be great for your mental and physical health. After a few sessions of either there’s no doubt you will feel relieved of stress (similar to most exercise), have better posture, and have more flexibility! Most of us here at PW HQ can’t even touch our toes, let alone stand on our hands or head! So maybe a yoga class or two could benefit us. But with classes costing anywhere between £15-£50 per class for either practise, we don’t want to be wasting our hard-earned cash on a class we’re not sure if we’ll enjoy. Take our test to see which you’ll be more suited to!

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