Yoga vs. Pilates

Susan, are you speaking of the pilates machines or the mat classes? From my experience, the latter are not terribly effective as a means of strengthening the core for competitive athletes (absent a situation like Ourswimmer). I agree that open-level mat classes are not usually very effective, and I'd say further that they are especially ineffective for people who want to work on special stability issues. I started Pilates training about five years ago when my neck problem was acute, and I did it by finding a personal trainer who works in a training practice that includes physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. The Pilates trainer and the PT worked together to develop my initial training program. Now I do most of my dryland training on my own, and check in with my personal trainer once a month. IMO, open-level Pilates mat classes at a gym are not usually very effective because: (1) The point of the training is to strengthen muscles that are usually below the radar. At my gym, I see lots of people in the mat classes who are doing the exercises wrong, using large muscles in an unchallenging way rather than challenging and strenghthening small muscles. (2) You need to start at a level that fits your ability and work up. I also see people in the classes at my gym trying to do things that they are not strong enough to do, which leads them either to recruit larger muscles and modify the movement so that it isn't really helpful or to hurt themselves. (3) Because of (1) and (2), a good instructor for an open-level mat class at a gym pretty much has to keep the class always at a very basic level, and has to go slowly. For a person who does have some strength and control in the stability muscles, such a class is not very challenging. I go to one at my gym sometimes just so that I can make myself do something, but I get a better workout when I do it myself. (I am not, by the way, trying to champion Pilates over yoga, because I've never taken any kind of yoga.)

Susan, are you speaking of the pilates machines or the mat classes? From my experience, the latter are not terribly effective as a means of strengthening the core for competitive athletes (absent a situation like Ourswimmer). I agree that open-level mat classes are not usually very effective, and I'd say further that they are especially ineffective for people who want to work on special stability issues. I started Pilates training about five years ago when my neck problem was acute, and I did it by finding a personal trainer who works in a training practice that includes physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. The Pilates trainer and the PT worked together to develop my initial training program. Now I do most of my dryland training on my own, and check in with my personal trainer once a month. IMO, open-level Pilates mat classes at a gym are not usually very effective because: (1) The point of the training is to strengthen muscles that are usually below the radar. At my gym, I see lots of people in the mat classes who are doing the exercises wrong, using large muscles in an unchallenging way rather than challenging and strenghthening small muscles. (2) You need to start at a level that fits your ability and work up. I also see people in the classes at my gym trying to do things that they are not strong enough to do, which leads them either to recruit larger muscles and modify the movement so that it isn't really helpful or to hurt themselves. (3) Because of (1) and (2), a good instructor for an open-level mat class at a gym pretty much has to keep the class always at a very basic level, and has to go slowly. For a person who does have some strength and control in the stability muscles, such a class is not very challenging. I go to one at my gym sometimes just so that I can make myself do something, but I get a better workout when I do it myself. (I am not, by the way, trying to champion Pilates over yoga, because I've never taken any kind of yoga.)