Yoga vs. Pilates

Susan, are you speaking of the pilates machines or the mat classes? Mat classes are all that I've experienced (I don't relish the idea of hanging upside down in a reformer). My favorite core activities are V-sit, rowing butterflies, bicycle, reverse curl, ball crunch, ball pass, planks (various angles), ball tilt, and seated stability ball or BOSU (upside down) activities with the medicine ball or involving balance/center of gravity adjustments. When I do corework, I want to a) make sure my transverse obliques are well controlled (so I don't get a protruding belly - for vanity and for internal organ and spinal support) b) that my posture is in proper alignment (spine neutral through abdominal and pelvic girdle control), and c) that I've emphasized functional activities over trunk flexion activities, which don't mimic movements I do in sports.

(I don't relish the idea of hanging upside down in a reformer). :rofl:

I think that both pilates and yoga are beneficial. They are good for improving muscle imbalances, core strength and flexibility. These should not be the meat and potatoes of your program however. Both activities include a lot of isometric exercises with long holds in certain positions. When training for perfromance it is best to incorporate movement, and eventually explosive movement. Pilates and Yoga do not address these needs.

I think yoga and pilates are both good supplements to swimming I do more yoga though as I like the focus that tends to come with doing yoga (helps me mentally push through those tough moments in a workout/race). Both definitely help flexibility and unless you do it wrong I'm sure help to stave off injury. Think pilates is better cardio though although yoga too can be a workout in that sense as well depending how you do it.

Totally agree with Tina. Yoga definitely teaches you to be more cognizant about what each muscle in your body is doing and how to better position it for greater effect.

I used to do a reformer Pilates class and loved it. We did a ton of swimming related exercises and I felt taller when I walked out. That's a big deal for me. Also, There was NO impact, which I love. Yoga hurts my shoulder and the one and only time I did hot yoga I hurt my back and was in pain for about 6-8 weeks. You lay down, sit up and stand on the reformer, you do not hang upside down. There are some great Yoga moves and a lot of cross over - I definitely prefer pilates.

never tried yoga or pilates but will try one day…:) though, around the farm a lot has to be done that demands balance and flexibility:D as well as strength:D working at farm with animals is like going to a gym:applaud::cheerleader:

Mat classes are all that I've experienced (I don't relish the idea of hanging upside down in a reformer). A friend has started going to reformer classes recently and I'm excited to join her as soon as I can find time. As a former ballet dancer, the reformer looks like dancing while standing still to me.

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.)

I've been taking private reformer classes since last September; I started out with twice weekly sessions but am now going once a week because of the expense. I also include power yoga and weights as a part of my dryland routine. I'd have to say that I definitely prefer the reformer to mat, as the reformer helps to really focus on form and getting the most out of the exercises (and you only have to be upside down a little bit :)). That being said, I think I get more out of yoga in terms of overall flexibility and strength. I also enjoy it more. Vinyasa/power yoga feels like a dance to me, and is just about the closest feeling to swimming I can get while out of the water. Pilates is more like a chore that I kind of enjoy once I'm doing it but have to be in the right frame of mind to actually start.