Pilates is something that is quite popular in many western countries. However there many who seem to think of Pilates and Yoga as being about the same; and even think of these two disciplines as interchangeable. However there is significant difference between Pilates and Yoga, which I hope to explain in this post. There also exists some confusion about restorative yoga and exactly what it entails; something I also hope to shed some light on.
What is Pilates?
Pilates is also known as ‘contrology’ and refers to a physical fitness system developed by Joseph Pilates. It is based on various principles such as breathing, concentration, control of the body,centering, flow, better posture, relaxation, improving stamina etc. Pilates uses devices such as resistance bands, belts, fitness circles etc. and there is great emphasis on control of the body and the correct way of doing the prescribed exercises. It is often prescribed for older people or for those who cannot do strenuous or high impact exercise.
How Yoga and Pilates differ
Now on the face of it, Pilates does appear to be a discipline similar to Yoga. However there are many ways in which the two differ. Firstly, Pilates was developed by one person in the early 20th century whereas Yoga is an ancient discipline that has evolved from the collective wisdom of many ancient sages; which continues to evolve till date. Yoga is a complete mind-body discipline that offers a blue print for living life: it not only helps the body become fitter, but also helps one become emotionally more mature. Whereas Pilates aims at exercise and relaxation, Yoga offers a whole range of difficulty levels from beginners to expert levels. Yoga is known not only to improve relaxation, but also to help cure various ailments, improve posture and balance, improve digestion and blood flow among other things.
So while I am sure that Pilates is a great exercise regimen for many people, its scope and range of benefits are quite limited compared to Yoga. To my mind, the philosophy of Yoga where we learn the value of nonviolence, detachment, love for all and the way that we can learn to slowly train the mind is of great and vital importance.
Restorative Yoga
As I said before, restorative yoga is great for when you’re feeling really tired and don’t feel like doing anything at all. Some people scoff at this type of yoga, and express the view that it would be better just to take a nap! To say that restorative yoga is the same as sleeping is to misunderstand what restorative yoga is and how it works. Restorative yoga has the obvious benefit of giving the body at least some sort of rejuvenating physical activity at a time when the body is reluctant to do anything strenuous.
Firstly restorative yoga is something that actually helps you sleep better. This yoga helps the body relax and transition gently and naturally into a state of sleep. Secondly restorative yoga consists of certain specific, gentle and relaxing poses that help the mind to introspect.It helps a person mentally unwind so that subsequent sleep is peaceful and uninterrupted. It can help increase self-awareness and can be a time to connect with the divine being. Restorative yoga is seen to have many long-term benefits beyond just the fact that people who practice this say that it helps them feel rejuvenated and sleep better. It also helps them remain more focused. There is also some evidence to show that it can help to naturally lower blood sugar,fight anxiety and help with pain management.
Ultimately yoga offers options for everyone; whatever be the age, level of health and fitness. It is up to us to derive the most benefit from this ancient discipline.