Pilates vs Yoga: Round 2

A long time ago I made a blog entry titled Pilates vs Yoga. I can’t help it, now it’s time for Round 2.

After having a dearth of exercise over the holidays and then falling sick, I finally stopped putting it off and went to try the classes at The Yoga Sanctuary with Wanting. Maybe the beautiful ambience had a part to play, but I felt extremely blissful after the very first class. Four classes hence (within the last week), I’ve decided to make Yoga my extra-curricular ‘thing’ for the semester. Good way to help relieve stress, release muscle tension, increase flexibility and build strength even as I sit for hours in front of my computer wrestling (or appearing to :P) with my dissertation!

If you ask me where I stand on the Yoga vs Pilates question, my stance still remains basically the same. Yoga has something that Pilates doesn’t… just as Pilates has something that Yoga doesn’t. Pilates is a lot better for core conditioning and back alignment, and perhaps also quicker in muscle toning and lengthening. Yoga on the other hand has the extra something when it comes to breathing, energy flow (or ‘qi’) and balancing. Both are extremely good work-outs.

Perhaps the reason why I’m drawn to Yoga right now is because I’ve been exploring my more contemplative side in the past year. I’ve also been trying to build a personal meditation practice over the past 10 months or so and well, Yoga and meditation go very well together! :)

Well, the plan is to have some home Pilates practice on days I don’t go for Yoga classes. Maybe I’ll get down to that when my muscles aren’t so sore after Yoga (ha ha). I’ve always had more flexibility than strength. Here’s to more balance between the two in the new year!

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Zibin’s also taking Pilates and Yoga classes at Cornell, a few times every week. And he’d be the first to tell you what a good work-out he gets! He’s currently still quite firmly in the Pilates camp though. *grin*