Pilates has been gaining a great deal of popularity lately, largely as a surefire way to get the sculpted abdominals that everyone seems to want. However, those who have gotten deep into the discipline have begun to realize that it’s more than that. In many ways, pilates exercises the spirit as well, leading many to advocate a form of “pilates yoga”.
It’s easy to see how pilates and yoga could become conflated. Both disciplines utilize routines of controlled stretching and have many of the same goals. In its original traditional form, pilates uses only a thin mat on the floor as well, another similarity to the ancient Indian tradition which so many like to pilates.
Take a look at the thirty four basic exercises that make up the average pilates routine. Then take a look through a beginner’s yoga manual or attend a basic yoga class. You’ll quickly see that many of the forms are similar. This is because pilates draws upon the same reservoir of knowledge that informed the ancient masters.
Another reason for the shocking similarity in forms and techniques is the pilates – yoga goals and underlying principles are quite similar. One of the basic tenets of yoga is that it enables one to attain perfect balance, both in terms of posture and in terms of spirit. By achieving control of minute bodily responses, one can eventually reach a form of enlightenment.
It’s not all just about working out. As you hold the postures of pilates and focus on your breathing, you’re not just strengthening your muscles, you’re also cultivating a higher sense of awareness. Just as you are acutely aware of that painful burning in your abs during the last stretch of the day, so too will you be aware of your afternoon, or of the lotus flower.
The ultimate lesson one can take from a discipline like pilates yoga is that all things are one in the end. Therefore, it’s not surprising that these two arts, separated by millennia, would share many of the same features. Whichever one appeals to you, good luck with it!