Yoga vs Pilates: My Personal Journey & What Worked Best for Me
If you’re a physical fitness enthusiast like me, you must feel instantly calmer at the thought of stretching out your body or just breathing in deeply.
I tried Yoga for a couple of months. The deep stretching, the flow between poses, and the sense of releasing tension made me feel like I was walking on clouds. It was simply very relaxing.
A few months later, I decided to try Pilates, and that changed everything for me.
If you’re confused about which path will be right for you, or even thinking of becoming an instructor, let me walk you through my experience and things I learned from my journey.
Why I Started Yoga and Why You Might, Too
I began Yoga during some of the most stressful times of my life. I signed up for a beginner class, not expecting a significant change, but quickly it became a lifeline for me.
It helped me reduce anxiety, improve flexibility, and build mental clarity over time. Yoga helps you slow down, listen to your breath, and be more present both mentally and physically. I became significantly stronger physically in my upper body and core, but the most surprising factor was how mentally calmer and relaxed I became.
If you’re looking for a deep restorative therapy to improve flexibility and mindfulness, Yoga will be an incredible choice.
Then Came Pilates
About a year in, I wanted to focus more on my spine strength, core, and muscle tone. A trainer suggested Pilates, specifically Reformer Pilates, and I can’t gush enough about how transforming it was for me.
Where Yoga gives a more ‘go with the flow’ vibe, Pilates feels more technical. The focus is mainly on form, precision, and muscle engagement. Every move you make has a purpose, and I could feel my posture improving after just a few weeks. My back pain was completely gone. My core felt more stable and solid, and my glutes were activated.
This is the stage where I realized that where Yoga trains your mind and stretches your full body, Pilates helps you with powerful alignment and strength training benefits.
Becoming an Instructor
Since I loved Pilates, I started wondering if I could ditch my desk job to build a career in this space and help others receive the benefits like I did.
I looked into the best courses and certifications to be eligible. There were many courses, but they didn’t provide real working experience, and then I came across the reformer pilates instructor course. This course was life-changing for me. They not only give you a strong foundation to teach reformer pilates safely but also help you build confidence.
If you’re starting fresh or already have a background in fitness, this course can be the best way to become a Level 3 certified Pilates instructor.
Yoga Vs Pilates: Which One is Right For You?
If you’re still unsure which one to go with. Let’s make it simpler:
Choose Yoga if: you want to relieve stress, improve flexibility, and gain better physical and mental focus. It’s perfect to slow down in this fast era and reconnect with your true self.
Choose Pilates if: you want to feel more energetic, have a better posture, improve core strength, and feel overall fit. It also reaps great results if you complement it with weight training or running.
Or do both: I actually love to switch up between pilates and yoga on a weekly basis. Yoga can help me stay mentally fresh while Pilates helps me stay in shape.
Final Thoughts
Always listen to your body. Two people can’t be the same. What worked for me might not work well for you. So, now that you have the basic understanding of what both paths entail, decide for yourself.
I’m grateful that I tried both Yoga and Pilates. It gave me the idea of what to expect in both. Yoga is incredible, and I love to do it even now. But, I listened to my thirst for burn, which complemented well with Pilates. That decision led to much progress in my life, and now I run my own pilates studio. I believe that was the best decision of my life.
It’s now time for you to make the decision.
