What's the difference between yoga and Pilates?

Many gym-goers mistake the typically Zen-like nature of yoga and Pilates for being boring and physically ineffective, which couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, experts swear by the disciplines for their effectiveness at improving core strength and flexibility, both of which are incredibly important to success in any type of athletic pursuit. "You can be as strong as a bull, but if you don't have flexibility to move, that strength does you no good," says Jamie Hunt, a registered yoga instructor in the Atlanta area.

The methods Pilates and yoga use to help people achieve physical success are different in form and function. First, yoga requires no equipment other than a floor mat, although beginners can opt to use props like flexibility-enhancing yoga straps, or yoga bolsters, which are basically pillows that provide support when doing poses [source: Romine]. Pilates is also done on a floor mat, but it sometimes incorporates resistance bands and even sophisticated exercise machinery, like reformers to provide more support [source: Johnson].

Poses are very important to both disciplines, but Pilates practitioners hold them for three seconds max, while yoga practitioners might hold them for much longer periods. Yoga also tends to include more standing poses than Pilates, which is mostly done on the floor [source: Siler]. Although both regimens are touted for their full-body workout capabilities, they tend to go about it in different ways. Pilates is known for its particular focus on core and spine strength, whereas yoga strives to work every muscle equally [source: Eisler]. "Yoga is from the tips of the toes to the top of the head," Hunt explains.

Breathing is also important for both disciplines, but with Pilates, you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, while keeping your stomach contracted. In Yoga, you breathe in and out through your nose, while expanding your abdomen (a process called belly breathing). The reason for the difference is that breathing in Pilates is preparation for active movement, while in yoga it's a way to calm you down for mediation [source: Hessel]. And the meditative aspect might be the biggest difference between the two regimens.

Most sports and exercise programs are equal parts mind games and physical prowess. They require concentration, dedication, determination and any number of other attributes not related to biceps to achieve success. Yoga and Pilates engage the mind in different ways, however, and the spiritual aspect is believed by many to be the most important difference between the two disciplines [source: mindbodygreen].

"Yoga moves are intended as a gateway to allow someone to achieve a higher sense of awareness, whether that's a relationship with their own God or higher power, or just a personal, spiritual awakening," Hunt explains. "I personally teach in some classes a sense of gratitude for the moves and the ability to move in the first place."

Yoga has its roots in Hinduism (working on the poses allowed the devout to meditate for hours more easily in one position). Because of that, some followers of Christianity and Islam consider it blasphemous [source: The Economist]. However, other believers insist that it's no more than a form of exercise to them.

Although Pilates does encourage a strong mind/body connection (through breathing), it lacks the spiritual aspect that yoga is famous for. That spirituality sometimes spills over into other aspects of life, with many yogis embracing vegetarianism as a nonviolent alternative to meat-eating, although it's not a hard and fast rule, by any means [source: Barrett]. Yoga devotees also may take up meditation as a separate spiritual practice in addition to their yoga time.

However, neither exercise is going to rev up your ticker as much as spin or aerobics will, and they tend to burn significantly fewer calories than high-impact fitness options. If shedding pounds is your primary goal, it's best to include a range of strength and cardiac-based routines in addition to yoga or Pilates.