Last week, we focused on some important Pilates ABC’s to keep in mind as you travel on your path to fitness. This week, we thought we’d apply another helpful mnemonic device to remember as you practice Pilates, CoreAlign and yoga. We’ll call them the Three P’s: Practice, Patience and Personalization.

Your practice… takes practice
Often times we think of practice as something you do when you start a new activity. But in Pilates, practice is an ongoing activity. It’s a daily repeated performance towards your personal best. Think about practicing a musical instrument or speaking a new language. There is always room for growth – and it takes time to achieve the very best.

Patience is a must-have
When starting a comprehensive program like Pilates, CoreAlign, or yoga, visible and measurable change comes gradually. Daily practice will help train your movements to change your body from the inside out. As Joseph Pilates said, “Patience and persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.” Don’t let the need for drastic change sabotage your motivation. Have patience, because it’s the “everyday” that matters most.

Personalize your growth
Pilates exercises grow along with you. As Amy Taylor Alpers and Rachel Taylor Segel say in The Everything Pilates Book, “Pilates puts you so closely in touch with your body and its condition, you will know what your body needs to do, what it’s capable of doing, and what you should avoid.” Your instructors at The Lift can tailor custom programs with your specific fitness needs and goals in mind.

Remember that with programs like Pilates, CoreAlign and yoga, the finish line is not something you can ever truly reach. Fitness is a way of life – and is something that will never stop growing with you. The daily journey is your destination.

If you haven’t yet, email me and let’s start your path to fitness!

Often times, the words Pilates and yoga are used interchangeably and many of you may already be familiar with classes that blend the two like Piloga and Yogalates. Pilates increases performance in other physical activities, such as yoga, however, we discourage combining the two exercises in one single session. While there are similarities between Pilates and yoga, each has a very different purpose, movement and benefit and should always be practiced separated.

Origin

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates to rehabilitate injured German citizens and soldiers during World War I. The purpose of Pilates is to physically condition and teach your body how to engage your core muscles that keep your body in perfect balance.

According to Wikipedia, Yoga originated in India and the purpose of practicing Yoga is to participate in a philosophical and spiritual experience. Yoga offers a holistic approach toward a lifestyle that values the mind, body and spirit through poses and breathing.

Movement

Pilates movements are core focused and can be performed on a mat or on equipment such as the Reformer. The classical Pilates method strictly follows the six Pilates principles based on the foundation that Joseph Pilates created; Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath and Flow. The Pilates breath is coordinated with the exercises and focuses on inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.

Yoga classes have more variation, from slow movements and poses to very fast moving series, but are always performed on a mat. Depending on the type of yoga class, the sequence of poses can be changed and altered. Yoga incorporates meditation along with exercise and emphasizes breathing through the nose to focus the mind.

Benefits

Pilates strengthens the core muscles and perfectly aligns the body to improve posture, strength, and flexibility. Pilates is common in injury prevention and recovery programs, especially with those experiencing back pain, because of the option to utilize machines and/or mat work.

In addition to flexibility and improved range of motion in joints, Yoga improves mental well being and relieves stress. Like Pilates, Yoga poses build muscle strength and improve posture.

What aspects of Yoga appeal to you? What about Pilates? Do you find that there are more similarities than differences between the two practices?