Yoga and pilates

By Tricia Madison and Tom Durham

Exercise. What is it? Exercise is defined as the performance of some activity to develop and maintain physical fitness and overall health. When most people think of exercise, they think of cardiovascular training and weightlifting. However, there are two alternative forms of exercise that have recently become more popular. Combining the new with the old, yoga and Pilates classes have hit the fitness industry and spread like wildfire over the past 10 years.

What is Yoga?

When most people think of yoga, they imagine a room full of women doing backbends or mystical little men sitting cross legged and chanting “om.” While each of those images would not be completely untrue, they are not an adequate depiction of most yoga practitioners. The 5,000-year-old science has transcended the boundaries of the east and presented itself to the west as an effective method of maintaining one’s health.

Yoga essentially means union. It has six branches that envelop complimentary characteristics while maintaining the ability to stand alone as a single practice. Hatha yoga is one of the six branches; the others include raja, karma, bhakti, jnana and tantra yoga. Hatha involves the physical aspects of yoga. Raja means “royal” and concentrates on meditation. Karma yoga is the path of service, which all persons must endure. Bhakti addresses the path of devotion or heart. Jnana induces the wisdom and intellect of the mind. Tantra yoga is associated with the path of ritual and practice of the divine. Each branch represents a particular approach to life. Some people may find one particular branch more inviting than another. However, it is important to note that involvement in one of these paths does not preclude activity in any of the others.

The physical and mental benefits of yoga are truly effective in unifying the body as a whole. Each branch of yoga is designed to help one explore life and reap the benefits of the different approaches along the way. For many people, yoga provides an exit for stress and allows time for relaxation and meditation. This in turn serves as a method to lower blood pressure, improve mental capacity and benefit cardiovascular health. Strength and endurance are substantial benefits to yoga practitioners. It works the body synergistically, allowing the mind to improve its concentration of breath and body formation. Yoga has been used to prevent injuries and aid muscle recovery. When the muscles and surrounding tissues are lengthened and relaxed during yoga asanas (the Sanskrit word for postures), it creates more room for blood to flow. This in turn attracts more oxygen to the area helping muscles to heal and grow, making them more effective and less sore. Additionally, yoga helps to flush lactic acid from one’s system. The overall health benefits of yoga are astounding. Nearly everyone can practice yoga and it’s a great start or finish for any exercise plan.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a physical system of movements designed to improve postural muscles and provide overall strength throughout the body. Created by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s, Pilates exercises are performed according to the “Five Pilates Principles:” concentration, control, centering, breathing and flow. Each of these principles allows a Pilates practitioner to focus on the “powerhouse,” which is the abdomen, lower back and buttocks. In all forms, the powerhouse is supported and strengthened, enabling the rest of the body to move freely.

With a disciplined exercise regimen, Pilates has the potential to provide many health benefits to any practitioner. Concentrating on breathing sequences during the exercises has shown an increase in lung capacity and circulation. Many physical therapists have also adopted the Pilates Method into their own practices for patient rehabilitation. Low impact, mildly resistant Pilates exercises reinforce the muscles used in daily activities. This strengthens patients’ bodies and allows them to return to their normal routines with greater ease. Research and theories in motor learning, biomechanics and musculoskeletal physiology help support the phenomena experienced by many Pilates-based practitioners. Pilates Method exercises also prevent injuries by working both the smaller and larger muscle groups of the body. The small, deeper muscles are often ignored in common exercise programs such as bodybuilding and aerobics. Therefore, Pilates serves as a much more effective workout for overall body conditioning.

An effective Pilates program coordinates both the muscular and mental aspects of each movement and/or sequence. Training the mind to work synergistically with the body takes practice and intense concentration. Many exercise enthusiasts experience positive body awareness for the first time when adopting the Pilates Method into their exercise programs.

Teaching balance and control of the body, Joseph Pilates first named this new method of exercise “Contrology.” The term obviously derived from Joseph Pilates’ focus on form and concentration during both the mat work sequences and the use of his self-built machines. Usually, no more than 10 repetitions of each individual exercise are performed in a single Pilates Method program, so the mind and body must be in sync in order to perform the exercises effectively.

In recent years, Pilates training schools claim to have surpassed the original teachings of Joseph Pilates. Through advancement in medical research and clinical knowledge, Pilates trainers have begun to incorporate additional equipment such as the exercise ball into the original 500-plus exercises designed by Joseph Pilates.

Aspects of dance, yoga and Tai-chi can also be found in many programs. However, it is important to note that these programs maintain the Five Pilates Principles and do not waiver from the original foundation of each exercise which is the strength and stability of the “powerhouse.” It is astounding that the Pilates Method has withstood the test of time and become such an integral part of the fitness industry today.

As you can see, yoga and Pilates are actually not new compared to aerobics and weightlifting. They both have many health benefits—from stress management to helping with high blood pressure—that assist people of all ages. So don’t be afraid to try something new. It never hurts to be healthy.

Article contributed by Tricia Madison and Tom Durham of BJC Medical Center.