CGM Pilates, Yoga, and Wellness
What is the difference between Pilates and Yoga?
Pilates and Yoga are often paired together under the one umbrella, and that’s not without good reason. They share many similarities but they also have their key points of difference.
What is important to note is that both Pilates and Yoga are mind-body conditioning methods with a holistic approach to achieving health and wellness.
Yoga
While there are many physical benefits to practicing yoga, and it is excellent for your overall health and wellbeing, yoga is merely a tool to help you influence and access your mind. Yoga harmonises or joins the mind, body, and spirit with the goal being to lead a person to a state of peace and stillness.
The physical component of yoga including the poses and movements you practice in a yoga class is called asana. Asana is one of the eight limbs of yoga. The physical benefits of asana can include improved strength, flexibility and mobility, just to name a few. The main reason we practice asana is to calm the mind so that we can sit still in meditation.
Sri T Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga
The meaning of yoga as given in Sutra 1.2 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is to calm the fluctuations of the mind.
Chitta vritti nirodhah
~ Patanjali
Pilates
Pilates is often thought to be similar to yoga, which is not surprising since Joseph Pilates the founder of Pilates practiced yoga. It was during World War I that Jospeh Pilates created, practiced, and taught his physical fitness program, previously termed ‘contrology’, to aid in the rehabilitation of the disabled and sick. His guiding principle is that the ‘whole’ body must be exercised to achieve good health.
Joseph Pilates developed a series of exercise that can be performed either on the floor (mat Pilates) or on the various pieces of apparatus he invented. The Pilates equipment is designed to condition the entire body, and through core strengthening exercises improve strength, flexibility and ultimately correct posture, body alignment and balance.
Joseph Pilates on the Pilates Reformer
Similarly to yoga, Joseph Pilates regarded his method as a holistic approach and a path to total health, rather than just a physical fitness program.
Pilates is the complete coordination of mind, body, spirit
~ Joseph Pilates
So while you can improve your strength, flexibility and mobility from both methods, the main goals of the two practices differ. The full practice of yoga aims to calm the mind, and the Pilates method aims to improve physical strength. Both Pilates and yoga aim to improve the mind-body connection.
At our beautiful Sunshine Coast studios, CGM Pilates & Yoga, we offer both Pilates and yoga, and enjoy the benefits of practicing both methods. For enquiries visit us online here or pop into our Maroochydore studios and try a class.
You heard it right, we're doing Rooftop Pilates!
Join us on the rooftop on Tuesdays from 6am for a Mat Pilates session like no other.
Looking for the perfect outdoor workout? Join us on the rooftop of the Kon-Tiki building in Maroochydore every Tuesday at 6am for a 45-minute mat Pilates class. There's nothing quite like this intense core workout held six stories above the CBD with stunning views across the entire Sunshine Coast.
Don't just take our word for it though, Urban List were stoked to find out about our weekly rooftop sessions, check out what they wrote about this Pilates experience here.
The details you need to know
WHEN: weekly on Tuesdays
TIMES: 6-6:45am
COST: $22 casual class or try our 5 for $55 intro offer
LOCATION: meet just before 6am at CGM Pilates
WHAT TO BRING: A yoga mat, water and sunglasses.
What is core strength, and why do you need it?
“You are only as young as your spine is flexible” Joseph Pilates
Every apple has a core right? So imagine yourself as an apple, and simply put your core is your centre that holds you together and supports your spine. And since your spine is what holds you up, it is incredibly important that you take good care of it.
Your core is the powerhouse of the moving body. Although your abdominal muscles make up a significant portion of your core, there are other muscles included. Essentially your entire torso, including your chest, abdominal muscles, pelvis, and your back make up your core.
Having a strong and stable core will improve your balance and posture and the overall quality of your movement will improve.
So what does it mean to have a strong core? Is it having a six pack? We hate to break it to you, but, no.
Our six pack muscles (rectus abdominis), are the most superficial of the four abdominal muscles and as a result they can pop up to make us look toned and fit. Having a toned physical appearance does not always equate to good core strength. At CGM Pilates you won’t hear us talking much about about six packs (that's not to say you won't get one though!), instead we focus on teaching you how to activate the deeper, core stabilising abdominal muscles.
The transverse abdominis (TA) is the deepest of four abdominal muscles and acts to support the lower back and pelvis. At CGM Pilates we regularly see clients that suffer from lower back pain and they have been referred by their doctors or physiotherapists to do Pilates. Strengthening your core stabilising muscles can help alleviate back pain, prevent injury, and improve back strength and mobility.
Here's a simple exercise you can try at home*.
SINGLE LEG LIFTS
Setup
Lie on your back on the floor or on a yoga mat, knees bent, feet resting flat on the floor and your arms by your side.
Movement
Exhale: lift one leg up moving only at the hip joint, maintaining the angle of the knee
Inhale: lower leg down
Repeat 8-10 per leg
If you'd like to increase the changellenge, alternate from one leg to the other for 8-10 times.
*Always consult your physician before adding any new exercises to your program.
If you'd like to read more about core strength check out the Ask our HEALTH experts sections of Profile Magazine.
Sunshine Coast locals, we encourage you to come in and learn for yourself about core strength from our team of experienced CGM Pilates Instructors.
If you have a question about core strength or are curious as to how Pilates can help you we’d love to help.
With health & happiness,
Colina, CGM Pilates co-founder.