The first time I observed a pilates class, I was with a friend who regularly participated in the activity. She offhandedly mentioned that pilates was a lot like yoga. Although she did not associate them as being one and the same, a lot of people do. But pilates and yoga are not the same thing.

There is some confusion about the two activities because they do overlap in a few areas. But at their respective cores, they couldn’t be any more different. Yoga is rooted in ancient spiritual practices while pilates was developed as a purely physical exercise.

An Ancient Indian Practice

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice with a long history behind it. It is rooted in equally ancient spiritual beliefs that focus on the mind-body connection. While it is possible to practice some forms of yoga without entertaining the spiritual aspects, it’s impossible to get the full yoga experience without the spiritual.

Because of this, there are some in the West who might be curious about the physical benefits of yoga but reticent about getting involved in its spiritual aspects. Pilates offers a similar bug distinct alternative.

Before I get into pilates, it’s important to note that yoga is practiced in many different forms. Some forms have a greater emphasis on the spiritual while others are more geared toward the physical. Scott Moore, an international yoga educator and sleep meditation teacher, says the two most common forms of yoga in the West are nidra and hatha. Moore’s focus is yoga nidra.

A Comparatively Modern Physical Activity

Whereas yoga’s history dates back centuries, pilates is comparatively modern. Pilates’ origins date back to the mid-1920s, when World War I veterans were in need of rehabilitative services. A German anatomist by the name of Joseph Pilates developed it as a tool for strengthening and conditioning the body.

It worked so well that pilates was adopted by groups of people looking to build their core strength and endurance. In the 21st century, it is fairly common among dancers, athletes, and others who want to improve their core strength while reducing the risk of injury.

Sessions Rather Than Routines

The core components of both yoga and pilates manifest themselves and how the two activities are practiced. Pilates is purely physical. Therefore, it is practiced just like a regular exercise routine. Participants go through a series of conditioning and stretching exercises, either exclusively or as a precursor to other forms of exercise.

In yoga, there are no daily routines. Instead, practitioners engage in systematic yoga sessions. Let us use yoga nidra as an example. During a typical session, a participant is guided through five different stages ultimately designed to culminate in deep relaxation at inner peace.

Throughout the session, the practitioner is encouraged to make and maintain the body-mind connection. The practitioner is encouraged to relax and be self-aware. They are encouraged to pay attention to physical sensations, mental images, and emotional experiences.

Where They Overlap

So, where do yoga and pilates overlap? In the physical exercises. We already know that pilates was intentionally designed to build core strength and endurance. Although no such goals exist with yoga, they are achieved nonetheless through many of the same types of exercises.

Yoga and pilates may look like the same thing at first glance. But when you get to the roots of the two practices and their goals, you discover that yoga and pilates are distinct and different. One is purely physical while the other combines both physical and spiritual. Neither one is better or worse than the other.