yoga or pilates?

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running_mom
running_mom Posts: 204 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Educate me! I want to do something different. I plan on taking a spinning or kickboxing class. And I run through out the week and started a little weights. I understand the basics between them but I want to know is what has given people results! I want to be toned and flexible. And, lose this freakin tire around my waist!

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  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
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    i dig me some pilates! i take one yoga class and one pilates class per week, but i prefer the pilates. my yoga class is more holding poses, which has helped my flexibility to some degree, but i get bored with it. i guess i'm supposed to be relaxed, but i must not be wired that way.

    my pilates class rocks. it's still very gentle and relaxing, but i get a much better burn. we go through repeated simple motions at our own pace, we do a lot of plank holds (similar to yoga) and tons of ab work. i feel that i get a better burn, a better stretch and more strength building through the pilates class.

    i would just try out both and see what floats your boat! best of luck!
  • jenfactor
    jenfactor Posts: 124
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    I would definitely recommend Pilates for toning up.
  • aimeeturner
    aimeeturner Posts: 225 Member
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    I have been doing Jillian Michaels' Yoga Meltdown for a few weeks. She combines holding poses with reps, which gets your heart rate up. I use this as my morning workout.
  • Yorkxan
    Yorkxan Posts: 3
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    Pilates for sure!! I just do the 20 version. It took 21 days to be able to hold every position with the dvd, but the strength and flexibility you get is awesome. The best thing is you can do it just about anytime you have a few minutes. My favorite is early in the morning before everyone gets up. I feel better, walk taller and look so much better. So between tracking my eating on myfitnesspal and pilates I have gone down two dress sizes and at 51 I am back to what I was 15 years ago!!
    Lovin It!!!
  • smashingroses
    smashingroses Posts: 22
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    I would like to say that yoga is great for your breathing and it really stretches you out, but unfortunately doesn't help you really lose weight. Keeping that to a min and keeping up the cardio will end up helping you more in the long run. I love yoga because it can be very relaxing and help your body feel better, but getting the heart rate up will do more for you. :D Hope this helps!
  • CaliSweden
    CaliSweden Posts: 62
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    I like Yoga, there are all sorts of varieties of yoga. Maybe Power Yoga is something that might work for you. I've gotten really toned from doing yoga and flexible. It's helped me lose weight too.
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
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    I like Yoga, there are all sorts of varieties of yoga. Maybe Power Yoga is something that might work for you. I've gotten really toned from doing yoga and flexible. It's helped me lose weight too.

    This. Try a Vinyasa/Flow/Power yoga class, as a PP suggested, maybe Bikram, and see how you like it. Nothing wrong with doing them both. Pilates bores the daylights out of me, and I was never in better shape than when I was doing around 10 hours of yoga a week, but to each his or her own. An Iyengar class is going to be more static - a power/vinyasa class can be a sweat-fest of epic proportions. Class first, though, then DVDs. No injuries!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    i dig me some pilates! i take one yoga class and one pilates class per week, but i prefer the pilates. my yoga class is more holding poses, which has helped my flexibility to some degree, but i get bored with it. i guess i'm supposed to be relaxed, but i must not be wired that way.

    my pilates class rocks. it's still very gentle and relaxing, but i get a much better burn. we go through repeated simple motions at our own pace, we do a lot of plank holds (similar to yoga) and tons of ab work. i feel that i get a better burn, a better stretch and more strength building through the pilates class.

    i would just try out both and see what floats your boat! best of luck!

    I agree completely! One will probably fit you better than the other. I can't stand yoga, it just isn't for me. I just don't like standing in the same stinking position for what seems like forever. However, I love pilates! Like the quote above, I like going through motions, not posing like a statue. I take a class 2x/week and within a month I dropped a pants size and noticed a difference in my body. If possible, give both a chance and see which you like better.

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