Which is better in pregnancy? Pilates or Yoga?
What are the main dfferences between the two as I have only done a bit of yoga and never done pilates. i am planning a home birth so want to learn breathing techniques and strengthen muscles to try and make things easier for me.
It's really personal preference. If you opt for special pregnancy classes there probably won't be a huge amount of difference between the two. Otherwise, make sure the instructor knows you are pregnant as there are some positions that should not be done in pregnancy.
I have been doing active birth yoga throughout my pregnancy which is geared towards helping with the labour. Do a search on the active birth centre and see if there is a teacher in your area.
Oh and it's really not true that you shouldn't start yoga in pregnancy. A good instructor will make sure that you don't injure yourself, and pregnancy yoga is extremely gentle anyway! The class I go to always has new people joining and they get real benefits from it.
November 8th, 2008 15:54
i think yoga will be more beneficial but it basically depends upon ur physical condition
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November 8th, 2008 16:09
pilates should be easier cause u don't have to bent over yr body but u breath, move slowly and exercise yr legs, tummy and torso.i think it's better for u.
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November 8th, 2008 16:58
well me and my friend who is 4 months pregnant were due to start pilates classes last week however her doctor has told her that this isnt suitable while shes pregnant. i dont know if this is true for all pregnancies or just hers but id check with your doctor before doing any kind of exercise just to be on the safe side
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November 8th, 2008 17:03
they are both good for you and you cant do one with out the other. Yoga focus' on concentration and flexibility while …pilates focues' on tonning and core strength. You use the key concepts from both to improve your yoga work out or vise versa…and many other tasks in life. They both improve your quality of life from what they teach you. Both can be applied to being pregnant, giving birth and after when you are busy but also trying to get your body back to how it was.
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November 8th, 2008 17:22
people regularly get injuries or strains in yoga, Pilates is strain free and if you have done niether before pregnancy then Pilates is your only safe choice as taking on a new form of exercise that you had not done regularly before pregnancy is discouraged by doctors and Pilates is more gentle then yoga.
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November 8th, 2008 17:44
I have done both pilates and yoga pre-pregnancy. Pilates is a bit more strenuous, focusing on building muscles and shaping your body while yoga is more about stretching and posing in a relaxing way. Now that I'm 25 weeks, I prefer yoga since it is easier on my body. Also, most yoga sessions involve meditation and relaxation techniques, which I find extremely helpful. I also use this time to bond with my baby. If you were not very physically active before, yoga is right for you. I find that I work up more of a sweat with pilates, but that in yoga, I am more relaxed and refreshed after a session. Since pilates is all about building muscle tone, you must be very careful about which muscles you are focusing on. In my opinion, yoga is better. The slight difficulty in pilates compared to yoga often causes me to focus more on my posture than my breathing, since we're holding positions with our core muscles, whereas the relaxing movements of yoga causes me to be able to focus on both. If you're worried about bending over and holding positions for too long during your pregnancy, you can also buy prenatal yoga tapes, which are made for us growing women! One of the best exercises, I might also mention, to prepare for labor is Kegel exercises, which really does't require that much effort!
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personal experience and preference
November 8th, 2008 18:14
It's really personal preference. If you opt for special pregnancy classes there probably won't be a huge amount of difference between the two. Otherwise, make sure the instructor knows you are pregnant as there are some positions that should not be done in pregnancy.
I have been doing active birth yoga throughout my pregnancy which is geared towards helping with the labour. Do a search on the active birth centre and see if there is a teacher in your area.
Oh and it's really not true that you shouldn't start yoga in pregnancy. A good instructor will make sure that you don't injure yourself, and pregnancy yoga is extremely gentle anyway! The class I go to always has new people joining and they get real benefits from it.
References :