MAT Pilates

Pilates uses a combination of around 50 repetitive exercises to spur muscle exertion. Each exercise flows from the “five essentials”: breath, cervical alignment, rib and scapular stabilisation, pelvic mobility, and utilisation of the transversus abdominis. It could be described as “a mind-body exercise that requires core stability, strength, and flexibility, and attention to muscle control, posture, and breathing”. Pilate can be tailored to a spectrum of fitness goals, ages and abilities”. Pilates is not a cardiovascular workout, but rather a strength and flexibility workout. Pilates places a heavy emphasis on breathwork and creating a mind-body connection.
If practiced consistently, Pilates improves flexibility, builds strength, and develops control and endurance in the entire body. It puts emphasis on alignment, breathing, developing a strong core, and improving coordination and balance. The core, consisting of the muscles of the abdomen, low back and hips, is often called the “powerhouse” and is thought to be the key to a person’s stability.
With mat Pilates, people sit or lie with their body weight as the main resistance, using gravity to stabilise their core. Accessories such as resistance circle rings or resistance bands may be used in both mat and reformer Pilates.

Comparison with yoga
Both yoga and Pilates incorporate elements of stretching and breathing. Both are low-impact, low-intensity exercises, but there are key differences. When practicing yoga, individuals hold certain poses for longer periods of time and flow into others; when practicing Pilates, individuals move their arms or legs while in certain positions. With yoga, breath is used for relaxation and to hold poses. With Pilates, breath is used to power the muscles with more energy. Most pilates exercises start from laying down, whereas most yoga poses start from standing up.
Some poses are similar in the two disciplines. Both disciplines develop strength, flexibility and fitness. Pilates, however, emphasises core strength where yoga emphasizes flexibility.