Yogalates: East Meets West
Can't decide whether to try Yoga or Pilates? Try "Yogalates" instead!
A fusion of the ancient discipline of yoga with the modern pilates techniques, the exercises mix both disciplines to develop core strength, help tone muscles, increase flexibility, and reduce stress. Fitness contributor Minna Lessig explains.
What is Yogalates?
A hybrid of yoga and pilates, "Yogalates" was invented by an Australian woman Louise Solomon to give you the best of both techniques. Solomon injured herself doing yoga 10 years ago and switched to pilates to build core strength eventually becoming a pilates instructor. Then, missing yoga she went back to it and trained as an instructor. Torn between the two disciplines that she thought offered her body unique benefits, Solomon created "Yogalates" to combine the best of both. She trademarked the name, trained instructors and put out a video. Today Yogalates classes are offered at gyms around the country and is perfect for home practice. It is low impact, low cost, and easy to learn.
Why combine yoga and pilates?
Yoga focuses on flexibility, then strength. Pilates focuses on stability, then strength and flexibility. Pilates helps develop a stable core, sometimes taken for granted in yoga classes. People who have complained about hurting themselves in a yoga class perhaps did not have the core development to move through the various postures, or to pull as far as they pushed. Combining the two disciplines of "yoga" and "pilates" into "Yogalates" is ideal.
What are some of the differences between yoga and pilates?
Yoga is a 5000 -year-old Eastern energy-based spiritual practice developed in India. It is based on a spiritual system of moves to unlock energy flows while increasing flexibility and toning internal organs. Pilates is a Western philosophy developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. He designed this restorative and conditioning technique to help people overcome injuries, postural misalignment and improve general core weakness. It involves matwork and small concentrated moves on machines. Pilates requires you to set a posture and then challenge the torso by moving the limbs in a repetitious manner. Yoga moves from one static posture to the next with no repetitions.
Who Is "Yogalates" Good For?
Yogalates is good for almost everyone, but it is particularly good for bad back pain and postnatal women because it builds strength through the torso. It is not appropriate for pregnant women.
What equipment do you need to get started?
A towel or floor mat to protect your spine from a hard surface;another smaller towel to place under your head; and a "Thera-Band" to replicate the resistance of the Pilates exercise machines. Thera-Bands can be purchased from most sporting goods stores or physiotherapists.
The following are some Yogalates exercises Minna will demonstrate:
Note: You should do 5-10 repetitions of each move except the downward facing dog, which is more strenuous and should only be done up to 5 times. You should breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling with each movement, and stay aware of your posture throughout the exercises.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. A fusion of the ancient discipline of yoga with the modern pilates techniques, the exercises mix both disciplines to develop core strength, help tone muscles, increase flexibility, and reduce stress. Fitness contributor Minna Lessig explains.
What is Yogalates?
A hybrid of yoga and pilates, "Yogalates" was invented by an Australian woman Louise Solomon to give you the best of both techniques. Solomon injured herself doing yoga 10 years ago and switched to pilates to build core strength eventually becoming a pilates instructor. Then, missing yoga she went back to it and trained as an instructor. Torn between the two disciplines that she thought offered her body unique benefits, Solomon created "Yogalates" to combine the best of both. She trademarked the name, trained instructors and put out a video. Today Yogalates classes are offered at gyms around the country and is perfect for home practice. It is low impact, low cost, and easy to learn.
Why combine yoga and pilates?
Yoga focuses on flexibility, then strength. Pilates focuses on stability, then strength and flexibility. Pilates helps develop a stable core, sometimes taken for granted in yoga classes. People who have complained about hurting themselves in a yoga class perhaps did not have the core development to move through the various postures, or to pull as far as they pushed. Combining the two disciplines of "yoga" and "pilates" into "Yogalates" is ideal.
What are some of the differences between yoga and pilates?
Yoga is a 5000 -year-old Eastern energy-based spiritual practice developed in India. It is based on a spiritual system of moves to unlock energy flows while increasing flexibility and toning internal organs. Pilates is a Western philosophy developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. He designed this restorative and conditioning technique to help people overcome injuries, postural misalignment and improve general core weakness. It involves matwork and small concentrated moves on machines. Pilates requires you to set a posture and then challenge the torso by moving the limbs in a repetitious manner. Yoga moves from one static posture to the next with no repetitions.
Who Is "Yogalates" Good For?
Yogalates is good for almost everyone, but it is particularly good for bad back pain and postnatal women because it builds strength through the torso. It is not appropriate for pregnant women.
What equipment do you need to get started?
A towel or floor mat to protect your spine from a hard surface;another smaller towel to place under your head; and a "Thera-Band" to replicate the resistance of the Pilates exercise machines. Thera-Bands can be purchased from most sporting goods stores or physiotherapists.
The following are some Yogalates exercises Minna will demonstrate:
Note: You should do 5-10 repetitions of each move except the downward facing dog, which is more strenuous and should only be done up to 5 times. You should breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling with each movement, and stay aware of your posture throughout the exercises.
- Lateral Thoracic Breathing - This breathing system allows you to maintain support on the spine while performing exercises and continually oxygenating the body.
How to do it: Sitting up tall, place one hand on stomach over navel and other on the side on your rib cage. First inhale into the stomach and feel the hand protruding outward and exhale drawing the abdominals in towards the spine.
Now hold the abdominals in, keeping them strong, and inhale into the ribcage, exhale and release without releasing the abdominals.
Practice a few breathes like this. You will apply this breathing system while doing the exercises. You can also wrap the Thera-Band behind your back and hold it crossed in front, to really gain awareness of the ribcage expanding and then releasing. - Spinal Roll - Using the Thera-Band and sitting up straight with band wrapped around balls of feet, this helps stretch and open the spine and strengthen abdominals.
You can take this in stages: First practice pelvic rock exercise: just lower back slightly and tuck the tailbone under while keeping the abdominals strong. Exhale as you lower the back and then inhale and spring back up to sitting position.
Next, go a little further and really work the abdominals: go until you just about touch the floor and spring back up.
Finally, do the whole exercise: Lower all the way to the floor exhaling, and keeping the abs strong. Inhale deeply and wide while lying flat and then exhale as you curl your head off the floor and peel the spine off the floor as well, working with each repetition towards, moving all the way into a seated forward-bend position and then spring back up to sitting position. - Hip circles with Thera-Band - Works abdominals (as stabilizers) and opens and limbers hips and pelvis. Start with small circles first and work towards bigger ones. From here, you can go into a spinal twist stretch common in yoga utilizing the Thera-Band.
- Cat Series into Downward Facing Dog - Strengthens muscles around the spine and abdominals. As you progress to downward facing dog, you begin to increase the flexibility in the entire back side of the body.
First, again, core work: On all fours, focus on drawing the abdominals up towards the spine in this position.
Next, some back strengthening: Raise leg and arm to strengthen back and help improve balance, alternating sides and constantly keeping abdominals strong.
Now, progress into stages of down dog: First, just practice coordinating the breath with lifting off the floor. Inhale, then exhale scooping abdominals in and lifting butt up towards ceiling, but keeping knees bent, then lower down. Go a little further and push legs straight, then push heels down so you are in full down dog position. Come back down onto all fours. Repeat a few times.
