Many times Pilates is confused with Yoga; maybe because both have this mystic sounding name and have non-American origins. However, confusing one for the other is very common.
Differences
Pilates and Yoga differs greatly from one another in terms of philosophy and method of exercise. Pilates is the regime of exercises that originated in 1926 and concentrates upon making the body strong with the help of special balance exercises which ensure that the posture of the body is great. These exercises are usually done with the help of springs and pulley and weights which support the way the spine functions and supports the body. Added to these exercises, there are breathing techniques which are aimed at increasing the efficiency of the balancing acts.
Yoga, on the other hand, works on the premise that the body can be manipulated to produce the chemicals the body wants- and this done by stretching the body in certain positions called asanas. Yoga uses the deep breathing disciplined schedule to bring about a little awareness about self. There is another inherent difference, in that Yoga is a native exercise of India - nearly 5000 years old; while Pilates originated in Germany in 1928.
Similarities
The first and foremost similarity is that both the exercises are foreign to Americans and yet are extremely popular in their own way. Pilates and yoga both use mats on which to sit on for performing the exercise positions. Another common factor is the practice of the lotus position in both Pilates and yoga whereby you sit on a mat as well as the fact that both exercise forms use breathing techniques.
The Pilates and yoga mat are more or less of the same design and made from the same materials. It would not be surprising to see that a person, who finishes yoga, takes the same mat and goes to attend a Pilates skill classes. The similarity between the Pilates and yoga mat is what makes them so interchangeable.
Other than these few factors about the Pilates and yoga mat, there are actually few other resemblances between these two types of exercises. It is always good to read in detail about these two options and make up your mind which one you would like to undertake. However, if you are intrigued by both Pilates and yoga, keep your mat; you can use it for a longer time this way
