A lot of my friends recommended that I take up prenatal Pilates when I was pregnant with my first baby. I was tempted by another set of my friends to take up prenatal yoga. Caught between the wishes of very special sets of friends, I was at crossroads of decision making. Which would be better, the prenatal Pilates or yoga? Which would be easier on me?
Comparing the Benefits of Pilates and Yoga
I had decided after a great length of indecision to sit down and compare these two exercising regimes to find out which one would be the better option for me. As I started doing the exercises, I found that it is not easy to compare the prenatal Pilates with the Yoga one because they are actually so very different when it comes to the actual exercises.
The prenatal Pilates concentrate more on my posture and the way I carry myself. The exercises prescribed under prenatal Pilates are mostly focused on my perfect body balance which in turn will reduce the labor pains and even the carrying discomfort of the last two months.
On the other hand, yoga also improves the muscular strength, but it first strengthens the mind. The exercise and the methods of breathing aims at increasing muscle flexibility to its maximum possible and thereby reduce back ache and other related aches. Yoga also helps increase immunity for self and the baby and promotes excellent night sleep. Among the pregnancy related problems, yoga totally blocks the raise of blood pressure, occurrence of respiratory problems and edema by improving the functioning of these organs.
The prenatal Pilates does not have direct power upon the way internal organs function, while yoga can control absolutely everything, with the power of breathing and the prescribed asanas (postures). The exercises prescribed by prenatal Pilates result in perfect physical health, too. However, it does very little for the mental condition of the expectant mother.
Looking at both I decided to take a few classes of each, thinking than a little hands-on experience would help me decide. Now, 2 children and 6 years later I am still practicing both the styles and feel great about it. Once I started Pilates and Yoga, I found extreme joy in the smallest things, like a butterfly flying in the meadow, grass bowing slowly into the wind, a baby crinkling its face to cry and so on. After I adopted these two exercises, I feel I am a complete person.
