Saskatchewan’s premiere Pilates Centre– the largest and most fully-equipped Pilates studio in the province. Saskatoon Pilates Centre continues to provide top quality classes with the most experienced and dedicated teachers helping you to experience the integrity of the Pilates exercises integrating body and mind for everyday living. Sounds great, doesn’t it?  In our latest tip, they share an article that compares Pilates to Yoga.  

Saskatoon Pilates are your Trusted Saskatoon Pilates Studio 

Trust The Experience! 

"Pilates? That's Like Yoga, Right?" 

Author: Jo Ann Graser, PMA®-CPT, PMA Board of Directors.  

As a business owner who offers both Pilates and yoga at my studio, I run into this question on a regular basis.  My answer can be detailed or basic, depending on my audience.  Here are some comparison points about the two disciplines based on my personal experience with both. For the purposes of this discussion, I am comparing yoga to Pilates on the apparatus.  

Origins 

Yoga was developed over 5,000 years ago in India with the purpose of connecting individual consciousness to a universal consciousness creating spiritual enlightenment.  Poses or “asanas” combined with breath control and meditation improve the physical, spiritual, mental and emotional health of the practitioner.  

Joseph Pilates began development of his regimen (historically called “Corrective Exercise” and then “Contrology”) approximately 100 years ago.  The underlying theme of Pilates is a systematic and disciplined approach to physical movement through focus and clarity of the mind.  Joseph Pilates created apparatuses which could support the body in order to correct dysfunction and improve movement.  

Equipment      

Yoga utilizes mats and small props to aid or support the practitioner.  

Pilates has an extensive array of machines, or “apparatuses,” designed to assist the individual in improving alignment, strength and coordination.  

Movement

In my experience, yoga poses are typically held for extended time periods to release muscle tension. In some styles of yoga, a long series of poses are repeated sequentially, with the purpose of warming the body to allow for increased range of motion.  

Pilates movements are often guided by the apparatus, which can be configured by the teacher to provide assistance or resistance for the client. The focus in a Pilates session is often on a relatively short piece of choreography emphasizing control and precision. A movement is focused on and repeated for a few repetitions before moving onto the next exercise.  

Mind-Body Connection 

In many types of yoga, the session starts with the setting of an intention for the practice and ends with a guided meditation and relaxation or “savasana.”  Goals are to clear the mind and surrender to the movement.  

In Pilates, there is constant attention on posture, alignment and movement mechanics.  The practitioner is encouraged to focus on each movement, staying present and intentional.  The theme of controlling the body with the mind is ever-present.  

Breath 

Yoga teaches breathing in and out through the nose or a “warming breath.” This type of breathing is designed to relax the body and calm the mind. The focus in yoga is on “belly breathing.” The classes I take often use the breath as a mechanism to time each pose for example: "Hold this pose for another 4 breaths.”  

Pilates teaches breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. This type of breath is considered “diaphragmatic” and is meant to energize and prepare the body for strong engagement. The practitioner is encouraged to “move with the tempo of the breath,” coordinating the two.  

Intention 

Yoga emphasizes the mind-body and spiritual connection, quieting the mind by focusing on mastery through introspection.  Flexibility and strength are improved through repetition of the asanas.  

Pilates follows a systematic approach, focusing on individual movements as they integrate with the whole.  The intended outcome from Pilates is improved posture and creating a strong, balanced and stable base from which to move.

“You only have one body and you deserve the best.” Kathy Bond 

Saskatoon Pilates Classes Include:

• Mat Work
• Equipment Work
• Structural Integration Work
• Group Classes
• Open Gym
• Personal Fitness Programs

Saskatoon Pilates are your Trusted Saskatoon Pilates Studio

Trusted Saskatoon owner and founder Sara Wheelwright accepted a fitness challenge from the excellent team at Trusted Saskatoon gym Fitness Focus. Follow along on her fitness journey as she blogs and video journals her motivations, successes, failures, frustration and her pain as she struggles to get fit and fabulous in her forties!  

WEEK 9 - NO TAKING IT EASY!  

Let's start by giving my trainer Denise some kudos! This woman is an inspiration and so dedicated to fitness it is mind-blowing. She competed in Vancouver and as you can see she was in staggering shape. ( I think she should have won - but what do I know) She has been a big part of my fitness journey and there have been times when I have just dragged myself to the gym because of her. 

I leave on vacation soon and I feel energized, healthy, lighter and I definitely look and feel better overall- the numnbers below really do speak for themselves. 

Thank you so much  Denise and the team at Fitness Focus for helping me change my lifestyle - I'm determined that I am not going back!   

SARA'S PROGRESS BEYOND THE BIKINI 

So its all great that I look better in a bikini - but true fitness is more than just being lean.

STRENGTH -FLEXIBILITY -STAMINA-  the 3 pillars of fitness. 

Strength - By doing resistance training and weight lifting I am getting stronger and I can feel my muscles and am starting to see them appear from under the layers of inactivity I'd formed over last 7 years!  

Flexibility - Stretching, stretching and exercises like yoga. If you aren't flexible you will hurt yourself- so I stretch before and after every workout. 

Stamina- Physical fitness is key to a long life and good health. Your body’s capacity to transport and use oxygen during exercise (VO2 max) is the most precise measure of overall cardiovascular fitness.  Changes in VO2 levels equate to changes in aerobic fitness and this, in turn, can affect your chances of getting a cardiovascular and pulmonary disease....so this number is IMPORTANT! 

After punching in the numbers my results were provided and they matched up exactly with what my Fitbit has been showing me. 

In the first 2 screenshots, you can see that I  have VO2 of 41 - this is an excellent score for a 44-year-old woman ( It increased from a VO2 of 35 in April) - and I have the same score as an average 29-year-old woman. Woo Hooo!! 

 
 

   

Trusted Saskatoon owner and founder Sara Wheelwright recently accepted a fitness challenge from the excellent team at Trusted Saskatoon gym Fitness Focus. Over the next few months, you can follow along on her fitness journey as she blogs and video journals her motivations, successes, failures, frustration and her pain as she struggles to get fit and fabulous in her forties!  

WEEK 7 - GETTING INTO A STRIDE &  SEEING RESULTS

I am back - eating better, seeing Denise and I am starting to see ( and feel ) the results. I have more energy overall and even spent time last week organizing my closet and drawers ( If my Mother in the UK reads that she will be shaking her head in disbelief!). I am finding the cardio easier and, I must admit, I am starting to enjoy myself. 

In the last 7 weeks, I have had to navigate many many many temptations.   Mothers Day, events with girlfriends, Grad parties, my 44th Birthday, time at the lake and even multiple shows at Jazz Fest. I have spent time in hotels, on the road, eating in restaurants with clients.  May, June and the beginning of July this year has brought hot temps and it has been perfect for sipping cocktails on a deck.    I cannot hand on heart say I have not lost my way a few times and overindulged, but what I can say is for the first time I haven't let that get in the way of me moving forward. 

The team at Fitness Focus have not judged my slips, and that is why I love the gym ( Also the coffee protein shakes!! GENUIUS!)  - such a supportive, relaxed atmosphere. 

Denise is the best trainer ever, and she really does inspire me with her dedication and the passion she has for fitness. You go, girl!! She is competing this week. 

As I count down the last 3 weeks to my UK trip, I pledge to be better, to be more focused and to get fully onboard with the drinks, eats, cardio and activity. I know it is working and I look forward to the final weigh-in ( of phase 1 )  at the end of July.  

You can see some of the results in the video and pic below - the rest you will have to wait and see. 

Fitness Focus Challenge -Week Four- Sara Fell Off The Fitness Wagon...HARD.

Well, it happened ....what happened? 

LIFE, Life happened.

The biggest barrier to me starting this fitness challenge before now, was my life is so hectic and often it sabotages my plans to prioritize myself. This has been the case so far in June. My last work out with Denise was May 31st and every time I have tried to go to the gym since then something has wrecked my plans. 

I was on a cancellation list for the periodontist - and 2 appointments in 1 day came available so I had to take them, an unplanned business road trip to Manitoba robbed me of another 2 days, Trusted 7th-anniversary event, a family event in Regina, my son's school city track meet- one thing after another conspired to stop me moving. Then the events - with wine and food. Essentially taking 2 hours to go to the gym would have meant missing client deadlines or important family moments - and I wasn't getting to bed till at least 11 pm every night ( sometimes not getting in from work stuff till then). 

Activity? What activity?

Weigh-In

I'll be honest...it was not a perfect week by any means!