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Choosing between Pilates and Yoga depends on your individual goals and preferences. Both offer excellent benefits, but they approach fitness in different ways. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide — and if you need your questions answered, we are here to help you decide which might be an excellent choice for your unique health and fitness goals. 

Pilates and yoga are two types of exercise that can benefit almost everyone. Although many people consider them similar, they have important differences. But either one can be a positive force for your health.

What Is Pilates?

Both Pilates and yoga are low-impact exercises, but there is one important difference. When practicing yoga, you typically adopt a position and hold it, or flow into a different position. In Pilates, you adopt a position and then challenge your core by moving your arms or legs. Both approaches increase strength and flexibility.

The story of Pilates begins with a sickly child named Joseph Pilates who was born in Germany in 1883. He wanted to improve his health by studying yoga, martial arts, and other disciplines involving the mind and body. He became more interested in body movement during the first World War when he worked with injured soldiers. After the war, he brought his style of exercise to New York City, where dancers, actors, and athletes embraced it.‌

Pilates moves require stabilizing your core before going through a series of range-of-motion exercises. Although some Pilates studios use specially designed machines, you can also do Pilates on a mat without special equipment.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice rooted in India. As a fitness strategy, it blends physical poses (asanas) with breathing techniques(pranayama). Because it has some elements of mindfulness, yoga is sometimes called meditative movement. It is popular in the United States. A 2017 survey showed that one in seven adults had practiced it during the preceding year. About 94% of those who do yoga say they do it to improve their overall wellness.

There are many types of yoga. Hatha yoga, a common type, is slow-paced and suited for beginners. Other types can be faster-paced or feature more demanding poses. Instructors often modify poses to suit the needs of their students.

Benefits of Pilates

It can:

• Increase core strength to improve stability
•  Improve posture
•  Increase flexibility
•  Ease lower back pain

Also, some studies have shown that Pilates may help with weight control.

Pilates is also a valuable tool for physical rehabilitation. In one review of 23 studies, 17 studies found that Pilates reduced pain and disability in individuals with a variety of conditions, including back pain, neck pain, scoliosis, and multiple sclerosis.Pilates is not an aerobic exercise. But it can reduce stress, which does benefit the heart.In most cases, Pilates is safe for pregnant women, seniors, and children. Beginners should learn with the help of a certified Pilates instructor. ‌

Benefits of Yoga

It can:

• Ease low-back pain and neck pain
• Improve balance
• Enhance sleep
• Eases stress and stress-related illnesses, such as tension headaches
• Ease the pain of knee osteoarthritis
• Help with weight loss
• Ease some symptoms of menopause

Almost everyone can do yoga, but consult your doctor first if you have certain health conditions, including:

• Problems with spinal disks
• Osteoporosis
• Risk of blood clots
• Eye problems, including glaucoma
• Balance problems
• High blood pressure

If you have one of these conditions, some yoga poses may not be suitable for you, but you can benefit from others. Women can practice yoga during pregnancy with the approval of their doctor, but you may need to modify the poses.

Yoga causes fewer injuries than high-impact exercise. Still, it can cause sprains and strains, especially in the knee and lower leg. In addition, some individuals have sustained compression fractures of the spine after practicing yoga.Advanced positions, such as headstands and lotus and advanced techniques, such as forceful breathing, are more likely to cause injuries.Those with glaucoma, which causes high pressure in the eye, should avoid head-down poses.

If you decide to start practicing yoga, learn from a certified instructor to ensure your health and safety.

Which Should You Do?

It is difficult to say whether Pilates or yoga is better suited for you. If you want to increase your strength and flexibility, Pilates might be the better choice. If you want to improve your overall wellness, you might choose yoga. Still, much depends upon the particular classes available to you and the skills and qualifications of the instructors.

Yoga is appropriate for men, but some men feel that they are not flexible enough for it. Certain poses have different effects on men and women, but both men and women can benefit from practicing yoga.

Pilates may have a similar problem attracting males, but it’s helpful to remember that a man invented Pilates and that Joseph Pilates developed many of its principles while working with male soldiers.

Ultimately, the best way to decide can be to try both! ABC Fit Studio offers introductory classes for both Pilates and Yoga. This allows you to experience each practice firsthand and see which one resonates more with you. Call us today at (949) 305-3310 and visit our Instagram @abc_fitstudio for inspiration and community.

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Reference: [https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/difference-between-pilates-and-yoga]

 

Migraines can turn your world into a storm, leaving you seeking shelter from the relentless ache. But this is where the magic of yoga unfolds. Maybe you want to forget harsh medications, stiff pills, and hushed rooms. Why not try to step onto the mat and embark on a journey of mindful breaths and gentle stretches, designed to untangle the tension, soothe the storm, and leave you feeling like your head’s rediscovered its own gentle sway. Let’s begin!

Yoga for Migraine

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you make Pilates a daily habit, you’re in for a treat. It’s like giving your body a daily dose of TLC, and in this article, we will explore all the fantastic benefits of doing Pilates every day. Roll out your mat with ABC Fit Studio and experience the benefits of our dynamic workouts — private classes, or in the company of some of the greatest groups of people you’ll ever meet! 

While Pilates has become increasingly popular in recent decades, it actually got its start more than 100 years ago when it was founded by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. He and his wife Clara developed the method of incorporating slow, controlled, and low-impact movements to achieve increased core strength, flexibility, balance, and breath control.

Understanding Pilates

When first developed, Pilates was created as a unique concept to focus on breath work when combined with physical exercise. Since then, it has proven to be a monumentally effective technique used by millions of people worldwide.

The breath work performed in Pilates is done in coordination with movements through inhaling and exhaling at certain times and using the breath to support the core and the spine, explains Saul Choza, certified Romana Kryzanowska trainer, PMA-certified Pilates teacher and owner of Winsor Choza Pilates in Los Angeles, California.

“Core strength means having the flexibility and strength of the stabilizer muscles of the trunk, which promotes an ideal posture not just in an upright position, but in all planes of action,” says Choza. “Proper posture keeps the body healthy by protecting the spine and improving all body systems.”

The duality of breathing and strength work is what makes Pilates such a mind and body-experience. It becomes a balancing act, with the inhale providing stability to the body in the most compromising position of the exercise and the exhale allowing for a deeper connection into the abdominal muscles, the articulation of the spine, and stretch of the muscles, Choza explains.

Another unique aspect of Pilates is its versatility. This type of exercise can be modified for different fitness levels and goals. While many young people find it useful for strengthening their body and mind, older adults as well as individuals with injuries may find it useful for rehabilitation with various modifications and fewer repetitions.

Physical Changes and Improvements

There are a plethora of potential physical changes that one can experience with a daily pilates practice. Here’s a look at some of the most common.

Increased Core Strength 

One pillar of Pilates is the dedication to focusing on core strength, which focuses on the muscles in your midsection that help support your spine, pelvis, and overall posture. When you have a strong core, you’re at a reduced risk for injury and are less likely to experience back pain, explains Choza.

Enhanced Flexibility

While most people equate flexibility with touching your toes, it is so much more than that. In fact, being “flexible” means having a full range of motion in your body, including your shoulder joints, spine, pelvis, knees, ankles, and feet, says Choza. This increased flexibility also can help you move around better and also reduces your risk of injury.

Improved Balance and Coordination

Balance is required for everyday movement, but having balance is so much more than the ability to balance on one foot or walk a straight line. In Pilates, you focus on maintaining a neutral spine while simultaneously inhaling and exhaling, which can help you balance out your whole muscular system and reduce your risk of injury, according to Choza.

Increased Energy Levels

Performing Pilates movements can help improve circulation and boost your intake of oxygen, which helps increase your levels of energy, explains Choza. “Students find that they can breathe better, and feel more energized.”

Mental and Emotional Benefits

While many people perform Pilates for the physical benefit, research has found that there are significant mental health benefits of performing Pilates akin to that of yoga. In fact, studies have found that a Pilates practice can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression and improve the quality of life in certain patients who are overweight.

Kristin McGee, celebrity yoga and pilates teacher who helped launch Peloton’s interactive classes, likens a consistent Pilates practice to meditation—or a moving meditation. “We stay in our bodies and present in each move and we use our breath and we try to connect to our core on a very deep level. It’s emotionally very freeing and it can remind us to stay connected to our deeper instincts and connect to our true internal cues in every aspect of our lives.”

Stress relief is another benefit of Pilates because it enables you to become more aware of your body. Plus, deep breath work can help regulate your nervous system. This can keep your cortisol levels—the stress hormone that can put you into fight-or-flight mode—at bay.

Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation

Pilates can be a wonderful exercise to perform while you’re rehabilitating injuries, such as back pain or musculoskeletal issues. Thanks to the focus on strengthening all areas of your body, you can achieve a better balance without risking that certain muscles will become too tight or too loose, notes Choza.

“Pilates also helps you focus on what we call your dynamic strength, which translates to you being better equipped to move your joints without the risk of injury or trauma,” he explains.

Because any physical activity comes with the risk of injury, it’s still wise to incorporate rest days, which gives your body time to regroup and allows your muscles to repair from the tiny micro-injuries that exercise naturally creates.

Adapting Pilates for Individual Needs and Goals

Traditional pilates is a versatile and well-developed system that works on inhibiting congested muscle groups, stretching sets of muscles, and exercising single joint action to develop full body holistic action, explains Choza. However, what makes this exercise so unique is that it can be adapted to the individual’s needs.

There are so many pilates modifications you can do to help protect your body in the best possible way, especially if you’re dealing with a particular injury. The key is to work with a certified pilates instructor who can make sure you’re following the proper techniques and correct form.

“A good pilates instructor should address and help with specific needs, limitations, and goals, and be able to design a personalized pilates program accordingly,” says Marie Espedal, a pilates instructor and certified personal trainer. “The good thing about instructors is that you will get guidance on correct alignment, be given modifications for different levels or conditions, and ensure that the exercises are performed safely and effectively.”

Embark on a life-changing journey today with Pilates. Take a moment each day to prioritize your health and wellness, and remember that small, consistent efforts yield the most remarkable results. Call us at (949) 305-3310 and visit our Instagram @abc_fitstudio for inspiration and community.

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Reference: [https://www.verywellfit.com/pilates-every-day-7555637]

Myths often swirl around the yoga practice, clouding the path to its true essence. With yoga’s growing popularity (still!), it’s essential to dispel these misconceptions. Unravel these ten most common myths around yoga practice, and learn that it can be a physical practice that brings balance to both mind and body.

It’s easy to paint a very one-dimensional picture of what it means to be a “yogi.” Maybe you’ve formed a stereotype after scrolling through social media or attending a discounted yoga class five years ago through Groupon.

As someone who was once a wallflower at yoga class, I consider myself as having an expert outsider’s take on the yoga community. Trust me when I say that those of us who practice yoga are as diverse as the leggings we wear. So if you’re contemplating trying yoga but you think you don’t fit into the stereotype, you need to understand that there is no “type” of yoga person. If you have a body, you can do yoga. Period.

Following are the some of the most consistent and persistent myths I hear about what someone who practices yoga needs to be.

10 Common Myths About People Who Practice Yoga

Myth 1: You have to be vegan

Some vocal vegans also happen to practice yoga. So it can be easy to assume that all of us are that way. Not so. While most of us who practice yoga have mad respect for the choice to be vegan, it’s not something that all of us embrace ourselves. I’ve been teaching for more a decade and I still enjoy the heck out of a burger, a big scoop of ice cream, and an actual BLT.

Myth 2: You have to be woo-woo

Not all yogis are flower children who know their entire astrological birth chart and care more about balancing their chakras than their checkbooks. It’s true that the less physical, more intangible aspects of the tradition of yoga as well as some related lifestyle choices play an integral part in many people’s practice of yoga. But that doesn’t have to be your practice of yoga. No talking about the color of your aura required.

Myth 3: You have to be radical left

People come to yoga from all backgrounds, educational experiences, lifestyles, and opinions. There is no checkbox on the studio waiver you sign before attending class that asks you to demonstrate your radicalism.

Myth 4: You have to be super serious

Most yoga classes are not at all like the austere, militant practices you might have seen on VHS videos from the ’80s. In fact, most yoga teachers aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves, the funny idiosyncrasies of a yoga practice, or the stereotypes of those who practice it.

You can certainly find somber yoga classes, but you can just as easily find ones that find some levity. To each their own.

Myth 5: You have to be “good” at yoga

There is no such thing as being “good” or “bad” at yoga. You can have the flexibility of steel but that doesn’t make you “bad” at yoga. You can mentally curse your teacher for making you hold Chair Pose for too long but that doesn’t mean you’re “bad” at yoga. The person who can hold a Handstand for 3 minutes is no “better” at yoga than you; they simply spent months or years practicing a particular skill set that you haven’t attempted yet.

The practice of yoga is an equalizer. All “better than” or “less than” speech goes out the window here. We’re all just showing up on our mat to practice something that makes us stronger, more flexible, and, along the way, we tend to become better than we used to be. That’s the only competition you’ll find is outgrowing your old self.

Myth 6: You have to be a hippie

Not all yogis have forsaken razors, deodorant, and hygiene. Not all yogis wax poetic about the merits of composting. If you fall into these categories, good for you. If you don’t, good for you. All yoga asks is that you try to be a decent human.

Myth 7: You can’t be a real guy and do yoga

False! If you explore yoga’s beginnings, it was almost exclusively a men’s practice. Only since the westernization of yoga has it become a female-dominated pursuit. Additionally, in recent years the NFL, NBA, and MLB have introduced their athletes to yoga precisely because the strength- and flexibility-enhancing practice makes them more effective and balanced individuals. Veterans, police officers, and firefighters have incorporated yoga into their days because of the clarity and release of physical tension that it brings them in the intense situations they encounter each day.

Myth 8: You have to be spiritual

This one is pretty controversial and some will disagree on this. But the fact remains that you can come to yoga for the physical practice without searching for a spiritual component. The larger tradition of yoga is beautiful and can be profoundly beneficial. But if you just want to work up a sweat or feel more embodied or learn how to sit still in meditation, there’s a yoga class for you. The spiritual side is certainly available.

Myth 9: You have to be enlightened

Anyone who practices yoga experiences the spectrum of human emotions just like anyone else. Just because they can sit in meditation for 20 minutes doesn’t mean that they’re enlightened or above everyday frustrations. Yoga students and teachers curse. They get stressed when they’re running late for class. They occasionally flip out on their significant other for not putting the dishes away for the thousandth time.

Yoga can help us learn how to approach our emotions with less reactivity. But it doesn’t eliminate our experience of them.

Myth 10: You have to love all of yoga

Yoga encompasses everything from athletic vinyasa yoga to incredibly subtle meditative yoga. You don’t have to love it all or even practice it all. So don’t give up just because your first class didn’t sit well with you. Keep trying. You’ll find what works for you. Beyond the styles, there are thousands of different teachers, and each one will create a different yoga experience, even within the same style of yoga. You never know who or what might be exactly what you need.

Ready to embark on your yoga journey with clarity and confidence? Start by exploring a yoga class at ABC Fit Studio to experience the transformative power of this ancient practice. Call us at (949) 305-3310 and visit our Instagram @abc_fitstudio for inspiration and community.

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Reference: [https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/10-myths-yogis/]

Are you ready to tap into the incredible potential of your body’s natural fat-burning abilities? Come celebrate every movement and make your fitness journey a joyful experience! Learn how to burn fat and how the art of dance combined with targeted workouts can help you transform your body into a dynamic fat-burning machine. Oh yeah — all while you’re having a lot of fun!!!

Your body stores calories as fat to keep you alive and safe. There are many gimmicks that claim to amplify fat burning, such as working out in the fat-burning zone, spot reduction, and foods or supplements that supposedly make you burn more fat.

If you intend to reduce the amount of fat stored in your body, learn how to burn fat through a variety of types of exercise instead of seeking a quick fix that is not likely to work. Here’s what you need to know.

Basics of Burning Fat

If you’re trying to reduce your body’s fat stores, knowing how your body uses calories for fuel can make a difference in how you approach weight management. You get your energy from fat, carbohydrates, and protein. Which one your body draws from for energy depends on the kind of activity you’re doing.

Most people want to use fat for energy. It may seem that the more fat you can use as fuel, the less fat you will have in your body. But, using more fat doesn’t automatically lead to losing more fat. Understanding the best way to burn fat starts with some basic facts about how your body gets its energy.

The body primarily uses fat and carbohydrates for fuel. The ratio of which fuels are utilized will shift depending on your activity. A small amount of protein is used during exercise, but it’s mainly used to repair the muscles after exercise.

Higher-intensity exercises, such as fast-paced running, cause the body to rely on carbs for fuel. The metabolic pathways available to break down carbs for energy are more efficient than those for fat breakdown. Fat is used more for energy than carbs for long, slower exercise.

This is a very simplified look at energy with a solid take-home message. Burning more calories matters more than using fat for energy. The harder you work, the more calories you will burn overall.

Think about it this way—when you sit or sleep, you’re in your prime fat-burning mode. But you probably don’t think of sitting and sleeping more as a pathway to losing body fat. The bottom line is that just because you’re using more fat as energy doesn’t mean you’re burning more calories.

Myth of the Fat Burning Zone

Exercising at lower intensities will use more fat for energy.2 This basic premise is what started the theory of the fat burning zone, which is the idea that working in a certain heart rate zone (around 55% to 65% of your maximum heart rate) will allow your body to burn more fat.

Over the years, this theory has become so ingrained in our exercise experience that we see it touted in books, charts, websites, magazines, and even on cardio machines at the gym. The trouble is that it’s misleading.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should avoid low-intensity exercise if you want to burn more fat. There are some specific things you can do to burn more fat and it all starts with how often and for how long you exercise.

Burn Fat With a Mix of Cardio

You may be confused about exactly how hard to work during cardio. You may even think that high-intensity exercise is the only way to go. After all, you can burn more calories and you don’t have to spend as much time doing it.

But having some variety can help you stimulate each of your energy systems, protect you from overuse injuries, and help you enjoy your workouts more. You can set up a cardio program that includes a variety of different exercises at different intensities.

High-Intensity Cardio

For our purposes, high-intensity cardio falls between about 80% to 90% of your maximum heart rate (MHR). Or, if you’re not using heart rate zones, about a six to eight on a 10-point perceived exertion scale. What this translates to is exercise at a level that feels challenging and leaves you too breathless to talk in complete sentences.

But you’re not going all out, as in sprinting as fast as you can. There’s no doubt that some high-intensity training work can be helpful for weight loss as well as improving endurance and aerobic capacity.

You can get the same benefit from short workouts spread throughout the day as you do with continuous workouts. For example, a 150-pound person would burn about 341 calories after running at 6 mph for 30 minutes.3 If this person walked at 3.5 mph for that same length of time, they would burn 136 calories.

But, the number of calories you can burn isn’t the whole story. Too many high-intensity workouts every week can put you at risk in a number of ways.

If you don’t have much experience with exercise, you may not have the conditioning or the desire for breathless and challenging workouts. If you have any medical condition or injury, check with a healthcare provider before training.

If you’re doing several days of cardio each week, you would probably want only one or two workouts to fall into the high-intensity range. You can use other workouts to target different fitness areas (like endurance) and allow your body to recover. Here are some examples of how to incorporate high-intensity workouts.

One way to incorporate high-intensity workouts is to exercise at a fast pace. You can use any activity or machine for a 20-minute workout at a fast pace, but the idea is to stay in the high-intensity work zone throughout the workout. Twenty minutes is usually the recommended length, and most people wouldn’t want to go much longer than that.

Tabata training is another form of high-intensity interval training in which you work very hard for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat for 4 minutes. In this workout, you should be breathless and unable to talk.

Additionally, interval training is a great way to incorporate high-intensity training without doing it continuously. Alternate a hard segment (e.g., running at a fast pace for 30 to 60 seconds) with a recovery segment (e.g., walking for 1 to 2 minutes). Repeat this series for the length of the workout, usually around 20 to 30 minutes.

Moderate-Intensity Cardio

There are a variety of definitions of what moderate-intensity exercise is, but it typically falls between 70% to 80% of your maximum heart rate. That would be a level four to six on a 10-point perceived exertion scale. You are breathing harder than usual, but can carry on a conversation without much difficulty.

Schedule your day around exercise instead of trying to squeeze it in when you can. Making your workout a priority increases the chances that you will accomplish your goal. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) often recommends this level of intensity in its exercise guidelines. The lower end of this range usually incorporates the fat-burning zone.

Moderate-intensity workouts also have some great benefits. For instance, even modest movement can improve your health while lowering your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Also, it takes time to build up the endurance and strength to handle challenging exercises. Moderate workouts allow you to work at a more comfortable pace, which means you may be more consistent with your program.

You also can usually get into the moderate heart rate zones with a variety of activities. Even raking leaves or shoveling snow can fall into that category if you do it vigorously enough.

Low-Intensity Activity

Low-intensity exercise is below 60% to 70% of your MHR, or about a level three to five on a 10-point perceived exertion scale. This level of intensity is no doubt one of the most comfortable areas of exercise, keeping you at a pace that isn’t too taxing and doesn’t pose much of a challenge.

This fact, along with the idea that it burns more fat, makes low-intensity exercise popular. But, as we’ve learned, working at a variety of intensities is ideal for weight loss. That doesn’t mean that low-intensity exercise has no purpose, though.

It involves the long, slow activities you feel like you could do all day. Even better, it includes activities you usually enjoy, such as taking a stroll, gardening, riding a bike, or a gentle stretching routine.

Low-intensity cardio can be something you do all day long by doing an extra lap when you’re shopping, taking the stairs, parking farther from the entrance, and doing more physical chores around the house. Exercise such as Pilates and yoga are at a lower intensity but help develop your core, flexibility, and balance. They can be a part of a well-rounded routine.

Importance of Consistent Exercise

It may seem like a no-brainer that regular exercise can help you burn fat. But it’s not just about the calories you’re burning. It’s also about the adaptations your body makes when you exercise on a regular basis. Many of those adaptations lead directly to your ability to burn more fat without even trying.

Lift Weights to Burn Fat

Adding more muscle by lifting weights and doing other resistance exercises can also help with burning fat.6 While many people focus more on cardio for weight loss, there’s no doubt that strength training is a key component in any weight loss routine. Here are some benefits of weight training.

Burn Calories

If you lift weights at a higher intensity, you can increase your afterburn, or the calories you burn after your workout. That means that you burn calories during your workouts, but your body continues to burn calories even after your workout while your body gets back to its resting state.

Keep Metabolism Going

A diet-only approach to weight loss could lower a person’s resting metabolic rate by up to 20% a day. Lifting weights and maintaining muscle helps keep the metabolism up, even if you’re cutting your calories.

Preserve Muscle Mass

If you are restricting calories, you risk losing muscle. Muscle is metabolically active, so when you lose it, you also lose the extra calorie burn muscles produce.

To start, choose a basic total body workout and do that about twice a week, with at least one day in between. As you get stronger, you can do more exercises, increase intensity, or add more days of strength training. It may take a few weeks but you’ll eventually see and feel a difference in your body.

Get ready to groove, sweat, and dance your way to a healthier, fitter you at ABC Fit Studio! Discover the joy of movement while torching those calories and sculpting your body. Call us at (949) 305-3310 and visit our Instagram @abc_fitstudio for inspiration and community.

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Reference: [https://www.verywellfit.com/body-into-fat-burning-machine-1231548#toc-lift-weights-to-burn-fat]