YOGA
Yoga :)
Pilates :)
**Pain is weakness leaving the body**
*Smile, it does a body good*
I have done both and have settled on Yoga. Pilates will give you great core strength but from my experience that is mostly it. Yoga will give you strength and flexability everywhere (depending on which kind you do). I find it has helped a lot for me. I do Bikram 4-5 times a week. Sometimes I add a power (still hot) class once in a while, but with tri training I don't need much extra cardio.
Yoga I understand is more stretching and flexiability. Pilates would be core workout. I'm doing that class tonight to see the difference. Unfortuantly, I do need more core work. However, the Yoga I felt relieved afterwards. Does that make sense?
I seemed to have issues getting rid of the belly area. I can hold my own on distance and train hard, but if I could adjust the middle, well my times would improve. Do I take the time to do both or since my core is covered with ab work & weights and supplemented with swim, bike and run, do just Yoga? My previous trainer pretty much said with what I do with tris, I'm making it very hard on my body and killinmg myself. (No more trainer!)
It was funny trying to streatch more last night at thebelly region! My friend's daughter (20) was very limber:)
Well depends on the yoga you do. Some forms are more stretching. Bikram is a form of Hatha yoga which also strengthens because you are holding poses for a significant period of time. The poses also are done with an emphasis on "sucking in the gut" which works the tummy area. I have lost inches in this area. The power class I do does a lot of plank and a 15 min ab workout at the end of class. I don't bother to do weights in addition because the yoga I do uses body weight as resistance and I feel I am getting enough there. Plus I HATE doing weights and don't belong to a gym since I got my endless pool and have a bowflex. I did use the bowflex for a while, but just lost interest. It would probably be better for me if I did , but I figure I do enough. Bikram yoga if you dont know, is done in a heated room of about 105(although it is upwards of 114 at times at the place I go) and it is a HARD work out. No "relaxing" about it. The first time I did it I thought it was harder than any IM training I had done (seriously). It has gotten better though since. After class however I do feel relaxed , but it is not your typical "general gym yoga" class. I have done those, and they seem more geared to just stretching poses, and chit chatting , at least that was my experience at the 2 gyms I have been a member at.
P.S I started the yoga after my physical therapist suggested I do it to improve core strength and flexability.
for yoga, it also seems to depend on the class leader too
i've had really fast ones and exceptionally slow ones (5 breaths my a$$!)
it's good to find an instructor that fits your mindset about the process itself
She held the stretches and no chit chat really. I prefer that too in a class. Teachers changing after next week, so I will see what I get. I do the plank and abs for 15 usually after spin or before the pool. Thanks for the input.










I did a Yoga class last night for the first time in a gym. I felt great afterwards and then couldn't sleep when I got home. (hence got in some computer time and planning time) Tonight I am going to try Pilates. Still figuring out how it will work in my week.
If you had to choose Yoga or Pilates, whch would it be?