Blog

Pilates for Yoga

By David Walrath guest blog writer for A Room For Pilates Studio

I have practiced and taught yoga for over 40 years.  I attended Pilates mat classes for many years augmenting my yoga practice.  And I noticed that I was losing some flexibility in my back and hamstrings even with daily practice.

This all changed when I started working with Ruth at A Room for Pilates in Sebastopol.  I came with some concerns that I was getting stiffer and had come to accept that with getting older I must just accept the fact that I would have more aches and pains and lose mobility.

Pilates for yoga is a wonderful combination.  I still practice yoga everyday for fitness and flexibility and health and happiness but in combination with focused work on the full array of Pilates equipment at A Room for Pilates using the Reformer, Ladder Barrel, Wunda Chair and mat I have been able to target muscles and lengthen and strengthen them in ways I have not been able to achieve in yoga alone.

I have my 500 hours certification with Yoga Alliance as a yoga teacher and have studied with many fine yoga instructors over the years.  I am proud to say that Joseph Pilates, through the fine instruction and support from Ruth Dreier, has helped and furthered my yoga practice.

Pilates has helped me strengthen my core. And I have more awareness of my core that I gained through Pilates which has given me greater control over my movements in yoga. For me it is not a matter of either/or but a wonderful practice and blending of both/and.

I use Pilates to target, strengthen and increase flexibility in my body. In Pilates moves are repeated and an appropriate number of reps are performed that produce the desired results.

One of the delightful results is the ‘glow’ I have after my Pilates work out is very much like what I get from yoga.

From my experience I would say that Pilates can work in a complementary way to augment and improve any other physical activities you have in your life.