Pilates good, yoga bad? Christians, listen up …

Pilates is definitely the ‘flavour of the month’ in the movement world. One of the main reasons for its growing popularity is that people are looking for a low-impact form of exercise that can be done throughout their life, which builds strength without straining joints or causing injury.

Yoga also builds strength without causing strain or injury. That’s why the creator of pilates, Joseph Pilates, based his exercise practice on yoga … At this point I hear some Christians say, ‘What now? From a faith perspective, I thought doing yoga was wrong, but doing pilates was OK.’ Well, let’s come back to that query a little later in this blog. For now, stick with me on the fact that pilates is actually based on yoga.

Origin of pilates

Pilates was created by German-born Joseph Pilates around 1912. As a sickly child, Joseph took up body-building in order to build strength, then later became a professional boxer. He also researched many different forms of exercises, including Roman and Greek exercise regimes, gymnastics and Eastern disciplines of yoga, tai chi, martial arts and Zen meditation. Joseph then combined elements of these practices into a technique he initially called ‘Contrology’, as it was designed to control the mind as well as the body. In this way, the practice of pilates drew heavily on yoga by focussing on mindful movement and breathing techniques, as well as incorporating yoga poses.

Origin of yoga

Yoga originated around 3000-5000 years ago primarily as a practical philosophy, not a religion. It is believed to have been created by the Indus-Sarasvati civilisation in Northern India. Contrary to popular belief, yoga did not originate from Hinduism; in fact, it predates Hinduism by several centuries. Later, it was widely adopted by Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The initial emphasis of yoga was on breathing practices and mindfulness, and calming the body and mind in order to improve meditation. The meaning of the word yoga – to yoke – points to this integration of mind and body.

Over the years, many different forms of yoga developed. What is considered to be ‘classical yoga’ was compiled from ancient texts by Sri Patanjali (circa 2nd century BCE) into teachings called the Yoga Sutras. These espoused eight “limbs” or guidelines for living a meaningful, ethical and meditative life.

The increased focus on the physical postures in yoga arose in the early decades of the 20th century, when physical culture had became an influential discipline in India as well as in Western countries.

Yoga, pilates and wrestling!

Both modern Western yoga and pilates a classes have been influenced by physical culture, gymnastics and wrestling. For example, the sun salutations we use today – often mistakenly thought to be a practice to worship the sun – are most likely based on warm-up exercises used by wrestlers in India in the early 20th century, according to many yoga experts. The sequence – made up of 12 yoga poses joined together – was brought to the West in the 1920s or 1930s. “… it seems unlikely that the Sun Salutation in yoga as we know it today has any ancient roots in the worship of Surya [the sun god],” writes Olaav Arts on Yoga Easy website.

Indeed most yoga classes in Western countries today are devoid of religious content, and instead focus on the physical fitness and mental benefits of yoga. Writing in Yoga Journal, Mark Singleton says most Western yoga has “changed almost beyond recognition from the medieval practices. The philosophical and esoteric frameworks of premodern hatha yoga … have been sidelined in favor of systems that foreground gymnastic movement, health and fitness, and the spiritual concerns of the modern West.”

Pilates was also influenced by physical culture, gymnastics and wrestling. Joseph Pilates is believed to have taught self defence and wrestling to inmates in an internment camp during World War One which, along with yoga, added to the building blocks for his practice. (Interesting side note: reformer pilates was also birthed during the war when Joseph volunteered as a hospital attendant at the camp. Here he used bed springs to provide resistance and enabled bed-bound patients to perform rehabilitation exercises).

Similarities & differences between pilates and yoga

- Both pilates and yoga provide low-impact movements that aim to build strength, mobility and flexibility. Pilates exercises are based on repetition, whereas yoga aims to move and stretch the body in all directions (ie. forward, backward, side to side, up, down). In this way, the movements of yoga are designed to prepare the body (as well as the mind) for meditation. Once you have worked and stretched out the muscles in the whole body, you are much less likely to be distracted by aches and pains that prevent you from relaxing and concentrating in meditation.

- Both practices address the mind as well as the body. Pilates encourages participants to use the mind to control muscles – “It is the mind itself which builds the body,” said Joseph. Yoga also targets the mind, however this goes far beyond just muscles and movement. Yoga invites participants to apply mindfulness to all areas of life. Unlike pilates, yoga is also designed to calm the mind. This is achieved through breathing techniques, focus, concentration and meditation, as well as physical postures that lower the head below the heart and so activate the parasympathetic (‘rest and digest’) nervous system.

- Yoga accommodates spirituality in a way that pilates usually doesn’t. Yoga classes are often designed to offer some time and space for thought, particularly at the beginning of the class and at the end in relaxation/meditation. With the whole practice designed to still the body and the mind for meditation, yoga is entirely unique in its ability to benefit the body, mind and the spirit.

In conclusion

So now that you know that pilates was actually based on yoga, how do you feel about performing the movements and attending a pilates class?

Now that you know that yoga was originally not a religious practice, and has been influenced and adapted by other modern movement practices (in the same way as pilates), how do you feel about performing the movements of yoga?

And now that you know the specific benefits of yoga in addressing body, mind and spirit, can you see why this was the practice I chose to inform our Christ-centred movement and meditation classes?

I wonder what you will say the next time you hear a believer say, ‘Christians shouldn’t do yoga, that’s why I do pilates.’

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, suggestions.

Blessings,

Bec (Founder & CEO of Be Still Movement)

*Sources:
https://www.pilatescentral.co.uk/history-origins-pilates/
https://semprose.com.au/pilates-classes/reformer-pilates/history-of-pilates
https://4lane.com.au/history-and-origins-of-pilates-the-pilates-reformer/
https://www.contrologypilates.com.au/what-is-pilates/
https://www.truepilatesmethod.com.au/post/history-of-pilates
https://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga/
https://www.britannica.com/summary/Yoga-philosophy
https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/philosophy/yoga-s-greater-truth/
https://www.yogaeasy.com/artikel/the-origin-of-the-sun-salutation