Taking Yoga With Pilates

The simple fact is that if you're in the United States and considering taking up Pilates classes, then you should consider the possibility of practicing yoga as well. This doesn't mean you can practice yoga at your Pilates class. In fact, many Pilates instructors frown upon this practice and actually discourage it, citing the safety issues involved.

However, in a yoga class, you will find it very easy to practice this form of exercise and many students may be surprised at how easy it is to incorporate yoga into their regular practice. As far as practice is concerned, many Pilates instructors today use yoga postures to introduce their students to the practice.

It's important to keep in mind that there are variations of yoga that don't fit the rules of Pilates. You may feel that the basic Yoga asanas are safe for your muscles, but you'll also want to pay attention to the underlying body mechanics and pose directions. If you choose to include yoga with your Pilates class, it's important to make sure your instructor knows about your preferences and doesn't feel the need to freak out if you do yoga.

However, even if you're not particularly interested in practicing yoga at your Pilates class, it will benefit you both physically and mentally because of the increased physical flexibility that it will bring to your yoga practice. Yoga increases your strength, improves your flexibility, increases your endurance, improves posture and enables you to stretch and move your muscles while building stamina. This makes the practice more challenging, which is a benefit of both practicing yoga and performing yoga as a substitute for your regular Pilates practice.

There are some limitations to practicing yoga with Pilates, however, because your physical flexibility will improve only if you practice regularly. When you add Yoga asanas into your regular practice, however, you will see your physical flexibility increase over time, so you can add them to your schedule and see how much they benefit you.

Yoga is also great for those who are beginning to practice Pilates and to add their fitness levels to the mix. The techniques are easier to learn and to perform than traditional Pilates poses, and for some students the end results are amazing. Of course, before you consider adding yoga to your Pilates classes, make sure you have made the commitment to practice regularly.

You also need to make sure your instructor or coach is aware of your interest in incorporating yoga into your Pilates classes. Many instructors are more than happy to talk to you about what you're doing and how it is beneficial to your body. But if you're the first one to ever practice yoga, it might be a good idea to have your instructor explain the basics of the practice so you don't get too confused.

As far as Yoga asanas go, you can begin with simple poses and then progress to more advanced poses if you wish. You can choose from Ashtanga, Power Yoga, Samatvayasana and Siddhasana, among others.