By
in
At a friend Shinta’s wedding dinner 2 weekends ago, one of my dinner companions, Kelvin, became intrigued when he found out that I teach Pilates.
Kelvin : “Wow, so you are a Yoga teacher!”
I had to correct him.
Kris : “I am a Pilates teacher …”
Kelvin : “So what’s the difference between Yoga and Pilates?”
Kris : “Pilates focuses on developing core strength, the muscles surrounding your spine – your abs, waist, back and butt – so you don’t get neck pain and back pain!”
Kelvin : “What about Yoga?”
Kris : “Yoga is a series of poses often held for a period of time … perhaps to cultivate stillness and endurance.”
Kelvin : “But Pilates is done on a Mat too, right?”
Kris : “Well, Pilates can be done on a Mat BUT it can also be practiced on spring-loaded Pilates equipment like the Reformer, Cadillac and Wunda Chair.”
Kelvin : “Oh I never knew that … but how do the Pilates equipment work?”
Kris : “The Pilates equipment are spring-loaded and the tension of the springs can be adjusted to make a particular Pilates exercise either more challenging or more accessible for beginners.”
Kelvin : “Sounds very interesting! So is Pilates a cardio workout?”
Kris : “Pilates is resistance training and strength training.”
Kelvin : “So would I lose weight doing Pilates?”
Kris : “Yes. Even though a 45-minute cardio session burns more calories than a 45-minute Pilates session, studies have shown that people who do resistance training like Pilates continue to burn calories even after the session, compared to just during the 45-minute cardio workout.
That means Pilates training may be even better for long term weight management!”
YAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaam Seng! At this point, it was time to toast the wedding couple. So look out for my next post about why Pilates may be better than running for weight loss. Meantime, click here for other FAQs.
Also, please leave your comments and let me know what other burning questions you have!
