Yoga Mats for Studio Training

Yoga Vs Pilates

Pilates and yoga have both become hugely popular fitness programmes. But what's the difference and why would you choose one over the other?

• Yoga is all about the unification of mind, body and spirit and tries to align the body using the body’s own weight for resistance

• Pilates works the whole body focussing on core stabilization.

Actually, many people don’t choose one or the other but actually follow both systems. They get the stretch from yoga and the breathing techniques of pilates. Both techniques do actually work very well together!

The Yoga Mat

Your first piece of equipment needs to be a quality yoga mat. Even if your gym supplies them you might, for hygiene reasons, like to buy your own. A good mat will also help your technique, balance and coordination.

Do not get confused between a Pilates mat and a Yoga Mat.  Pilates mats need to be thicker than yoga mats. Because much of yoga is performed standing up yoga mats are thinner so that you can feel the floor with your feet.

Yoga mats also tend to be sticker so that you don’t start slipping. You will get a huge array of different yoga mats from super non slip mats which provide a stable non slip surface to natural rubber mats which are biodegradable and ecologically sound.

You will see a lot of fold up mats on the market. They can be very useful as they are then easily transportable.