You want to start a new fitness routine that will support flexibility, mind-body connection, and strength, but with so many different workout routines on the market, you’re not sure which is right for you.
You may have heard that Pilates, yoga, and barre are great options, but what sets them apart?
Read on to learn the similarities and differences between the three programs, the benefits of each, and which is better for your fitness and wellness goals.
Barre, Pilates, and yoga are great forms of physical activity and have much more in common than you might think. Some similarities between the three practices include:
Although barre, Pilates, and yoga are similar in many ways, they offer different techniques that make each practice unique.
Some key differences between these three practices include:
Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi classes are designed to help focus on breathwork, strengthen your muscles, and connect your mind to your body. Although we do not offer barre or Pilates classes, we have a variety of yoga classes that can support many of the same strengthening goals.
Barre exercises have long been practiced by ballet dancers as a way to strengthen and tone their bodies beyond their ballet practice. In the 1950s, Lotte Berk modernized the practice as a way to increase strength after an injury. Her focus was to create low-impact yet effective workouts that had the core principles of ballet.
In modern barre classes today, you use a ballet barre and weights or bands to move your body to upbeat music. Barre comprises small, isometric movements that work the muscles to fatigue. These small movements allow the body to stretch and grow muscles.
Barre can enhance:
Barre classes can be done in a studio or the comfort of your home and typically are 45-60 minutes long. Some barre classes require no equipment, while others utilize equipment such as ballet barres, balls, blocks, and light weights.
Benefits of Barre classes include:
Joseph Pilates had many health issues, so in the 1920s, he founded Pilates as a way to strengthen the body and mind with a combination of yoga practices and modern exercises.
Pilates classes focus on posture, strengthening, and core work with guided adjustments and specific breathing techniques. The slow movements allow the body to focus on different muscle groups, providing a full-body workout. Similarly to barre, it is movement-based and does not incorporate meditation.
Traditional Pilates classes use platform machines with pulleys and counter-weights that add resistance to your body weight and can help to equalize balance and strength between the right and left limbs.
You can also find mat Pilates classes without the machines using the following equipment:
In addition to these items, you can also use body weight to mimic the work done on a Pilates machine. You can do mat Pilates either in a class or with your equipment at home. Classes typically last between 45-60 minutes. As with yoga, grip socks are recommended to protect your feet, add stability, and avoid slipping.
The benefits of Pilates include:
Yoga has been around for thousands of years and is practiced worldwide. Yoga was popularized in the U.S. after the hatha yoga style was introduced in the last century.
American yoga classes today can be found in many styles, and typically combine breathwork with physical poses to increase the mind-body connection, foster flexibility, and increase strength.
Yoga is a practice different from barre and Pilates because it has more of its foundation rooted in mindfulness, breathwork, and intentional stretching. It usually is not set to upbeat music and requires many slow movements compared to barre and Pilates.
Many forms of yoga do not need any equipment other than a mat. Unlike Pilates or barre, it is recommended to practice yoga without socks to allow for a better connection to the ground and body during your practice.
Yoga can be practiced in a studio or at home. Typical yoga classes last around 60 minutes, but some can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 90 minutes.
Some benefits of yoga include:
Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi instructors provide the opportunity for mindfulness and flexibility with yoga classes in over 100 locations across the country. Our main focus is Korean Yoga, an energy-based, mind-body yoga practice. These trained instructors are walking the journey of mindfulness with you. Make contact today to find the closest studio.
Although barre, Pilates, and yoga are appropriate for most fitness levels, finding the right class will depend on your flexibility, goals, and expectations. Each practice allows the body to move differently and provides different physical and mental outcomes.
Are you looking for a fun, upbeat class that challenges your strength with small movements, or a more mindful, guided class that connects you with your body?
After reviewing our summary so far, consider:
Deciding which kinds of workout classes will support your fitness goals can be challenging. Barre, Pilates, and yoga offer many benefits, in different formats, paces and styles, and for different purposes.
Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi instructors can help you accomplish your fitness and wellness goals, whether or not you choose to try other complementary exercise methods.
If you’re leaning toward yoga, we have a variety of classes available to you, in person or online. Browse our class offerings to see which class can support you in your wellness journey.