Yoga and Pilates are ‘easy’ and not a ‘proper workout’: your thoughts…
Recently, we asked our Facebook community (here) whether they were also fed up with hearing that Yoga and Pilates are ‘easy’ and not a ‘proper workout’.
“Does this look easy?!”
Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful comments. Here’s what you had to say:
Emma Evans easy puh. they’ve not been doing it correctly.
InstructorLive Exactly Emma, I think anyone who says it’s easy has never actually done it!
Emma Evans or been taught badly unfortunately
InstriuctorLive Sadly true. Do you practice yoga and pilates?
Emma Evans, I’m a pilates instructor
Jean Parker To those people who think Pilates is easy, you should try it yourselves and you’ll soon find out it’s not easy at all. It’s actually quite difficult if done properly x
InstructorLive Thanks for your comment Jean, absolutely true!
Sarah Minty I agree I am a Pilates instructor and adore it let’s get more people trying it
InstructorLive Absolutely, we need to make it accessible for everyone to have a go at. It’s great that we’re seeing so many more men taking part in Pilates and Yoga classes on InstructorLive. That’s been a very pleasant surprise (perhaps as they don’t have to feel as self-conscious at home). Do you get many men coming to your classes Sarah?
Gail Beasley, I have done both and neither is easy. Not sure which one I prefer!! xx
InstructorLive Thanks Gail, it’s definitely a tricky one, we’ll have to sit on the fence ourselves, otherwise, we’ll get in trouble with our instructors 😉
Gail Beasley Haven’t done yoga in a while! Just starting out on my pilates journey.
InstructorLive Keep us posted with how you’re getting on
Karen Palmer Yoga & Pilates are NOT a cardio work-out what so ever.
InstructorLive No, and certainly NOT easy!
Alexandra Star Both very challenging ..!
Jean Parker Pilates has changed my life……..it’s helped me lose 5 stone in weight and tone up my abs perfectly. Been doing Pilates at least twice a week continually for 2 and a half years now……absolutely love it and what it’s done to my body and mind x x
InstructorLive Wow, 5 stone? That’s amazing! My Mum struggled with her weight for years until she started pilates. So wonderful to see how much more confident she is now. Thanks for sharing your story Jean, it’s very inspirational!
Linda Thomson, I am 65 and been doing Pilates for a year, twice a week and could not live my life without it. It’s so good for so many reasons, mental health, and a leaner body!!!!
InstructorLive You make a great point Linda. The mental health benefits of exercise are so often forgotten or seen as secondary to physical health.
Eileen Jackson not easy at all…they should try it.
Kelly Chester, I love Pilates and have been teaching it for four years and have done if for Twelve years. I would not have got strong again after my baby without it. Yoga is also a great challenge and started doing Yoga at twelve. Both are for life:)
Heidi Williamson-Wall I have been doing it for 4 years – the best form of exercise I have ever done! And tried to teach my husband to do some today – he considers himself pretty fit as he runs and swims…but he was hopeless, stiff as a board and very little abdominal strength…..I challenge anyone to do it – and do it properly – and not ache the next day!!!!
Melissa Priest, I used to run a lot and I do prefer cardio workouts but I have to say that Pilates and yoga are definitely harder for me in the technical sense. It doesn’t puff me out like the elliptical, running, cycling and swimming does but I really struggle with the abs work and I’ve been told I’ve got a very weak core and need to do Pilates. I’ve got a slipped disc now and can’t run anymore and what caused it is a weak core whilst doing a lot of high impact exercises. Now I need to do more Pilates and its hard work! It’s defo not easy and I consider myself fit…
InstructorLive Thanks for all your comments guys, please keep them coming. That’s another great point Melissa, yoga, and Pilates are excellent ways to build core strength and improve body awareness, vital aspects in preventing injuries in other sporting activities. In fact, most of our instructor’s first contact with pilates was after injuries sustained in their dance or sports careers.
Melissa Priest Yes it’s a major reason why people get into pilates. I never really considered it as a form of exercise until I injured my back. Now I realize the importance of core work and can’t stress how important it is. I’m also a qualified fitness instructor and it’s amazing how life experience can really make you look more deeply into what really makes a difference to your overall fitness rather than just one aspect. A lot of runners think that you just need to run to get faster and fitter but they neglect the other aspects esp when you up the distance like i did when i was doing a marathon. If you keep pushing yourself without building the foundation you get injured and pilates and yoga can go a long way in helping you stay flexible and strong which cardio workouts can’t do!
InstructorLive So true. You’ve hit the nail on the head with “building the foundation”. It applies to all aspects if health and fitness. I’ve spoken to many bodybuilders who will say the same. People looking to gain muscle mass will dive right in with heavyweights without starting from a core foundation of strength. They continue to get injured and can’t understand why they aren’t making progress. There’s also heart strength to think about, the most important muscle of them all!
Melissa Priest, We live in a world where we want fast results. We just want to “get on with it” but you reap better rewards if you get the basics right 🙂
Maggie Wheeler, They are certainly not easy if you are doing it properly!
Julie Murdoch Did a three hour session on Saturday EASY is not how I’d describe it! Enjoyable and relaxing after 3 hours very hard work! 🙂
Jean Catliff it’s not easy, or I would be able to do more of the moves 🙁
InstructorLive Hi Jean, are you talking about yoga or pilates, or both? It’s all relative to you as an individual, so as long as you find ways to stretch yourself over time, no matter how small improvement, that’s what really matters.
Jean Catliff pilates, I’m 66 and only took it up 2 years ago, to strengthen my back, ( i broke 3 vertebrae ). but I notice a improvement in my movement of all joints.
InstructorLive Ouch! Glad to hear you’re on the mend.
Audrey Ditchfield pilates and yoga are not easy at all !! Since I started doing it 3 weeks ago my core is getting stronger and I am really seeing the results. I will recommend anybody to do this !!
InstructorLive Hi Audrey, it’s great that you’re seeing results so quickly. Once you find a type of exercise you love, it’s hard not to tell everyone about it!
Tanya Goldie Counter I teach Yoga and Pilates, New people join my classes all the time and all say ….. “Never realized it was so hard “. I teach all shapes sizes and age groups and they all love it. I now have added Yogalates to offer a mixture of both, this has become very popular and gives the benefits of both practices. Coming next is Ariel Yoga, amazing benefits and you have never experienced relaxation like it till you have swayed restfully in silk You get out what you put in, in any form of exercise. Yoga and Pilates also act as a great aid to other sports, for example, the stretching qualities of Yoga are great for Mixed Martial Artists, Runners and Footballers reducing the risk of injury. I am lucky to LOVE what I do everyday:)
Karin Nelson “not a proper workout” “easy”, I did a yoga class the other day, and the burn was massive, my muscles have only just today stopped hurting, it was a proper workout in every sense of the word, loved it !!
Joanne McHale pilates and yoga are not an easy discipline to master anyone who thinks they are not a proper workout is obviously not doing it correctly. I love my pilates class and sweat more doing the plank than any cardio workout x
InstructorLive Ahh yes Joanne, I challenge anyone not to shake a bit when holding in the plank!
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