If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this question. There are similarities, however, there are also many differences. They are two separate disciplines and the purists would have much to say. It is assumed that Pilates and Yoga will help increase flexibility in our bodies. Pilates will focus on strengthening the core so that any stretching can then be performed safely. One will greatly improve overall strength and flexibility with a professionally devised Pilates programme.

My clients generally experience some slight soreness after class, but it seems that most of us enjoy this feeling of ‘having done something’. Not everyone will be sore, and this often depends on one’s level of fitness and one’s usual fitness regime prior to joining a class. The soreness may not last much past the first few sessions and this is because the exercises performed are not asking the muscles to do anything they were not designed to do.

Joseph Pilates said that ‘after 10 sessions, you will feel a difference, after 20 sessions you will see a difference and after 30 sessions you will have a new body’. This definitely depends on the frequency of your Pilates workouts. If you can only manage a workout once per week, you will notice that your little niggles and pains are greatly alleviated, your abs are stronger and you will definitely notice an improvement in your posture. If you come more frequently, you will notice results much more quickly, and be able to progress more quickly as well.

In view of the fact that Joseph Pilates was a man, and he devised his exercise regime for men initially, I’d have to say no. It is for both men and women, and workouts can be tailored to your fitness level. It is very often suggested that men will greatly improve their flexibility with Pilates – which is true – however they will also strengthen in areas they didn’t even realise were weak. Always a pleasant surprise for the boys.

A complete body workout is possible on both the mat and the machines, however they are different workouts. I guess it’s like asking yourself whether you should go for a run or a swim? There’s no reason why you can’t mix it up though.. If some of the required exercises are to be done on the mat and others are to be done on the Cadillac, that’s what we do.

One common misconception is that the machine work is ‘harder’ and one needs to ‘progress’ to this level, once one has done a certain amount of mat. In reality, the machine work was devised first and was initially designed for rehabilitation purposes. The full mat programme was designed later and usually only recommended for fit bodies. The mat programmes have since been modified to cater for beginners and/or injured bodies.

My recommendation is just get going, whatever the medium, you will enjoy the strength and feeling of wellbeing you get from either workout.