# Yoga & Pilates...tell me about your experiences.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoga-pilates-tell-me-about-your-experiences/159718>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 7, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoga-pilates-tell-me-about-your-experiences/159718 "2003-03-07T15:06:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Joyfulgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Joyfulgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joyfulgirl)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoga-pilates-tell-me-about-your-experiences/159718/21 "2003-03-09T14:15:00Z")

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I bought Winsor Pilates a few months ago when I couldn’t get to classes due to location, and _loved_ it right away. I didn’t think it was going to be much of a workout, but if you really concentrate on your form it’s great for toning and flexibility. You also progress fairly fast. A good mat is crucial so you don’t injure your back or spine, but the tapes are pretty user-friendly, and I didn’t really have any problems with injury or pain. The downside? After about a month and a half you get pretty sick of the tapes. Now that I’ve been doing it for awhile, I just use the winsor dozen (A pamphlet showing a sequence of moves) and skip the tapes altogether. I switch it around, focusing on legs one day and abs the next. It’s much more relaxing with music instead of Mari constantly telling you to “pull your belly-button towards the spine.”

**Ladybug** , the tapes do have a person showing you how to modify the moves at all times for people with back or flexibility problems. I had to use it alot during the beginning, but I noticed that unless you really focus on controlling your muscles and posture, you don’t get as intense of an experience. I’ve also noticed that most Yoga and Pilates tapes/systems have a modifier, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one that works for you.

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**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoga-pilates-tell-me-about-your-experiences/159718/22 "2003-03-10T01:25:28Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Joyfulgirl \*  
> \*\*Ladybug, the tapes do have a person showing you how to modify the moves at all times for people with back or flexibility problems. I had to use it alot during the beginning, but I noticed that unless you really focus on controlling your muscles and posture, you don’t get as intense of an experience. I’ve also noticed that most Yoga and Pilates tapes/systems have a modifier, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one that works for you. \*\*

Thanks, **Joyfulgirl**. 🙂 I’ve been looking for an exercise routine I can do without hurting my back, and it sounds like this one might work for me. In fact, Winsor Pilates was one of the programs I was considering. I think I’ll check it out.

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**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoga-pilates-tell-me-about-your-experiences/159718/23 "2003-03-10T02:27:07Z")

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It’s my opinion that Yoda would totally wipe the floor with the Pirates.

I’m so very sorry.

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