In a nutshell; Pilates is strengthening and focusses on core strength, using abdominals a lot. The breathing is different to yoga as you take the breath only as far as the lugs, not down into the belly. Yoga is great for flexibility and is also deals with mindfulness through meditation and breathing techniques. Pilates was developed by Josef Pilates in the 1920’s while yoga’s history and philosophy goes back thousands of years.

There are some yoga asanas which look similar to Pilates exercises and the two can work well together but are very different in many ways.

Not at all. You can make yoga your own personal practice. It is all about your body and it’s limitations.

You can either sit in a chair and still practice yoga or you can aspire to more complex gymnastic style poses. Yogi’s choice!

There are many styles of yoga. I tend to lean towards a Hatha style, sometimes taking it up into more of a vinyasa flow. typical class starts with a warm up, followed by working through some asanas, working with the breath. Noticing how the breth affects you in the poses. Poses will be have modifications give so that you can work to your particular level.

Some mindfulness will be included, sometimes a bit of light meditation, sometimes a poem or reading. 

Some simple Pranayama (breath work). We finish with a Savasana phase, to relax the mind and body.