Both yoga and Pilates improve balance. Balance is important for preventing falls, which is especially important as you age. Because yoga often includes specific balancing exercises, such as poses where you stand on one leg, it might be more helpful for balance.

Bottom line. Yoga edges out Pilates in terms of overall calorie burn. However, metabolic responses to exercise and factors like stress, sleep, and exercise intensity will affect how many calories you burn during and after a workout.

If you want to increase your strength and flexibility, Pilates might be the better choice. If you want to improve your overall wellness, you might choose yoga. Still, much depends upon the particular classes available to you and the skills and qualifications of the instructors.

Combining yoga and Pilates is a natural fit because “both yoga and Pilates require us to focus on the breath, precise movements, proper alignment and our core muscles as we flow through the workout,” she says. The mind-body benefits of fusion workouts include: Better balance. Deeper relaxation.