Stretching the truth
Yoga and pilates enthusiasts tout their workouts with a religious zeal, boasting about the life-changing physical and mental benefits they confer. In the past several years, scientists have been studying what these activities really can—and can't—do for the body:
Heart Health
- Yoga: Hatha yoga provides little cardio benefit; power yoga does a bit better, giving the heart the same aerobic workout as a brisk stroll.
- Pilates: You may feel the burn with moves like “the hundred,” but