Yoga and fitness: 3 tips for incorporating yoga into your workout routine
The body is designed for movement, so exercise is good for your health. In some respects, yoga can be compared to a gentle and original form of fitness. Moreover, most people interested in yoga face one day or another this question: Is yoga really effective for toning the body? In this article we will see how yoga can help you keep fit!
In the world of sports...
... The main thing is not to achieve perfection, but rather to practice and find the right balance. This is the goal of the new yoga program on the adidas Training app. Whether you're a beginner or an expert in yoga, our 8-week program paves the way for mobility, fluidity, and mindfulness. From pranayama to vinyasa, aum to namaste, our yoga instructor will guide you every step of the way. All you need is a mat, a little curiosity, and the desire to get stronger on the inside!
1. Yoga and Fitness
Yoga, without any other complementary exercise activity, can help you stay fit. But this of course depends on your current fitness level, the yoga style you practice, as well as the intensity and/or frequency of your sessions.
Start a fitness program
Yoga is a great way to start a fitness regimen, especially if you are new to it or not at your best. Yoga activates and exercises every muscle in the body, and allows you to burn calories, as well as build muscle. Anyone new to yoga or exercise can see noticeable changes in a matter of weeks, regardless of the type or intensity of yoga.
Yoga for strength training or aerobic exercise
People who exercise regularly may also notice changes in their fitness levels while doing yoga, especially if they set specific goals for themselves. Those who do strength training should do aerobic yoga, while runners should do yoga to increase their strength. Here is information on the different types of yoga:
Bikram yoga (also called hot yoga) is a highly intense style of yoga practiced in a room heated to over 40 degrees with 40% humidity. A study has shown that it helps some people increase the weight they can lift. (1) It's also an intense cardiovascular workout because the heat causes your heart rate to rise.
Some forms of yoga that require you to hold difficult poses for an extended period of time can increase your strength. Staying in a position until you feel muscle fatigue is the key to building more muscle. Ashtanga and Power yoga naturally incorporate this type of isometric contractions. By isometric (or constant) contractions, we mean only muscle contraction. There is no movement associated with it, and no muscle attachments are required.
Rapid forms of yoga, such as vinyasa yoga, can improve cardiovascular endurance and strength. You first learn a series of positions, then relate them to each other (usually one breath = one movement). be careful ! Some yoga poses can be dangerous when done incorrectly. It is best to learn from qualified practitioners this type of yoga with a constant flow of movement and breathing.
Yoga is especially beneficial for the elderly, especially at the cardiovascular level. (2) Invite your grandmother to join you! And even if you don't see an immediate improvement in your split exercises, yoga has been shown to improve overall cardiovascular health. (3) Your lungs and heart will thank you!
Yoga for flexibility
Although flexibility will not help you lose weight or build muscle, it is still an indicator of your level of fitness and health. A study showed that regular yoga practice significantly increases the flexibility of (sedentary) people who work in front of a computer. A simple, short yoga session in a chair can make you more flexible, especially if you exercise regularly.
If your main goal is to improve flexibility and range of motion, you should practice yoga at least twice a week. If you want to stretch a specific part of your body (for example, your hamstrings or lower back), you should maintain a steady, relaxed stretch for that specific body part for at least five minutes a week. You can continue to stretch for 2.5 minutes in two separate sessions or 5 minutes in one session. (4) Yin yoga is a gentle, deep type of yoga that provides long, steady stretches without forcing.
Are you ready to start yoga?
Read our article on yoga for beginners.
2. Yoga as a supplement to your exercise routine
For people who already exercise regularly, yoga may not have much of an impact on your strength or cardiovascular health. However, it can enhance your other workouts. Find out how.
Yoga to avoid injuries
As we explain in our article on yoga for back pain, yoga has been shown to relieve back pain, whether it is related to a one-time injury or some form of chronic pain. (5) Doing yoga regularly will improve the condition of your back, reducing the risk of injury in other sports.
Imbalance is often the cause of injuries in sports. Yoga will help you develop your sense of balance, which will help you avoid trips, falls, or collisions. (6) Injuring your foot with dumbbells is one of the most common injuries in the gym. Yoga can help you! ... just like storing dumbbells properly, of course, 🙂But the rules of good manners in the gym are worth several articles on their own.
Yoga and body awareness
Yoga allows you to become more aware of your body. Knowing where our bodies are in space is called kinesthetic awareness. Knowing where he is in relation to himself is called proprioception. These skills are essential components of performing effective movements. This is why it is important to develop a natural awareness: where and how your body is in space. Body awareness lets you know if the deadlift is correct during a weight training session. Or, how high are your knees when climbing stairs, whether your shoulders are in line with your elbows when doing the plank, etc. By practicing yoga, you will learn more about your body in order to make your workouts more targeted and effective. softness,
Interestingly, scientists have found that yoga reduces inflammation in the body, although they do not fully understand all the mechanisms involved, and some believe this is due to the awareness of our bodies. Something about feeling connected to your body can act as a natural anti-inflammatory. ( 7 )
Yoga is good for commuting
Flexibility is the ability of a muscle to passively stretch, and is usually stationary. Mobility is the ability of a group of muscles and joints to move actively and through their full range. Mobility is dynamic and allows for so-called eccentric muscle contraction, while flexibility is passive and eccentric. (8) Mobility can also be defined as the ability to perform stretching exercises safely and sometimes vigorously. Gentle yoga styles, such as yin yoga, promote flexibility. More movement-focused yoga styles, such as Vinyasa and Ashtanga, promote movement.
It is interesting to note that different styles of yoga (passive or, on the contrary, more focused on movement) help to relieve muscle tension. Movement training stimulates the nerves that contract muscles as they are stretched, as well as the tissues around them (fascia). Blood flow in the mobilized area increases, joint range of motion increases and tension decreases. (9) Since movements are controlled and involve several parts of the body, yoga helps develop coordination as well as a better sense of balance.
Yoga facilitates recovery
Working on flexibility with passive stretching exercises (such as yoga) can help reduce the sensations caused by the nervous system in a specific area of the body. In other words, yoga can help relieve aches or pains. This is one of the reasons why many exercisers do yoga at the end of a workout, especially if the muscles are sore or sore. ( 10 )
3. Yoga and Mental Health: Mind and Body Workout
Yoga has been shown to have greater mental health benefits than other physical activities. (11) You certainly won't burn as many calories as running and you won't build as much muscle as lifting weights. But it will stimulate your mind-body connection: After all, isn't that the best exercise?
Yoga and Positive Psychology
We know that stretching lowers cortisol levels in the body and has a very positive psychological effect. (12) Women, in particular, have a more caring view of themselves and are less likely to suffer from eating disorders when practicing yoga. ( 13 )
Yoga and Mindfulness
If the term "mindfulness" is used wrongly too often, it nonetheless brings real psychological benefits. Mindfulness is an attitude that focuses on the present moment without making judgments and negative observation. Being fully aware simply means being open and accepting of the present moment. Through vigilance, we are both fumbling and objecting. We use our senses to feel our body and the environment around us. People who practice mindfulness are more in tune with themselves, others, and planet Earth.
Yoga is often considered a form of mind-body therapy precisely because of its teaching of mindfulness. Studies show that people who practice yoga often feel more confident in their actions. (14 )
How can yoga help you keep fit?
If you are starting to exercise or returning to sports, yoga will help you build muscle and improve your cardiovascular health. If you already exercise, yoga will complement your current training, making it more effective and reducing your risk of injury. Finally, yoga is good for mental health.