You might think of strength training as lifting weights, but what about yoga? After a yoga class, if your muscles ache, you might wonder: does yoga count?
Experts say weight training is the top way to stop bone loss. But can yoga be a substitute?
It’s easy to picture ourselves always using dumbbells or weight machines. But can yoga replace them?
Weights Are the Best for Building a Bulk
Dr. DiNubile suggests that if you just want to build muscle, strength training is your best bet. Strength training means using heavier weights over time to make your muscles and bones stronger, according to the American Council on Exercise.
The trick is to keep increasing the resistance. Basically, you need to push your muscles and bones harder to keep improving. Weight training, which is a traditional form of lifting weights, works this way. As your muscles get stronger and adapt, the weight you lift becomes easier. To keep seeing results, you have to keep adding more weight.
Theoretically, you can keep getting bigger and stronger muscles indefinitely with weight training, as long as you keep upping the weight.
Yoga Is a More Well-Rounded Approach
Yoga provides a well-rounded strength training workout for several reasons:
- Injury Prevention: Regular yoga practice reduces the risk of injury and prepares your body for everyday activities like walking, sitting, and lifting groceries. It helps your body move as it’s meant to, keeping it functioning properly.
- Functional Training: Yoga engages both large and small muscles and involves movement in various directions, such as twisting and bending, not just in a single plane like some weight exercises.
- Muscle Toning: Unlike weight training, which often isolates specific muscles, yoga tones all muscles in your body.
- Elongated Appearance: Yoga uses eccentric contractions, where muscles both contract and stretch, giving them a sleek, elongated look and improving flexibility. In contrast, weight training relies on concentric contractions, which can lead to muscles appearing compact and bulging if not stretched properly.
- Endurance: Holding yoga poses for extended periods and repeating them builds muscle endurance.
In essence, yoga offers a comprehensive strength training regimen that enhances flexibility, prevents injury, and tones muscles throughout the body.
Do Both for Good General Fitness
For clients aiming for overall fitness and health, rather than bodybuilding, I suggest a mix of bodyweight exercises and workouts with weights and resistance tools. Research indicates that varying your workout leads to faster results.
Bodyweight exercises include pushups, squats, and any movements where you lift yourself with your legs.
I encourage clients to explore different exercises. While finding an activity you enjoy and will stick with is important, trying new exercises is beneficial too. It keeps your body challenged and helps you grow as a fitness enthusiast.
This post was written by Darryl Johnson, Co-Owner of Apex Performance. At https://theapexperf.com/ we are a community of highly trained experts looking to provide performance enhancement and a permanent lifestyle change for our clients in a fun and interactive environment. Members can take advantage of one-on-one training, small group classes, and specialized courses for a wide variety of athletics, sports training, and body goals!
