Find Strength With Yoga

People require all forms of exercise to be fit, strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. Most people think of yoga as a way to build flexibility, but it’s also beneficial for building strength. Many of the bodyweight exercises for strength are based on yoga poses. The phalakasana pose is the same as the plank bodyweight exercise. It builds core strength, but also upper body and back strength.

You’ll be building muscle strength while encouraging flexibility.

If you’ve ever tried yoga, you know holding many of the poses isn’t easy. Holding some of the positions can cause a tremendous burn. The warrior pose, high lunge, and low lunge strengthen core muscles and lower extremities. The four-limbed staff pose is iconic for building upper body strength. The hovering tabletop strengthens the entire body. Many yoga poses are excellent for building functional fitness strength. They build strength, flexibility, and balance to help prevent injury.

You can build strength by lifting something heavy.

You can also build strength by lifting something lighter and holding it up longer. If you’ve ever carried an armful of groceries to checkout without bothering to get a cart, you are probably aware that the longer you stand in line holding the items, the heavier they get. They may be light at first, but your muscles grow weary as you continue to tax them even though the weight is lighter. That builds muscles. Consider the warrior pose. You step forward with one foot and lunge your body ahead, bending one knee, as you raise your arms in the air. Your legs may not tire as quickly as your raised arms if you don’t have upper body strength.

Building strength and flexibility go hand-in-hand.

Yoga is primarily known as flexibility training, but as already noted, it also builds strength. The reverse is also true. A study in 2011 showed that women who did strength training also improved their flexibility. If you do the paripurna navasana—boat pose—you hold your body in a V to build abdominal strength. Hold that pose for a few minutes if you’ve never tried it. Before too long, you’ll feel the burn as you would when doing any other type of strength training.

• Women will find it difficult to build bulky muscles no matter what exercises they do because of hormones. For men, yoga will tone muscles and give a sinewy appearance rather than building bulk.
• Yoga strengthens the muscles and lengthens them to give a sleek look. Weightlifting shortens the muscles to create a bulging appearance and bulky look.
• Variety is excellent if you want to improve your fitness. Yoga is a complement to calisthenics, weightlifting, and isometric exercise. Each type brings something different to the table and using reduces monotony.
• You can combine yoga exercises with our On Demand and other programs. Many of the exercises in my programs are based on yoga poses. They build both flexibility and strength.

For more information, contact us today at Get RIPPED! by Jari Love