Yoga Can Complement Your Strength Training 5 Ways!

A huge mistake that many gym rats make is underestimating what yoga can do for their body. This is especially for those who practice strength training and bodybuilding. While yoga is not for those who want quick results, its low-intensity activities can help you break your physical limitations. Still not convinced? We’ve listed down five ways this ancient practice can improve your strength training.

Yoga Makes You More Flexible

The truth is that strength training and bodybuilding exercises don’t help much in terms of flexibility. However, the intense stretching exercises can help you lengthen and loosen up your muscles. This is why it is supplemental to strength training; it provides benefits that strength training lacks. In fact, Chicago-based researchers have recently found out that a consistent yoga practice increased the flexibility and balance of all participants in as short as 10 weeks. So, make sure that you incorporate it in your routine if you want to keep everything loose and flexible, but continue getting massive gains.

Yoga Stretches Are A Good Recovery Activity

Post-workout stretches can dramatically improve your recovery time. What better way to do this than with yoga? Indeed, our post ‘The Importance of Doing Nothing’ highlights that stretching before and after your workout is important if you want to avoid injuries and recover faster. So before you get to the gym, have a couple of yoga poses in mind to help you cool down.

It Can Help Build Your Strength

Yoga gets a ton of flack for being a slow workout, but most people don’t know that yoga itself is a strength-training activity. Most advanced poses actually require lots of muscle control and strength, though yogis often make them look easy. Case in point, the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies reports that yoga enhances upper body and core strength. This just goes to show how yoga requires more effort than what most people imagine.

The Breathing Techniques Are Invigorating

It’s important to have full control over your lungs in both yoga and bodybuilding. While both employ different breathing techniques, the key idea is similar. Breathing techniques help use the oxygen you inhale efficiently for better endurance. Yogic breathing can also help you in releasing tension during cool down and recovery.

One useful breathing technique is the Lion’s Breath, which Pain Free Working highlights is a good way to also reduce stress. This is done by sitting on your knees, inhaling through your nose, and finally letting it all out through your mouth with your tongue extended as far as possible. Though it may seem silly, the overall effect is powerful. Breathing exercises help relax the different joints and muscles in your face and neck. This helps you feel refreshed after a rigorous workout.

Yoga Keeps Your Whole Body And Mind In Check

Unlike other workouts, nothing provides as much peace as yoga due to its meditative aspect. High-intensity workouts such as strength training are mostly seen as a way to get bigger and faster results. But, it’s important to have a holistic approach to wellness. Meditating through yoga can help your whole body, so try to be open with branching out to it. Soon, you’ll see how a synced body and mind can help you approach your strength training with ease ⁠— even if the poses seem a little daunting at first.

Specially written for illpumpyouup.com

by Bela Joseline

 

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