The benefits of regular yoga practice include flexibility, relaxation, and strength in both body and mind.
The strength you build from your yoga practice is a different type of strength than that which you build from strength training with resistance/weights. And, that is why I wanted to introduce you to my Personal Training Coaching. I wanted to ensure you have access to the many benefits that come along with adding strength training to your yoga practice!
BUILDING STRENGTH WITH YOGA
Yoga typically builds strength isometrically by holding a pose still for a period of time (depending on the class, some hold poses longer than others), and using your own body weight as resistance, thus working your muscles in a particular way.
Typically yoga poses are done using control in your movements to create that resistance and thus, build strength with longer and leaner muscles.
While the strength you build by using your own weight is really effective, in the long-term, it does cap your potential due to its limitations.
You can only get as strong as your weight allows, and therefore, adding extra weight through strength training with free weights, resistance bands and cables gives you a progressive stimulus to become even stronger.
Many yoga enthusiasts, particularly women are often reluctant to incorporate strength training with weights (whether through machines or free weights) because they think they will develop that overly bulky physique that many associate with body building.
This simply does not happen. In fact the ability for a woman to add bulk to their body is extremely limited because they simply do not have enough testosterone hormone (10 x less than men). The effect of weight training with medium to heavy weights is that the muscles become stronger and more toned which will lead to an athletic appearance whilst still maintaining the womanly shape.
Extreme muscle bulk comes from lifting super heavy weights, a high calorie diet, testosterone boosting supplements and steroids.
BENEFITS OF ADDING STRENGTH TRAINING TO YOUR YOGA PRACTICE
Aside from the general strength and added tone you can build with a few weights training sessions a week, here are some more benefits to your yoga practice:
- Improve balance and bone density,
Thus helping you achieve and hold challenging poses and inversions such as a handstand.
Those who have incorporated strength training with weights can see a definite progression in their balance poses especially with significantly less stumbling or trembling.
Combining yoga with strength training also helps prevent muscle mass loss that begins in your thirties and continues to decline at an average of three percent every ten years, according to research. In fact you can build and retain muscle levels at any age if you do the appropriate exercise.
- Prevent plateaus.
Another added benefit of strength training with added weights is preventing stagnation in your routine.
While yoga is great for your body, mind, and spirit, it’s easy to fall into a rut of what feels comfortable for you and your body.
However, the best results come when you push yourself gradually to do more complex and challenging poses. Weight training is the perfect way to do that without overdoing it. There is always room to increase the weight you lift even if you start with very light weights.
In today’s society we create bodies that are tight in the front part (chest, shoulders, hips), while overstretched and weak in the rear (back, rotator cuff, glutes, lats).
Repetitive sitting, typing, driving, and texting all contribute to a rounded/hunchbacked posture. Strength training gives you the opportunity to strengthen your back body, while opening your front body. This leads to better posture and less pain.
- Stronger & longer poses.
Overall, resistance training with free-weights, bands and machines can help increase your overall strength, more than using your body weight alone.
When you train specific muscles in your body by overloading them in a way that is not possible through body weight alone, they will become far better equipped to handle your body weight. This enables you to better achieve and hold difficult yoga poses for longer, particularly the ones which require good strength and endurance in the upper body.
- Burn more fat, & increase your breathing ability
The benefits of a resistance training session are threefold. Besides the strength and muscular endurance gains I’ve spoken about, you will also improve your cardiovascular fitness – increased lung capacity (VO2 Max) which will aid in the breathing elements of yoga.
Lastly, you will burn more fat – great if you want to lose a few pounds.
When done in a specific way, the metabolic benefits of lifting weights enable you to burn more fat than most other forms of exercise. This is due to what is referred to as the ‘after-burn effect’. When you add resistance to the body when exercising you can experience the same cardiovascular effects as intensive running, cycling or swimming. Furthermore, when you do resistance training you cause micro tears in the muscle fibres (that is a good thing by the way), which your body will expend energy (calories) to repair. Research shows that after a higher intensity workout you can continue burning calories at an increased rate for up to 12 hours AFTERWARDS.
The following exercises will make you stronger and improve your balance.
You should pick a weight that causes you to reach failure or break good form as you reach the target rep range.
I’ve suggest an 8-12 rep range for most of the exercises, however it is also beneficial to work in lower and higher rep ranges.
The higher the rep range (15-25 reps) the more your muscular endurance will improve. That is, the ability of the muscle to repeat or hold a contraction.
The lower the rep range (1 – 6 reps) the greater your strength gains will be.
1. Tricep dips
Triceps dips help you build strength for poses where you need to push up, like Upward Plank and Cobra.
Use a bench, step or a sturdy chair for this. With your palms flat and fingers pointing out to the sides, walk your legs out so your bottom is hanging off the edge of the bench/step/chair. Bend your elbows so that your shoulders drop down level with your elbow (90 degrees), breath in deeply as you go down, gently squeezing the shoulder blades toward each other, and on the exhale, straighten your arms to lift back up. Be sure not to pull up with your hips but instead let the arms do the work. The further out you have your legs in front of you, the harder the exercise becomes.
2. Bicep curls
Bicep Curls help you build arm strength for poses like Supported Headstand and Tripod Headstand, as well as strong static postures like Side Plank.
Stand with either a set of dumbells or a bar, with your arms hanging down and your palms facing your body. Exhale and bend both elbows fully until your palms are facing your chest. Inhale as you slowly lower your arms. Avoid leaning back in order to ‘cheat’ the weight up.
3.Lateral Shoulder Raises
Lateral Shoulder Raises will help you build upper body strength for poses like Downward-Facing Dog, Handstand, and Headstand.
Stand with a weight in each hand and your arms straight down by your sides with your palms facing your thighs. On the inhale, slowly lift both arms straight out to the side up to shoulder height, then lower them down with control on the exhale. You should aim to keep the arms completely straight, locking out the elbows. The aim is to feel a burning sensation in the elbows and shoulders, so try to work through this discomfort as it will give you the benefits. Don’t worry if you start to lose a little height on the lifts.
4. REVERSE CRUNCHES
Building strong abs is key for Plank and for all balance poses, especially single-leg balances like Eagle Pose and Tree Pose.
Lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat. Put your arms out to the sides to make the exercise easier or behind your head to make it more difficult. As you exhale, bring your knees toward your forehead. Inhale, as you control your legs back down. Try and keep the legs off the floor until you complete all the reps. The more of your buttocks and lower back you can lift off as you pull your legs in towards your body, the better.
5. CHEST PRESS
Strong chest muscles are key for Chaturanga and static holds utilising upper body strength like Crow and Dolphin Pose.
Lie down on your back on the floor (you can also do this on a bench). Start with your arms fully extended up to the sky, palms facing away from you, holding a set of dumbells. Inhale and pull the weights down to your chest by bending the elbows as much as you can, retracting the shoulder blades. Exhale and straighten the arms to push the weights back up. Make sure you don’t let the elbows come out at 90 degrees level with your shoulders, but instead drop down below shoulders at around 45 degrees. Keep the dumbell heads level as you drop them down (imagine you are holding drinks trays), don’t let the inner rings of the dumbells tip in towards your body.
6. LUNGES
Lunges build strong quads for the Warrior poses.
Inhale and step the right foot far enough forward so that you can get a 90-degree angle in the right knee as the left knee gently touches the ground. Exhale and push off the right foot and back to starting position. Hold the body upright for better balance. Alternate the leg you lunge forward with. It is really important that the knee does not come forward past the level of the toe on the front leg. If you want to make the lunges more challenging then you can hold weights.
7. SINGLE LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS
One-Leg Deadlifts build strong hamstrings for Standing Split and balance poses.
Hold a dumbell in your right hand. Stand on your left leg with your left knee slightly bent. Inhale while you start to bend or “hinge” over from the hip. Keeping your back straight, extend the right leg back behind you. Lower until your right leg, torso, and head are parallel to the floor. Exhale while you return upright.
8. ONE ARM ROWS
Back Rows build strength in your back for poses where your heart needs to lead your head, like Upward-Facing Dog.
Straddle a bench and place your left hand flat in front of you, and hold a weight in your right hand. Exhale as you pull the weight up to the side of your chest by pulling with your elbow up. Keep your arm close to your body, squeezing the shoulder blades toward each other. Inhale as you slowly lower the weight by straightening your arm. Make sure your back stays parallel to the bench as much as possible. Do both sides.
About Mark Personal Training
Mark de Arriba Smith is a freelance personal trainer and published author in Lancing, helping busy men and women overhaul their health & fitness using a combination of tailored exercise, nutrition, lifestyle and mindset systems that are holistic and sustainable forever so they can…
✓ Feel confident and attractive around their friends, family, and out in public
✓ Feel full of energy throughout the day
✓ Fit into the clothes they want to wear
✓ Stop worrying about getting diseases and dying young
✓ Do day-to-day activities without getting out of breath and tired such as playing with their children
✓ Add 10+ years of healthy living to their retirement
Without having to….
✓ Starve themselves – No diets!
✓ Count calories or weigh foods
✓ Give up the foods they enjoy
✓ Spend hours cooking or exercising
✓ Share a gym with others
Find him at www.markpersonaltraining.com/