Why Yoga and Strength Training Are the Perfect 1-2 Punch

If you think yoga is just some hippie trend, think again.

What you may have thought of as “glorified stretching” is actually an intense full-body workout and the perfect complement to your strength training routine.

While they may seem like polar opposites, yoga and strength training really go hand in hand.

Strength training builds muscle mass and bone density – yoga builds flexibility and balance.

I’ve been practicing this “yoga thing” for a couple months now and I’ve seen some decent progress.

Here’s a quick video of me doing headstands about a month ago.

This is me when I first started practicing Yoga:

This is after a few months of practicing Yoga regularly:

And finally, this is a recent video of my headstand progression. My core has gotten a lot stronger!

Follow me if you want to see me fail at yoga some more 🙂

I can say with full confidence that getting better at yoga has helped me in the gym while lifting weights.

I don’t want my legs to get any bigger so yoga helps me maintain my leg strength and mass 🙂

Whether you do yoga to enhance your strength training or do strength training for yoga, you’ll find that doing them together makes your workouts more effective and efficient.

Together, yoga, strength training, and cardio create the most beneficial and well-rounded workout for athletes of all types – here’s why.

Strengthen Your Center of Gravity

You know that your center of gravity has to do with your ability to balance, but did you know that the location of your center of gravity can change?

For example, if you only work out the muscles in your upper body, your center of gravity will be too high, causing you to have trouble balancing.

Yoga is all about balance, so it makes sense that combining strength training with yoga is a great way to find your center of gravity and improve your overall stability.

That’s because yoga engages your stabilizer muscles, the muscles that help you control joint movement.

When you lift weights without strong stabilizer muscles, you put extra stress on your primary movers – the stability gained from yoga exercises improves your efficiency by spreading that stress more evenly throughout the body.

Doing yoga for strength training will improve your coordination during weightlifting exercises.

Likewise, when you improve your strength, you’ll find that yoga poses that were once difficult to hold become much easier.

That’s because strength training for yogis helps build your core abdominal muscles, which is key to maintaining your balance as your body changes position.

As the link between your upper and lower body, a strong core also improves your posture and lowers your risk of injury from falling.

Improve Your Flexibility & Prevent Injury

Another reason yoga and bodybuilding work so well together is that yoga exercises are a great way to improve your body’s flexibility.

Improving your body’s flexibility through yoga strength training workouts can also help you prevent and recover from injuries.

Yoga has improved my flexibility a LOT.

I wish I had a “before” picture for the “bow” pose, but I don’t.

The “bow” pose has been a struggle for me.

My stubby little arms don’t get back far enough to reach both feet so I had to use yoga straps.

Now I can grab both feet with a little support but it just shows how yoga can improve your flexibility.

This pose is great for back pain relief. I’ve been struggling with back pain from an old injury and this is one of my go-to poses for pain relief.

Build Your Endurance

Purvottanasana-East-Stretch-Posture-Feature-min

If you still think that yoga is a light workout compared to strength training, you’ve never done a high-intensity yoga workout.

These yoga strength training workouts are the perfect solution for athletes looking to build their endurance.

Yoga can help improve your overall stamina in several different ways.

The breathing techniques and exercises practiced through yoga improve the way your body utilizes oxygen.

Your muscles rely on oxygen to function, which is why making that process more efficient lets you work out longer without becoming fatigued.

Combining strength training with yoga also helps you build endurance by improving your ability to concentrate.

When you’re in the middle of a pose and your muscles are burning, it takes a great deal of concentration and mental strength to keep a clear head and maintain that pose.

Just try holding the warrior poses without stopping 🙂

The ability to focus and push through tension instead of resisting it will give you an advantage as an athlete.

Better Mind, Better Body

When you’re used to the noise and testosterone of the weightlifting floor, shifting gears to the calm and quiet of the yoga studio can seem strange at first.

But you’ll quickly find that taking the time to train your mental strength is just as important as training your physical body.

Yoga strength training workouts combine the best of both worlds, body, and mind.

But a healthy mind-body connection isn’t just about feeling good – it makes you a better athlete.

Together, yoga and bodybuilding deliver a strong 1-2 punch.

Yoga improves your concentration, focus, and mindfulness, which helps you to be more aware of your individual muscle movements during strength training.

This allows you to consciously target specific muscles and muscle groups.

So if you’re a guy wondering why you can’t seem to bulk up or tone down a certain part of your body, whether it’s your arms, torso, or your legs, power yoga for athletes might be the answer you’re looking for.

The Best Solution For Men & Women Who Want To Start Doing Yoga.

If you’re brand new to yoga, a great place to start is with “Power Yoga for Athletes”.

The book contains over 100 different poses for athletes of all types, from runners to hockey players, with helpful visual instructions for each pose.

The book also goes into detail about the specific muscles being worked with each yoga exercise so that you can easily incorporate them into your strength training exercises.

You don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from these exercises – “Power Yoga for Athletes” is also a great introduction to strength training for yogis.