Can I combine Yoga with workout programs?

[Paris21]

Hi all,

I just wanted to know if I can combine Yoga with my workout routine. I was told that combining Yoga with heavy workouts won't be effective but I can practice breathing exercises like Pranayama to reduce stress and increase concentration. Any thoughts?

[cwd]

I do 6x sun salutations most mornings, holding the "downward dog" position for a few breaths each time. It feels good and has gradually improved my flexibility, so I can tie my shoes more comfortably etc. I have not noticed it doing anything special to my stress, concentration, or recovery from lifting.

Some of the more strenuous yoga routines involve some fairly hard calisthenics - like doing weird slow pushups for 30 minutes straight. That would interfere with lifting.

[ozneil]

You can do anything you want! If your goal is to do some resistance training (i.e. not compete in powerlifting) and do some recreational yoga then just work up to a couple of yoga classes a week and 2-3 resistance training sessions. Work up to being the key, don't try start all of this at once as you'll increase your injury risk.

If your goal is to be a competitive powerlifter then this would be a bad idea.

You could do something like the general strength and conditioning template and replace the GPP days with yoga (though you still want to get the recommended aerobic activity in a week)

[georgewhittington]

Yoga, really can actually be a very important part of your training. In combination with weight lifting methods, yoga is an additional way to increase endurance and strength, improve complete body posture, and achieve balance and flexibility. It is a specific form of low-intensity exercise and its benefits are thought to arise from the exercise component as well as it plays a big role in stress reduction.

[Serack]

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