The gym has always been a constant in my life but in recent months I have started going to Yoga in YogaHub. I began attending two classes a week at YogaHub and before I knew it I was addicted. 3 or 4 weeks into the two practicies I was surprised to find the huge amount of crossovers between yoga and the gym. The longer I practiced yoga and attended the gym the more benefits I found yoga brought to my workout. I began to note these similarities down and began this blog.
Before I outline the 5 differences I will run you through my weekly routine. I attend the gym 3-4 times a week, I attend yoga twice a week on my rest days to avoid burning out and occasionally I go for a run on the weekend. Some weeks are worse than other but that is the general idea. From my experience I have noted 5 benefits of yoga to your daily exercise workout. My 5 benefits are Performance, Conditioning, Core, Mentality and Perspective
Performance
The first aspect of my workout I noticed yoga enhanced was my overall fitness and performance. The most notable change from Yoga is my Flexibility. It was only when I started going to the gym and trying leg weights when I understood how bad my flexibility was. I have actively tried to correct this with stretches and posture but the real breakthrough occurred once I began yoga. Since I began yoga the elongated postures and deep breathing have really opened up my muscles and given me a great boast in my flexibility. My technique in exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and tricep extensions have all greatly improved and thus improved my workout.
The slow movements and posture holds in Yoga has created enhanced endurance which I really notice while I’am lifting weights or going on a run. Yoga postures such as downward dog, lunge and warrior 2 have all helped my endurance in weightlifting. Exercises such as lunges, military press, split squat all seem a lot less painful in areas such as my wrist, forearms and hamstrings due to the increased activity of these muscles.
Conditioning
The second benefit I have noticed from yoga is the increased conditioning of my body. Before I began yoga I occasionally would get small injuries within my triceps and biceps which would cause me to miss a day or two of training which was frustrating. Since I began yoga I have had no injuries or twinges. Yoga has certainly helped me prevent these injuries due to the increased activities of the muscles.
Some days when I had an extremely tough strength day I would be so stiff and sore I would spend the following days looking like I was doing the robot. Since I began yoga I am still sore after a workout but I am able to function alot better and recover quicker. Mainly due to the fact that I now attend a YogaHub class the following day to open areas of my body and to alleviate the stiffness. Yoga has also taught me to control my breathing, this has boosted me immensily while running and also during heavy weightlifting sets.
The remaining 3 benefits of Yoga to your workout will be in Part 2 of this blog which will be released in a number of days so keep your eyes peeled
