Society has emphasized physical fitness and the benefits of practicing them regularly. However, when people think about physical fitness, the first thing that goes into their minds is bench-pressing, dumbbells, or strength training in general.
However, there are also other types of workouts out there that are very beneficial to our bodies. You can mix them up with your workout routine.
You don’t have to stick to a single workout routine after all. It’s not a rule you have to follow. That said, when picking another type of exercise, you want to put on your workout routine, you might want to consider yoga.
Sure, yoga is very popular with ladies, but who said it’s only exclusive to them?
If you are hesitating about putting on yoga in your workout routine, here are some reasons why you should do so. But first, what is yoga?
What Is Yoga?
Yoga is a form of exercise originating from South Asia. Different forms of yoga, namely, Ashtanga, Hatha, and Vinyasa, serve different purposes. However, mindfulness comes into play in these forms and is a common yoga practice.
The main idea of yoga is to help you be one with your mind and body. Although it doesn’t specifically talk about physical fitness, it has health benefits you can enjoy from incorporating it into your workout routine. Here are some of them.
It Boosts the Results of a Good Diet
If you are taking a specialized diet, especially to make your muscles and tendons stronger, yoga can help you maximize the results of your diet.
How? By incorporating yoga into your workout, you will be stretching your muscles, further strengthening them, especially if you do yoga before and after an intense day of working out.
That said, health fitness enthusiasts usually incorporate a lot of protein into their diets. From fish to protein-rich veggies, they eat many of them daily. They may also include brands from the Top-rated Meal Replacement Products in the market to ensure they are building stronger and healthier muscles.
Increased Flexibility and Mobility
Improved flexibility and mobility are probably the most popular benefit yoga can give a person, but why is it important in your workout?
Your form is very important in the gym, especially when lifting weights. If you have poor form in lifting weights, not only will you not maximize the benefits of lifting, but it also increases your chance of getting injured.
And to achieve the perfect form, your body needs great flexibility and mobility.
Improved Muscle Strength
One thing you could do to improve your muscle strength is through yoga. Along with flexibility and mobility, yoga can also help you build muscle strength.
Yes, it’s not as effective as lifting weights, but by holding different yoga poses, your body will develop more toned muscles, giving them more strength. But how does it do that?
As you practice yoga over time, you will notice that your balance is improving. This is due to your nervous system responding to your muscle efficiently and signaling more muscles to keep your balance.
And, of course, since you are using your muscles to balance your body, they become stronger over time.
It Helps Cool You Down
One of the reasons why more and more people do yoga is because it’s very relaxing.
Yoga is a very good way to end your workout routine for the day. It could be a vital light workout that usually lasts between 30-45 minutes which can help you reduce the stress in your body and maximize your health growth.
Usually, the goal is to help loosen up your muscles after an intense workout, as having tight muscles will increase your chances of having a sore body the next morning.
Also, it reduces the chance of your soft tissue being injured due to overtraining. That said, what you can do in yoga is to have therapeutic stretches. This will loosen up your muscles, making you more relaxed afterward, and a great night of sleep.
It Could Serve as Warm Up
Another reason why you should do yoga is to make it a warm-up. You can do a light yoga session that lasts between 5-30 minutes and then immediately do weight training or your regular starter in your workout.
This is a great way to avoid injury as it loosens up your muscles, preparing them for heavy use.
It also activates your muscles, making you ready for a day of intense workouts. However, do remember that your poses shouldn’t last for 30 seconds. This is so your muscles won’t get too tired.
Relieves Pain
It’s normal to feel pain after a day of intense workouts. We’re using our muscles heavily, and it’s normal to feel pain in those muscles after using them intensely. If you don’t want to constantly feel pain after every workout, one of the things you can do is do yoga afterward.
It reduces the pain you might feel the day after, like we mentioned a while ago, and it can also relieve you from the pain you are feeling right after your workout. It’s like a stress reliever but for your muscles in general.
Final Words
Yoga isn’t just for women, albeit a lot of men do think so. It’s recommended for everyone, male or female, to try out yoga. It not only helps you practice mindfulness, but it has health benefits that can help you with your workout routine.
It’s a very effective way of working out and is open to everyone.
Related: 6 Benefits of Taking Yoga Courses.
About the Author
Amanda Wilson is a fitness and health writer with an eye for all things lifestyle. Amanda has always been in love with the idea of living life to the fullest, which you can see in her writing. She spends her days reading up on the latest research about health, exercise, and nutrition-and when she is not doing that, she’s cooking something delicious or trying out new recipes. She also loves spending time outdoors-hiking, biking, skiing…you name it!
