The marriage between yoga and strength training is a dynamic partnership often overlooked. I wish I had of known this at the start of my Yoga asana practice, so I thought this would be a useful post to share some thoughts with you all.
While yoga excels in enhancing flexibility, balance, and mindfulness, integrating strength training into your routine can amplify these benefits and reduce the risk of injury by overstretching, due to weakness.
Strength training targets muscle groups that may be underutilized in yoga, and provides the stability needed to advance in challenging poses. Without a solid foundation of strength, our practice may plateau as we have focused on our passive flexibility and disregarded end range strengthening. By strengthening muscles surrounding joints and increasing flexibility together, you can achieve greater ease and depth in yoga poses, facilitating a more fluid and expansive practice.
One awesome fact that is often misunderstood is that strength training also emphasizes proper form and alignment, principles that are equally important in our asana practice. By engaging in exercises that target specific muscle groups, you develop a heightened sense of body awareness and alignment, which translates seamlessly to your yoga practice. Strengthening key muscles enables you to maintain optimal alignment in poses, reducing the risk of injury and enhancing overall stability and balance.
Overcommitting to a single form of exercise, whether it's yoga or another activity, can increase the risk of overuse injuries. By diversifying your physical activity, you can mitigate strain on specific muscle groups and joints while promoting overall joint mobility and stability. Activities that vary in intensity and impact can help prevent repetitive stress injuries and keep your body in optimal condition.
I myself maintain a daily yoga practice, I also add in cardio and strength workouts. When running low on time I will incorporate strength drills into my asana practice, so as to ensure I am conditioning and adding some challenge to increase my strength capacity. Small actions such as holding navasana for extra breaths, extending your hold at the lowest point of your chaturanga or encorporating lunges can do the trick!
What are your favorite ways to add in extra strength and conditioning into your yoga practice?
If you would like to follow my personal journey of physical practice you can check out my instagram page here. Don't forget to check out our new drops to store here. I appreciate your support and thanks for reading! Don't forget to give us a like here.