Can yoga substitute for strength training?
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shimmer_glo
Posts: 103 Member
I'm just curious. If I do yoga instead of free weights can I accomplish the same type of muscle preservation while I'm losing weight?
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Replies
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Nope! It is very hard to build up the intensity doing yoga.
Yoga helps your flexibility and balance. Which is very good. I always felt really great after my yoga class.
And now I can balance on one leg.3 -
I take one yoga class that's just stretching and while it's awesome for my cronic joint issues it's not much of a strength workout. However, if it's something like flow yoga or closer to pilates where you're doing body weight exercises, then it can be very helpful. Those squats and lunges turn my legs to jelly for example. Hold some of those poses and see how much you're engaging your muscles. It's especially obvious the next day.
Bottom line, yoga is a type of exercise that has many variations. So it really depends.5 -
yoga can be strength training to a point. it all depends on what you are doing and how much you push yourself. Lots of people are super healthy and fit and only do yoga. Being active and moving is what is important.0
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Yoga's intended for meditation, and really not optimum for anything else. You could try, but you'd do a lot better with weights.
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shimmer_glo wrote: »I'm just curious. If I do yoga instead of free weights can I accomplish the same type of muscle preservation while I'm losing weight?
I'd broaden the point to "bodyweight training", rather than specifically yoga. If you're in moderate deficit then yes bodyweight training will help in your retention of lean mass. As ever, there are advantages and disadvantages.
With respect to yoga specifically, the contribution depends on the style that you're talking about. At the gym that I used the majority of yoga classes were of the basic Hatha variety that wouldn't contribute much at all. My teacher concentrated on Astanga, which has much more potential to be quite challenging and contribute.
The point is progression, and whilst that's easier to manage with weights, that does depend on having access to them. It's more difficult to manage progression with bodyweight work.
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »shimmer_glo wrote: »I'm just curious. If I do yoga instead of free weights can I accomplish the same type of muscle preservation while I'm losing weight?
I'd broaden the point to "bodyweight training", rather than specifically yoga. If you're in moderate deficit then yes bodyweight training will help in your retention of lean mass. As ever, there are advantages and disadvantages.
With respect to yoga specifically, the contribution depends on the style that you're talking about. At the gym that I used the majority of yoga classes were of the basic Hatha variety that wouldn't contribute much at all. My teacher concentrated on Astanga, which has much more potential to be quite challenging and contribute.
The point is progression, and whilst that's easier to manage with weights, that does depend on having access to them. It's more difficult to manage progression with bodyweight work.
Yep, I agree with this. The key is progression over time.
I have done variations of Ashtanga/power yoga and I would also recommend looking into that style.1 -
No, it can't replace strength training. Yoga is great, yoga has lot of benefits, yoga is healthy BUT yoga is not strength training no matter which version you use.
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It depends upon where you are starting from. Most people who start going to a gym use weights because they are not strong enough for bodyweight exercise (there's no line at the pull-up bar). You need to ask yourself what you mean by strength; "How much do you bench, bro?" or functional strength to do things? Much yoga is watered down so they don't loose their client base. Advanced yoga would embarrass people who use machines in a gym. Any exercise that you will stick with is better than the "best" exercise that you won't stick with. If you can make it progressive you can make it strength exercise.
If you lie down on your back, move to do a pushup, stand up, squat back down, lie down on your back. Repeat for ten minutes. Progression is doing more reps in ten minutes. You'll get stronger. It's not bodybuilding, but it's strength.2 -
Well it's not "strength" training though. If you're progressing say in pushups, it's not because you're stronger, it's because you're more CONDITIONED to do it.It depends upon where you are starting from. Most people who start going to a gym use weights because they are not strong enough for bodyweight exercise (there's no line at the pull-up bar). You need to ask yourself what you mean by strength; "How much do you bench, bro?" or functional strength to do things? Much yoga is watered down so they don't loose their client base. Advanced yoga would embarrass people who use machines in a gym. Any exercise that you will stick with is better than the "best" exercise that you won't stick with. If you can make it progressive you can make it strength exercise.
If you lie down on your back, move to do a pushup, stand up, squat back down, lie down on your back. Repeat for ten minutes. Progression is doing more reps in ten minutes. You'll get stronger. It's not bodybuilding, but it's strength.
Literally to get stronger, resistance has to progress UP. Now unless someone is GAINING WEIGHT, then all they are doing is becoming more effective at doing pushups with the same body weight which works MUSCULAR ENDURANCE.
There are variations with body weight where you can increase resistance by leverage, but once those are mastered, then we're back to how do you increase resistance without adding weight?
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It depends on the type of yoga. Isn't that how Madonna got her muscles back in the day?0
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Well it's not "strength" training though. If you're progressing say in pushups, it's not because you're stronger, it's because you're more CONDITIONED to do it.It depends upon where you are starting from. Most people who start going to a gym use weights because they are not strong enough for bodyweight exercise (there's no line at the pull-up bar). You need to ask yourself what you mean by strength; "How much do you bench, bro?" or functional strength to do things? Much yoga is watered down so they don't loose their client base. Advanced yoga would embarrass people who use machines in a gym. Any exercise that you will stick with is better than the "best" exercise that you won't stick with. If you can make it progressive you can make it strength exercise.
If you lie down on your back, move to do a pushup, stand up, squat back down, lie down on your back. Repeat for ten minutes. Progression is doing more reps in ten minutes. You'll get stronger. It's not bodybuilding, but it's strength.
Literally to get stronger, resistance has to progress UP. Now unless someone is GAINING WEIGHT, then all they are doing is becoming more effective at doing pushups with the same body weight which works MUSCULAR ENDURANCE.
There are variations with body weight where you can increase resistance by leverage, but once those are mastered, then we're back to how do you increase resistance without adding weight?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Is bodyweight resistance enough to maintain mass on a moderate deficit? I've done a lot of progressive lifting but, honestly, I am mentally exhausted and want to take a gym break. I was hoping I could do a bodyweight program for a few months to minimize any muscle loss from my deficit.0 -
You can maintain what you've gained if you're still keeping the muscles activated for a pretty good period of time.
Well it's not "strength" training though. If you're progressing say in pushups, it's not because you're stronger, it's because you're more CONDITIONED to do it.It depends upon where you are starting from. Most people who start going to a gym use weights because they are not strong enough for bodyweight exercise (there's no line at the pull-up bar). You need to ask yourself what you mean by strength; "How much do you bench, bro?" or functional strength to do things? Much yoga is watered down so they don't loose their client base. Advanced yoga would embarrass people who use machines in a gym. Any exercise that you will stick with is better than the "best" exercise that you won't stick with. If you can make it progressive you can make it strength exercise.
If you lie down on your back, move to do a pushup, stand up, squat back down, lie down on your back. Repeat for ten minutes. Progression is doing more reps in ten minutes. You'll get stronger. It's not bodybuilding, but it's strength.
Literally to get stronger, resistance has to progress UP. Now unless someone is GAINING WEIGHT, then all they are doing is becoming more effective at doing pushups with the same body weight which works MUSCULAR ENDURANCE.
There are variations with body weight where you can increase resistance by leverage, but once those are mastered, then we're back to how do you increase resistance without adding weight?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Is bodyweight resistance enough to maintain mass on a moderate deficit? I've done a lot of progressive lifting but, honestly, I am mentally exhausted and want to take a gym break. I was hoping I could do a bodyweight program for a few months to minimize any muscle loss from my deficit.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
0 -
Well it's not "strength" training though. If you're progressing say in pushups, it's not because you're stronger, it's because you're more CONDITIONED to do it.It depends upon where you are starting from. Most people who start going to a gym use weights because they are not strong enough for bodyweight exercise (there's no line at the pull-up bar). You need to ask yourself what you mean by strength; "How much do you bench, bro?" or functional strength to do things? Much yoga is watered down so they don't loose their client base. Advanced yoga would embarrass people who use machines in a gym. Any exercise that you will stick with is better than the "best" exercise that you won't stick with. If you can make it progressive you can make it strength exercise.
If you lie down on your back, move to do a pushup, stand up, squat back down, lie down on your back. Repeat for ten minutes. Progression is doing more reps in ten minutes. You'll get stronger. It's not bodybuilding, but it's strength.
Literally to get stronger, resistance has to progress UP. Now unless someone is GAINING WEIGHT, then all they are doing is becoming more effective at doing pushups with the same body weight which works MUSCULAR ENDURANCE.
There are variations with body weight where you can increase resistance by leverage, but once those are mastered, then we're back to how do you increase resistance without adding weight?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
This is true, the question then becomes...
1. how strong do you want to be
2. how strong do you need to be.
At the point where you run out of pushup variations, you're approaching max useful strength. It also takes a good deal longer to hit that wall than doing traditional barbell exercises.
I am of course referring to the OA/OL and planche variations.
I've been dabbling in Pushup variations for 5 or 6 years, and even if I had spent that time intensively working, it's unlikely that I would have fully mastered the flat planche pushup. It's possible that in 1-2 years of dedicated work I might achieve to a OA/OL Pushup.
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Getting lean to show the muscles, isn't the same as building muscles. Madonna is muscular looking because of low body fat.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »It depends on the type of yoga. Isn't that how Madonna got her muscles back in the day?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
Well it's not "strength" training though. If you're progressing say in pushups, it's not because you're stronger, it's because you're more CONDITIONED to do it.It depends upon where you are starting from. Most people who start going to a gym use weights because they are not strong enough for bodyweight exercise (there's no line at the pull-up bar). You need to ask yourself what you mean by strength; "How much do you bench, bro?" or functional strength to do things? Much yoga is watered down so they don't loose their client base. Advanced yoga would embarrass people who use machines in a gym. Any exercise that you will stick with is better than the "best" exercise that you won't stick with. If you can make it progressive you can make it strength exercise.
If you lie down on your back, move to do a pushup, stand up, squat back down, lie down on your back. Repeat for ten minutes. Progression is doing more reps in ten minutes. You'll get stronger. It's not bodybuilding, but it's strength.
Literally to get stronger, resistance has to progress UP. Now unless someone is GAINING WEIGHT, then all they are doing is becoming more effective at doing pushups with the same body weight which works MUSCULAR ENDURANCE.
There are variations with body weight where you can increase resistance by leverage, but once those are mastered, then we're back to how do you increase resistance without adding weight?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Is bodyweight resistance enough to maintain mass on a moderate deficit? I've done a lot of progressive lifting but, honestly, I am mentally exhausted and want to take a gym break. I was hoping I could do a bodyweight program for a few months to minimize any muscle loss from my deficit.
Ultimately, It depends on the program and on you. A progressive Bodyweight program is certainly a change of pace, but IMO, it's more mentally exhausting, as it's much harder to see progress session to session.
I enjoy it, and use a number of different programs and protocols, but I'm always tempted to go back to the Basic barbell programs because in 6-12 months I could double or triple my bench and increase my squat and DL correspondingly.
OTOH, practice drills for bodyweight/pushup can be done in more places, and more times.1 -
Getting lean to show the muscles, isn't the same as building muscles. Madonna is muscular looking because of low body fat.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »It depends on the type of yoga. Isn't that how Madonna got her muscles back in the day?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Well, yeah. You can have muscles and not see them because of fat. But she had as much visible muscle as many women that lift heavy.1 -
The advice of MFP will always be lift heavy or it is pointless. They know nothing as I have never seen any of the MFP forum dominators offer advice apart from going heavy
Doing a planche or a balance or human flag is better for movement and mobility and being a functional human being in old age. But what would I know as I am not a prolific poster which apparently is the most important factor.
PS - yep yoga will make your body amazing if you work at it.5 -
The advice of MFP will always be lift heavy or it is pointless. They know nothing as I have never seen any of the MFP forum dominators offer advice apart from going heavy
Doing a planche or a balance or human flag is better for movement and mobility and being a functional human being in old age. But what would I know as I am not a prolific poster which apparently is the most important factor.
PS - yep yoga will make your body amazing if you work at it.
I almost tagged you.1 -
In fact the more I think about it the more i hate the lifting heavy *kitten* that is peddled here. Every single super heavy lifting hero that has popped up over the years and have been worshiped have also disappeared due to back injury and never been seen again.
Well - actually they do pop up again a few years later being sad about their body being broken.
Mobility should be worshiped not this silly heavy lifting crap. Yoga is better.
Disclaimer - long term lurker4
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