Yoga as replacement for weights/toning?

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hiyomi
hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I recently added a 20 minute yoga routine to my schedule (aside from my 20 minutes of cardio) and I was wondering if it's okay to replace doing weight training and toning exercises with yoga? Will I get the same benefits of using weights with toning exercises from yoga? I'm very new to yoga and not sure how far it can get me to look better. Keep in mind I weigh 269 lbs. I've been using Dumbbells and doing arm/leg/ab exercises and have noticed I've gotten a little muscle tone from that, and I liked the results, so I'm just wondering if yoga would give me the same results.
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    No, it's not the same.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    No, it's not the same.

    What's the difference?
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    You only get a limited amount of progressive overload (if any tbh) with yoga.

    Don't get me wrong, yoga is great for you, but it doesn't 'tone'.

    Not even with 269 lbs from my own weight resistance?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    hiyomi wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    You only get a limited amount of progressive overload (if any tbh) with yoga.

    Don't get me wrong, yoga is great for you, but it doesn't 'tone'.

    Not even with 269 lbs from my own weight resistance?

    progressive overload is where you progressively add weight to your lifts, while you have resistance from body weight, there isn't a lot of progressive overload unless you're planning on getting heavier?

    Of course there are different versions of poses and moves that are progressively harder, so there is some progression, as i said upthread, but not as much.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Switch back and forth between the cardio, yoga, and weight training. All have wonderful benefits.
  • kthompson601
    kthompson601 Posts: 174 Member
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    Yoga can help you build some muscle, but I wouldn't replace weight training, personally. I love yoga and do it twice a week, but I still lift weights on other days. In my yoga class we do a lot of planks, squats, and balance exercises, so it does help with core and leg strength. However, it's a minimal benefit.

    I'd say keep the weight training and add yoga if you enjoy yoga. I do it Sundays and Wednesdays--but still do my weights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,930 Member
    edited May 2016
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    From my experience with yoga, it's mostly stretching. Great for flexibility, and I really should get into it again for that reason ... but doesn't do much at all in the way of strength building. Nor would it burn a lot of calories.
  • lcooper327
    lcooper327 Posts: 112 Member
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    It's good for women especially to move weight around, not just for physique, but for building or maintaining bone density (depending on age).
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    hiyomi wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I recently added a 20 minute yoga routine to my schedule (aside from my 20 minutes of cardio) and I was wondering if it's okay to replace doing weight training and toning exercises with yoga? Will I get the same benefits of using weights with toning exercises from yoga? I'm very new to yoga and not sure how far it can get me to look better. Keep in mind I weigh 269 lbs. I've been using Dumbbells and doing arm/leg/ab exercises and have noticed I've gotten a little muscle tone from that, and I liked the results, so I'm just wondering if yoga would give me the same results.

    When you say muscle tone, you mean the appearance of the muscle under the skin? That is largely due to your body fat (or lack thereof) around that area. So when you are talking about results of yoga vs weight training, you kind of need to clarify your goals.

    If it's a "toned" look, this would be achieved through reduction of body fat and resistance training, which could be done with weights or bodyweight exercises (your ultimate goal "look" could determine how you get there).

    If it is to get stronger, you can do that through resistance training, either bodyweight or weights.

    If you are looking to add muscle (as in add more actual physical muscle to your body, not just have definition), you would need a progressive overload program with a hypertrophy component. I'm not sure if that is what you are looking for at this point.

    From your description, you seem to want to lose weight and appear more defined, in which case resistance training will help retain your existing muscle. As to whether or not yoga can get you there, I think it would depend on the movements you are doing and whether you are increasing difficulty as you go along.

  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    kgeyser wrote: »

    From your description, you seem to want to lose weight and appear more defined, in which case resistance training will help retain your existing muscle. As to whether or not yoga can get you there, I think it would depend on the movements you are doing and whether you are increasing difficulty as you go along.

    this is about it. I practice yoga and have found definition but that is practicing yoga with such intent.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,947 Member
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    From my experience with yoga, it's mostly stretching. Great for flexibility, and I really should get into it again for that reason ... but doesn't do much at all in the way of strength building. Nor would it burn a lot of calories.

    Try a Power / Ashtanga / JivanMukti style :dizzy:
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
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    Seems like there is a good amount of mixed responses about yoga on here lol I do intend to increased the difficulty of yoga as I go, and am using more of the intense versions of yoga rather than those that are just for stretching. I'm going to keep doing the yoga, but I think I will maybe do it 3-4 days a week, and the other days I will simply do weight/resistance training instead. That way I get both yoga and resistance training in, and maybe I can get awesome results from that! Thanks for the help guys! :)
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    I often do fairly intense yoga/power yoga/vinyasa yoga. My main goal is gaining strength/bodybuilding. Yoga is often my rest day simply for increased flexibility, which I struggle with and always have.

    I do think it's a good workout... but it's never going to replace lifting or bodyweight exercises for me and my personal goals.... it just doesn't do nearly the same thing.

    That's not to say that you can't be healthy and look good as a yogi, but that would come down to a function of diet more so than the particular form of exercise.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,947 Member
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    hiyomi wrote: »
    Seems like there is a good amount of mixed responses about yoga on here lol I do intend to increased the difficulty of yoga as I go, and am using more of the intense versions of yoga rather than those that are just for stretching. I'm going to keep doing the yoga, but I think I will maybe do it 3-4 days a week, and the other days I will simply do weight/resistance training instead. That way I get both yoga and resistance training in, and maybe I can get awesome results from that! Thanks for the help guys! :)

    Here's a visual to give you an idea of what I mean, taken to an extreme. Most yogis I've met don't have both the strength and the flexibility to do this, but I have met some.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZCxKjgReQ4

    (Note: I don't recommend people learn Ashtanga at home.)

    See also Arthur's story:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIXOo8D9Qsc
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Doing power yoga can give you a kick-butt bodyweight workout, but in honesty it will probably be difficult for you at your size. Some of my DVDs just about knock me out and I'm half your size and lift heavy weights. But there's no law that says you can't work up to them and just do what you can.

    As for whether it will replace your dumbbells, that depends. Do your dumbbells weigh, say, fifteen pounds or less? Then yes, yoga will do you just as much good if not more. Are you doing tricep presses with 125-pounders? Then no, not so much.

    Whether it helps you build muscle or not, though, yoga is awesome and will do you a world of good. Try starting out with restorative or yin yoga, see how you like it, and go from there.

    (Will somebody get rid of the stupid "*kitten*" thing? It was funny for maybe two seconds. Now it's just lame and, depending on the context, sort of offensive.)
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,245 Member
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    A mix of cardio, strength and flexibility is a great balance for weight loss. You don't need to replace one with the other, just do some of each as your schedule allows.

    I love my yoga, as it increases my flexibility immensely and the mind-body connection helps me with daily life and my mood in general. However, I find time for strength training (weights and/or bodyweight) as well, because that really is what changes the shape of my body in the long term.

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