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MyFitnessPal Community

Can yoga substitute for strength training?

shimmer_glo

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?

Replies

jgnatca

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.

ladyhusker39

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.

dlm7507

Depends, it can be challenging bodyweight exercise. This guy has a set of routines that focus on that.

SonyaCele

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.

feisty_bucket

Yoga's intended for meditation, and really not optimum for anything else. You could try, but you'd do a lot better with weights.

MeanderingMammal

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.

sardelsa

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.

kalyandc

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.

dlm7507

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.

ninerbuff

dlm7507 wrote: »

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.

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.
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

Need2Exerc1se

It depends on the type of yoga. Isn't that how Madonna got her muscles back in the day?

3bambi3

ninerbuff wrote: »

dlm7507 wrote: »

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.

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.
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.

ninerbuff

3bambi3 wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

dlm7507 wrote: »

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.

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.
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.

You can maintain what you've gained if you're still keeping the muscles activated for a pretty good period of time.

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

stanmann571

ninerbuff wrote: »

dlm7507 wrote: »

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.

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.
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.

ninerbuff

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

It depends on the type of yoga. Isn't that how Madonna got her muscles back in the day?

Getting lean to show the muscles, isn't the same as building muscles. Madonna is muscular looking because of low body fat.

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

stanmann571

3bambi3 wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

dlm7507 wrote: »

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.

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.
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.

Need2Exerc1se

ninerbuff wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

It depends on the type of yoga. Isn't that how Madonna got her muscles back in the day?

Getting lean to show the muscles, isn't the same as building muscles. Madonna is muscular looking because of low body fat.

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.

Titanuim

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.

stanmann571

Titanuim wrote: »

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.

Titanuim

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 lurker

sardelsa

Titanuim wrote: »

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 lurker

Now now... I love lifting, I also love yoga. I see benefits to many different exercises, I think being close minded is the issue. You can love yoga without putting those down who love to lift heavy... no need to call it "crap" and say one is better than the other

dlm7507

A big part of this is "Who are you? Where are you starting from? What is your objective?". I'm 67 years old and quit caring about how much I could bench, etc. quite a while back. I want to be able to continue doing what I have always done after I retire. That requires functional strength and mobility.

Check out "Get Strong", by Al and Danny Kavadlo for a good progressive bodyweight program. Or regressive if you are to weak for bodyweight exercise but don't want to use machines and/or light weights in a gym. I previously pointed to a yoga for strength guy.

Kettlebells, bodyweight and sandbags serve my purpose but your goals and needs may be different. Shouldering a 100 lb sandbag and walking up and down the street suits me, but maybe not you. Don't forget the "something you'll stick with" part.

JillianRumrill

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 do DDP Yoga and I don't know if it can even be classified as yoga, but they do incorporate yoga moves...along with isometrics, body weight exercises and calisthenics. You're not gonna end up looking like Lou Ferrigno, but you will get toned.

jjpptt2

Speaking in terms of muscle preservation - yes, you probably can if your yoga routine/poses are designed with this goal in mind. Although, at some point it'll become more of a bodyweight training routine rather than a yoga session. Semantics, to some extent, but still worth mentioning.

Ultimately, you have to sufficiently stress your muscles. There are a zillion ways to do that, and as long as you're doing it, the how doesn't really matter all that much.

GiddyupTim

I think jjpptt is about the only person here who has gotten your answer right.
Yes, if you want to keep the muscle you have while you lose weight, yoga will help.
No, you will not become Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ever see a yogi who looks beefy like a body builder?
But, preserving the muscles you have? I'm gonna say sure.
I'd choose the more vigorous forms of yoga. Power yoga. Ashtanga yoga. Vigorous vinyasa. Some kundalini. Jivamukti. Maybe avoid hatha, iyengar, yin classes.
Wouldn't be a bad idea to combine the yoga with some plyometric and isometric bodyweight exercises as well.
I think.

cwolfman13

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 would say yes in terms of muscle preservation depending on the type of yoga. I do yin yoga which isn't much of a workout as I don't really have to exert much effort, but it's a great way to relax and de-stress...I find it better than taking a nap. It's a good stretch and a good meditation session for me, but would hardly qualify as a strength workout...but there are more vigorous forms of yoga to choose from.

I have a friend who primarily does yoga and it's a very aggressive form of yoga with advanced poses that require quite a bit of strength. He has developed a good physique doing what he does...but also keep in mind that his physique is one of an advanced yoga student...which is different than a physique built in the weight room...and even in the weight room, physiques will be variable depending on how one lifts.

NoLimitAsLimit

A big no. Your muscle needs to be stimulated in order for it to at least be preserved along with sufficient protein consumption. While yoga is benefifical it doesn't stimulate muscle. Can't you just buy some cheap dumbbells?

Cherimoose

Titanuim wrote: »

Mobility should be worshiped not this silly heavy lifting crap. Yoga is better.

Both have their advantages & limitations. Yoga tends to underwork the back muscles, which require pulling something to work optimally. It also doesn't train your lifting ability, which are the coordination skills involved with lifting heavier objects (a basic human skill). While lifting enormous weight isn't necessary for functional strength, lifting some weight is.

OP - yoga can work if it's challenging, but i'd add some back exercises, such as bodyweight rows.
If functional strength is a concern, consider investing in a pair of adjustable dumbbells.