Yoga.

I do yoga once a week going by the tapout calender. I only burned 260 calories in 51 minutes today but sweated like crazy. What is the real purpose of yoga and does it help with weight loss? Should I add some cardio on yoga days or just take it as a kinda rest day?

Replies

  • rherington
    rherington Posts: 85 Member
    I would find a good yoga DVD. I really enjoy the tap out except for that one. Physically yoga will help with balance and to limber you up. Unless you choose a power yoga or something like that I doubt you will burn many calories. I may get DDP Yoga when I finish tap out at the end of this month. It is supposed to help build strength and have an aerobic component.
  • I do vinyasa yoga (flow yoga) in classes in a yoga studio. I sweat like mad and I actually wore my HR monitor once and for most of class my HR was well up for a workout. It's absolutely a workout for me, my classes are 90 min long. 75 min of real movement. However, the benefits of this aren't just for weight loss, if you think yoga is only a tool for that you will miss nearly all of the benefits. Yoga is great for balance, posture, flexibility and for clearing the mind and focusing on you.

    I usually stack my yoga classes on days where I do long jogs this way I get a wonderful stretch. I usually start out a tad bit sore but by the end of class in a 90 degree room I'm flexible, limber, energized and focused.
  • DaveC29
    DaveC29 Posts: 232 Member
    Yoga does help with flexibility, strength and balance- in subtle ways- it won't help you lift more, but it will help keep you from injury by strengthening your joints and ligaments.

    I run on my Yoga days, but my experience is to do cardio first and use the yoga as a cool down/stretching routine. I don't like doing cardio after yoga- everything feels sluggish!

    Yoga also reduces stress, which indirectly may help with shedding weight retained by daily life.
  • I started with yoga and it is what helped me build strength and endurance. My arm strength increased greatly with doing planks, up dogs, chatarangas, sideplanks. I used to get a lot of wrist pain and now, not at all, I can hold a side plank with one leg in the air and one arm straight up. I can also hold a full wheel and full camel and I am almost fifty and was never very flexible or athletic. I am just saying that I am amazed at what yoga has helped my body be able to do. Now, I do all other types of workouts - kickboxing, circuit trainiing, hiking, Zumba - but I will never stop doing yoga.