Yoga *IS* strength training.

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Replies

  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Not sure how that relates to my comment about the absurdity of comparing yoga to gymnastics . . .
    I was just giving an example of another discipline that uses a lot of bodyweight movements that require tons of strength.

    I was agreeing that body weight movements in general require a lot of strength and that you now claim it is absurd to compare yoga practitioner to gymnastics. I very simply asked, prove it. Male yoga physique versus a gymnast. The only absurd thing is comparing the basic simplicity of push pull more weight, with either yoga or gymnastics because one dimensional weight training cannot compare to balance, speed, agility combined with strength. I love strength training but I have seen the light.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    Really?!?! I only ask because I did 60 this morning. Maybe I'm just a freak. :laugh:
    did you touch your chest to the floor, like in yoga pushups, or did you go only partway like most people?

    My boobies BUT they are pretty big so it might not count. :tongue:
    That totally counts. You went as low as physically possibly. If you did 60 in a row with no rest breaks, I am way impressed. Good for you. I hope to be that strong someday.
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
    Obviously, by the comments, a very touchy subject. I do think that yoga is a great workout. I've tried yoga and it is very difficult. My problem with calling it strength training is that the resistance is not being increased. Most people will either remain the same weight or lose weight. You may have better muscle endurance, but you're not really getting that much stronger. It should be listed as cardio.

    I have to respectfully disagree with this assessment of yoga. There are many forms of yoga and some of them focus specifically on strength and balance. Many poses have several variations designed for progression as one increases their strength. Being able to propel oneself into a free form hand stand or lift into a full wheel has little to due with muscle endurance or cardio fitness.

    Yes, that does take a tremendous amount of strength to accomplish. However, once a person is able to do these things, unless they are getting heavier or attaching weights to themselves, they aren't going to get stronger just by continually doing these movements with their current body weight.

    Ok, your point is well taken. But also consider that people may have different goals, other than infinitely increasing the amount of weight they can lift. Let's say my goal is to increase my strength until I am strong enough to do a hand stand push-up. I can ultimately get there by practicing yoga. Thus, for me, yoga has been strength training. It's all in one's own perspective.

    And that is perfectly fine if that is your goal. Please understand that I'm not discrediting yoga. Yoga provides many benefits to someone and I wish I could perform some of the movements better than I do. My failure to perform them is because I don't practice them and most require a great amount of balance. I feel there is a finite level of strength that can be obtain through yoga.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    lolololololololololololololololol
    Yoga is badassed???
    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
    wow that's pretty rude. :(
  • charliebrooke08
    charliebrooke08 Posts: 82
    Also no problem with yoga. Think it's great training for some goals, and probably pretty fun/relaxing/challenging all sorts of things. But some of you people are making it out to be something it's not. Also really pisses me off that any of you think your strength would at all compare to a gymnast. Sorry but that's plain dumb. And I'm not talking about a person who just took/takes gymnastics. A gymnast is different. Just like there are people who go to the gym, and there are people who TRAIN.
  • Hayesgang
    Hayesgang Posts: 624
    Here is a great video if you are truly interested to see if you need strength to do yoga:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loszrEZvS_k


    EDIT: This is something that ANYONE can achieve with enough strength and practice.
  • charliebrooke08
    charliebrooke08 Posts: 82
    Would like to rant/troll more but gotta go actually train. Deadlifts tonight! Peace!
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    Also really pisses me off that any of you think your strength would at all compare to a gymnast. Sorry but that's plain dumb. And I'm not talking about a person who just took/takes gymnastics. A gymnast is different. Just like there are people who go to the gym, and there are people who TRAIN.
    Who compared her strength to that of a gymnast?
    Obviously someone who is a casual yoga practitioner would not have the strength of a serious gymnast, just like someone who just took/takes gymnastics for fun wouldn't have the strength of an accomplished yogi.
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    this doesn't require some strength? 30+ year old woman doing one armed peacocks?

    423508_10151019259177986_1804207553_n.jpg
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    this doesn't require some strength? 30+ year old woman doing one armed peacocks?
    Nah. that's just fun and relaxation, obviously. *eyeroll*
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    Right?

    OP, here's a pic I grabbed off google images, 83 year old woman doing yoga for 3 years. Check it out.

    29215.jpg
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Would like to rant/troll more but gotta go actually train. Deadlifts tonight! Peace!

    Hope your prejudice can keep you warm tonight. With your specialized regime of pushing and pulling in one dimension to go with your one dimensional views on the human physique and what is difficult and hat is routine.

    Push
    Pull
    Push
    Pull
    More weight.

    Lol - dead lifts bad *kitten* - pull
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    I do think yogi masters and people who practice advanced forms of yoga are comparable to gymnast. Although a lot of us will never practice at this level it's still something to strive for. Is it muscle strengthening, conditioning, whatever....it's still pretty f*cking badassed. So don't sell yoga short. If you practice hard you can be in awesome physical condition and look great too....and if that's your goal then who the hell cares what some muscle head in the gym thinks! It feels good, I look good, piss off.


    lolololololololololololololololol
    Yoga is badassed???
    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
    not even a word by the way
    Also obviously none of the people comparing yoga and gymnastics watched the olympics.
    Or are completely delusional. Yea delusional. That's probably it :)

    Thank you for your opinion. Not all gymnast are olympians so perhaps a better comparison would be to gymnastics in general. If you research yoga you can see the advanced forms require a lot of strength and agility to perform the asanas. I think that anyone who excels in their chosen sport or pushes themselves in their workouts is 'badassed'.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    Really?!?! I only ask because I did 60 this morning. Maybe I'm just a freak. :laugh:


    ......and that was after benching 115lbs, 5x5
    OK I just looked harder at your profile - judging by your photos and your fitness accomplishments listed, you are in extremely, extremely good shape. Seriously you are probably in the 1%-2% of the general population for overall fitness for your age/gender. The typical yoga class would not hold any strength training benefits for YOU, I would imagine.
  • RaceyKay
    RaceyKay Posts: 6 Member
    I am totally in agreement with BAMFmeredith, Never seen an unfit Yoga person - go to this link - AMAZING
    http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/how-worlds-oldest-yoga-instructor-stays-young
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Really?!?! I only ask because I did 60 this morning. Maybe I'm just a freak. :laugh:


    ......and that was after benching 115lbs, 5x5
    OK I just looked harder at your profile - judging by your photos and your fitness accomplishments listed, you are in extremely, extremely good shape. Seriously you are probably in the 1%-2% of the general population for overall fitness for your age/gender. The typical yoga class would not hold any strength training benefits for YOU, I would imagine.

    The surprising thing is that 50kilos is very light, most people weigh more than that, so prepping 60 push ups is unlikely if 50k in a 5x5 is an accomplishment, I smell pushups on knees. Or the 115lb is too light for the bench, which means the 5x5 regime is not being adhered to the letter.

    I smell a lot on the internet.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    I do think yogi masters and people who practice advanced forms of yoga are comparable to gymnast. Although a lot of us will never practice at this level it's still something to strive for. Is it muscle strengthening, conditioning, whatever....it's still pretty f*cking badassed. So don't sell yoga short. If you practice hard you can be in awesome physical condition and look great too....and if that's your goal then who the hell cares what some muscle head in the gym thinks! It feels good, I look good, piss off.


    lolololololololololololololololol
    Yoga is badassed???
    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
    not even a word by the way
    Also obviously none of the people comparing yoga and gymnastics watched the olympics.
    Or are completely delusional. Yea delusional. That's probably it :)

    I did get a good laugh at that. Yoga is about the least "badassed" exercise regime possible. I'd rather wear a pink and purple leotard and go to Zumba class instead. Even that would be more bad *kitten* than Yoga.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Bumping, so I can read these comments later...curious.
  • CannibalisticVegetarian
    CannibalisticVegetarian Posts: 1,255 Member
    I think that would depend on the person.
    Pushups are not really strength training for most guys, but new exercisers and many women even in decent shape probably can't do more than sets of 5 full range of motion pushups. Same for one-legged squats and holding your body weight on one arm.

    Seriously??? A woman that is decently in shape can't do more than sets of 5 full range pushups???? Are you kidding me????

    I'll admit it. I'm in decent shape (not great) and I can't do 5 full motion pushups.

    ^This
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    To do: read this thread.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I saw an episode of Real Housewives NY where they did facial yoga. Would the calories for that be the same as weight lifting in MFP?
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    Right?

    OP, here's a pic I grabbed off google images, 83 year old woman doing yoga for 3 years. Check it out.

    29215.jpg

    Obviously her big hair and earrings are helping to balance her out. Cause balancing is what she is doing.

    I think its funny that someone crying about yoga not being listed under strength training in the exercise diary selection list started an argument between chicks that do yoga vs chicks that do real strength training. Flame on!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    I saw an episode of Real Housewives NY where they did facial yoga. Would the calories for that be the same as weight lifting in MFP?

    Depends on how many chins you have.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member

    We could go round about all day about what your definition of "average woman in decent cardiovascular shape but new to weight training/yoga" is. I mean, earlier you said a women in decent shape. Not decent cardio shape but new to weight lifting. Obviously someone NEW to weight lifting is not going to be able to do this type of move yet unless they are strong from something other than weight lifting, their job, perhaps. Not sure that being in decent cardio shape is as important as having muscular strength and endurance for what you're talking about.
    "new exercisers and many women even in decent shape " is what I said. I didn't say an experienced weight lifter. I just meant someone who is not sedentary or morbidly obese. That is all.

    And I'd like to repeat for everyone saying they can easily do dozens of pushups, I am talking about full range, good form, chest to floor. Try it if it's not something you do in your regular workouts and tell me if you think it's super easy.

    I am female, and also both sedentary AND morbidly obese and I can do 25 full range, perfect form push-ups.
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    I do think yogi masters and people who practice advanced forms of yoga are comparable to gymnast. Although a lot of us will never practice at this level it's still something to strive for. Is it muscle strengthening, conditioning, whatever....it's still pretty f*cking badassed. So don't sell yoga short. If you practice hard you can be in awesome physical condition and look great too....and if that's your goal then who the hell cares what some muscle head in the gym thinks! It feels good, I look good, piss off.


    lolololololololololololololololol
    Yoga is badassed???
    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
    not even a word by the way
    Also obviously none of the people comparing yoga and gymnastics watched the olympics.
    Or are completely delusional. Yea delusional. That's probably it :)

    seriously pompous and ignorant. Whatever your opinion is on this, why would anyone want to listen to/debate with you. nice attitude.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    I am female, and also both sedentary AND morbidly obese and I can do 25 full range, perfect form push-ups.
    You are sedentary but you do lots of pushups? I'm confused. If you exercise regularly, doesn't that mean you are not sedentary?
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    I think its funny that someone crying about yoga not being listed under strength training in the exercise diary selection list started an argument between chicks that do yoga vs chicks that do real strength training. Flame on!
    I guess I'm arguing on the "chicks that do yoga" side, but as I keep mentioning, I don't actually do yoga. I run and lift.
    But I can see the value of other types of exercise, even if it's not the type I choose to do myself. I guess that's a tough concept for some of you.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    I am female, and also both sedentary AND morbidly obese and I can do 25 full range, perfect form push-ups.
    You are sedentary but you do lots of pushups? I'm confused. If you exercise regularly, doesn't that mean you are not sedentary?

    No in terms of MFP's settings, I have a desk job sitting all day, which makes me sedentary.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    I am female, and also both sedentary AND morbidly obese and I can do 25 full range, perfect form push-ups.
    You are sedentary but you do lots of pushups? I'm confused. If you exercise regularly, doesn't that mean you are not sedentary?

    No in terms of MFP's settings, I have a desk job sitting all day, which makes me sedentary.
    OK, so your diet settings are set at sedentary, which makes sense if you are logging your exercise separately.
    But you are not truly a sedentary individual if you exercise regularly.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I saw an episode of Real Housewives NY where they did facial yoga. Would the calories for that be the same as weight lifting in MFP?

    More, because after all the Botox treatments, their faces are 655% harder to manipulate than normal faces

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