Yoga *IS* strength training.

1235

Replies

  • splashangel
    splashangel Posts: 494 Member
    BUMP
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I didn't have time to read the comments yet.

    My thoughts:

    1) Most of you have only ever seen yoga on the videos and at the gym. You have not seen the people that support themselves on one hand with one leg bent over their back facing in the same direction as their face and the other leg out to the side.

    2) You are just bitter because when you were in middle school and high school the bisexual yoga gals never invited you to the wild sex orgies.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I didn't have time to read the comments yet.

    My thoughts:

    1) Most of you have only ever seen yoga on the videos and at the gym. You have not seen the people that support themselves on one hand with one leg bent over their back facing in the same direction as their face and the other leg out to the side.

    2) You are just bitter because when you were in middle school and high school the bisexual yoga gals never invited you to the wild sex orgies.

    Wait..........What?!?!!!
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 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 know! really? i just did 20 'real' pushups earlier! oh, but ya know what? i also do yoga!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 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 know! really? i just did 20 'real' pushups earlier! oh, but ya know what? i also do yoga!

    Most yogis can do numerous one legged pistol squats in a row.
  • Sbell1068
    Sbell1068 Posts: 1
    i agree, i do heated yoga for 60-90 minutes and its way more calories burned than what this site and others list
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I didn't have time to read the comments yet.

    My thoughts:

    1) Most of you have only ever seen yoga on the videos and at the gym. You have not seen the people that support themselves on one hand with one leg bent over their back facing in the same direction as their face and the other leg out to the side.

    2) You are just bitter because when you were in middle school and high school the bisexual yoga gals never invited you to the wild sex orgies.

    True story
  • KALMdown
    KALMdown Posts: 211 Member
    What a weakling...


    1293716852_img2.jpg
  • KALMdown
    KALMdown Posts: 211 Member
    102628573.jpg
  • Cristofori44
    Cristofori44 Posts: 201
    With pullups there is no artificial resistance. Same with mountain climbing. Sprinting. The notion you need a weight room to be strong seems erroneous on its face. ...

    Perhaps some of the posters on here are confusing the word "strength" with "getting cut." Yoga may not build muscle mass in the same way as performing three sets of 10-12 reps of weight until muscular fatigue. It probably also won't build strength efficiently as performing low reps with high weights. But that doesn't mean it doesn't build strength...

    Insofar as yoga includes bodyweight-supported poses, however, it is likely to build strength as long as the exercise fatigues the muscle. And it definitely builds muscular endurance and flexibility, which are useful in nearly every sport.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    I don't think its a strength training workout. While it has some poses that would help improve your strength but I won't consider it similar to weight lifting.

    Yoga is more of a flexibility workout.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Depending on the type of yoga...it is training for flexibility and balance, muscular endurance training, or very serious body weight exercises (similar to the beast skills type of stuff or You are your own gym...etc). Yoga is the foundation for a lot of the more dynamic types of weight training that require endurance, balance and flexible muscles, tendons, ligaments. It's also excellent for the abs mostly because of all the plank variations.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    I can't believe this has gone so far.
    I've got experience in both pounding the weights (when I was younger) and also in doing a lot of yoga and body weight training (now).
    My opinion is that yoga sometimes can be strength training in disguise. Many of the advanced postures require a lot of strength and balancing ability. It is a whole different feel compared to traditional weight lifting, but you do build functional strength doing it. The older I get the more of a proponent of bodyweight training & yoga I become.
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    With pullups there is no artificial resistance. Same with mountain climbing. Sprinting. The notion you need a weight room to be strong seems erroneous on its face. ...

    Perhaps some of the posters on here are confusing the word "strength" with "getting cut." Yoga may not build muscle mass in the same way as performing three sets of 10-12 reps of weight until muscular fatigue. It probably also won't build strength efficiently as performing low reps with high weights. But that doesn't mean it doesn't build strength...

    Insofar as yoga includes bodyweight-supported poses, however, it is likely to build strength as long as the exercise fatigues the muscle. And it definitely builds muscular endurance and flexibility, which are useful in nearly every sport.

    It builds strength to a point. Beyond that point you need higher resistance. That means either adding weighted vest, belt ankle bracelets etc. to bodyweight stuff or lifting weights. I don't think anyone gets to 1xbw OHP, 1.5xbw bench, 2xbw squats, 2.5x bw deadlifts type strength with bodyweight exercises alone.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Of course it's strength training for a while. Anything that makes you stronger is.
    You won't get anywhere near your body's capacity to build strength, though.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    Yoda is strength training

    Yoda-Working-Out.jpg
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
    i agree, i do heated yoga for 60-90 minutes and its way more calories burned than what this site and others list

    FYI, heated yoga burnes no more calories than the same yoga performed in normal temps. It might still be a great work out, but the heat is to increase flexibilty and not calories burned.

    I think yoga is more similar to strength training than cardio. I also see no problem with it being listed under cardio in MFP since strength training is also listed under cardio.
  • BenderFitness
    BenderFitness Posts: 349
    Some of the replies on this thread are a bit over the top. I have had many of my body building friends try some of my workouts, and struggle though. Some of them have even been guests on my videos, and they were shocked at the difficulty of my routines. Strength training does not have to be done with the goal of getting huge muscles. Nor does it have to be done with weights.

    Yoga does increase your strength, and utilize resistance and muscle contractions. It also has cardiovascular benefits, depending on the style of yoga you are participating in.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    It is debateable as to whether that would strictly be considered strength training or conditioning
    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.

    I'm not sure you know anything about women. And pushups are definitely strength training for guys.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Yoda is strength training

    Yoda-Working-Out.jpg

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Thanks for bringing some levity to the thread. Maybe we all need to lighten up!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Yoda is strength training

    Yoda-Working-Out.jpg


    WINNER!!!!


    /thread
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member


    I'm not sure you know anything about women. And pushups are definitely strength training for guys.
    Other than being one myself I guess. And I said it would be strength training for some guys. It would not be strength training for a lot of guys who can do dozens in a row no problem.
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 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 know! really? i just did 20 'real' pushups earlier! oh, but ya know what? i also do yoga!

    Most yogis can do numerous one legged pistol squats in a row.

    i wouldn't go as far as to say 'most' yogis.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    Oh look! A thread full of MFPers who can't do one pushup, let alone 5.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/715295-i-can-t-even-do-a-push-up?hl=push
    Quick, someone go post on there to tell them that they are in pathetic shape.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Oh look! A thread full of MFPers who can't do one pushup, let alone 5.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/715295-i-can-t-even-do-a-push-up?hl=push
    Quick, someone go post on there to tell them that they are in pathetic shape.

    shut the hell up already, jesus. I was agreeing with you earlier in the thread, but now you're just being belligerent.
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    It is debateable as to whether that would strictly be considered strength training or conditioning
    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.

    Am deeply offended. :( i even do weighted pushups.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 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.

    thank you for this post!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 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.

    thank you for this post!

    I'm a contemporary dancer and I do yoga and lift weights. I don't like to use the word close-minded because it is such a terribly misused word that it has often lost all meaning, but seriously, this is one area in which I can genuinely say some of the folks on here are being close-minded. There are all different ways to enjoy and utilize the full potential of our bodies.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Hey guys, I was just rattling the cage a little bit, but all in good fun. Today was a great day at the Wanderlust yoga and music festival in Whistler.
  • Danflex
    Danflex Posts: 14
    I was introduced to Yoga recently. After experiencing some different kinds of yoga there is no doubt to me that it is a form of strength and flexibility training. For example I could easily do the parts where arms, shoulders and chest strength was dominate where most of the woman were struggling or could not complete or hold the pose. The seasoned ladies could do these poses with grace and style. When more flexibility was required I was the one with having the hard time. I found my self wobbling and in some cases unable to hold certain positions where leg strength flexibility and endurance came into play while most of the woman could. My lower body parts were not strong, stable or flexible enough. In a few weeks I was much better.

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