yoga calories burnt

thenewmrsfitz
thenewmrsfitz Posts: 49
in Fitness and Exercise
hi,

I wore my HRM for the first time to my dynamic yoga class tonight. I don't consider this a high cal burn activity but was REALLY surprised to burn only 90! MFP estimates almost 200 more than this, wonder if my HRM was malfunctioning...

Anyone ever measured their own yoga practice?

Replies

  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Yeah, I just bought a Polar and was surprised that I was only burning 200/hour for a fairly vigorous Yoga routine.... I thought it would be 300-350ish.....

    However, it turns out I was underestimating my other strength/cardio workouts, so it all came out right in the wash!

    But yeah, like you, I was surprised. But Yoga has more benefits than sheer calories burnt anyway, so I'm cool with that. I was also overestimating Tai Chi by a factor of 2!
  • thenewmrsfitz
    thenewmrsfitz Posts: 49
    Yeah I had assumed at least 200... but as you say the benefits of yoga far outweigh any burn suppose its like a strength session... feeling the burn not measuring it!
  • Eat2Live2Run
    Eat2Live2Run Posts: 137 Member
    Yep, I wore my HR monitor to Hot Yoga too and only burned less than 200 calories in 90 minutes. The absolute most I've ever burned in a 90 minute class was 300. I see some people posting crazy crazy numbers for cals burned, like over 1500 for 60-90 minutes. I think sometimes people think that amount of sweat produced somehow equates to number of calories burned, and unfortunately its just not true.
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
    I wear mine. On days where we move into strenuous poses (major chakra clearing), I can burn around 200 or a little more. On more meditative days, I have burned around 100 or less. I practice Kundalini yoga and calories burned varies alot.

    I only recently started wearing it because so many people and MFP use yoga for physical fitness. I was rather clueless that yoga could be used for that...lol
  • alyssa92982
    alyssa92982 Posts: 1,093 Member
    That's probably right-I wore mine a couple times out of curiousity and compared it to MFP estimation-my HRM said like 160 for an hour and MFP said 200 or so. This was for p90x yoga
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    Yoga requires some physical exertion, which might burn a few calories. But, it also relaxes you, and so it actually slows your metabolism. (see William Broad's "The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards)
    The effect, therefore, is kinda contradictory. You'd have to do a lot of yoga to lose weight.
    Most yoga teachers and intense practitioners are thin because they are disciplined and in better touch with their body and its needs.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    I read somewhere that you don't consider it cardio unless the HR is over XX, which for me would be 90, as my resting HR is about 60. This in essence makes it a non-cardio and I haven't ever considered it calorie burning. I do still count it as my exercise for the day tho, since it's so good for me.
  • ThatDamnRobyn
    ThatDamnRobyn Posts: 47 Member
    I don't think using a HR monitor to measure calories burned during non-cardio workouts is very effective. Yoga can have a cardio effect, but so can weight lifting, and you wouldn't get an accurate reading from a HR monitor during weight lifting. I think of my yoga as a sort-of cardio workout, but more-so, I think of it as muscle building in the sense that the more muscle on your body, the higher your metabolism and the more cals you burn all day every day. If you do a good flow yoga, you will burn a fair amount of calories, but you are also putting on muscle that over time delivers a bigger impact to your metabolism and keeps you leaner. I have done nothing but yoga (vinyasa flow, daily) for 6 months and have gotten stronger and maintained my weight. When I am not sloppy with my eating, I lose weight just fine with nothing but daily, intense yoga.
  • DaniEdge9
    DaniEdge9 Posts: 34
    Hello, I just wanted to ask you how long you do your flow. Do you time it (60 min, etc)? Or do you base it off repetitions?

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