Is yoga the only exercise you need?
Yogi_Carl
Posts: 1,906 Member
Interesting article, suggesting that a daily visit to the yoga mat is enough exercise to ensure strength, flexibility and aerobic capacity - maybe not to be a bodybuilder or long distance runner, but the article suggests that the majority of people do not need such extremes.
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/739?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=editorspicks
I go for a run once or twice a week and do bodyweight exercises three times a week and do a kettlebell routine over the weekend. The remainder of my training is yoga; either at class or at home.
Of that I would drop the running first as I am currently using it as a weight reduction aid - I am not a natural runner and colleagues have to wait for me to catch up or I wave them on so I can run at my own pace. I feel more akin to body movement and strength work.
Interesting article though.
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/739?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=editorspicks
I go for a run once or twice a week and do bodyweight exercises three times a week and do a kettlebell routine over the weekend. The remainder of my training is yoga; either at class or at home.
Of that I would drop the running first as I am currently using it as a weight reduction aid - I am not a natural runner and colleagues have to wait for me to catch up or I wave them on so I can run at my own pace. I feel more akin to body movement and strength work.
Interesting article though.
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I think a person could have a great physique and fitness level with just yoga! I only added pilates because I wanted my abs a little tighter.
Thanks for posting!0 -
Interesting article. Thanks for the link.
The yoga routines and practices can yield awesome fitness results.
So yes, if yoga practice can be the only "exercise" one needs.0 -
I read this recently too - as someone who only does yoga (vinyasa, mind :-)) and a few brisks walks a week, I wondered about my overall cardio ftness. I was reassured, but also interested by the additional impact of breathwork and meditation, both of which have well researched health benefits, I think. I do very little of this, despite a feeling perhaps I 'ought' to. I feel fit and strong and slim on the current regime, and look more athletic than I ever have done. Food for thought though.0
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I've entertained the idea of making yoga my only exercise. I hardly do any cardio workout. My workouts focus mainly on calisthenics and yoga, though I'm having to lay off the yoga for just a bit after pulling my hamstring last week. Found out that I can't deliver a head high roundhouse kick anymore. :ohwell:0
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I believe yoga is the only exercise you need - but I have gone to a combination of yoga,pilates, ballet and walking this past year. This year my goal is to up the walking to running three times a week (my goal is to obtain the heart healthy 10 minute mile) and to firm up my core.
I start each day with sun salutations and warrior poses. I believe that 10 minutes of yoga wakes my body and balance up. I do it while my coffee is brewing.
I have several friends that have been doing nothing but yoga and walking for years. They look and feel great. I anticipate that the longer I commit to my healthy lifestyle the more I will gravitate to yoga and walking as my only exercise.0 -
I have several friends that have been doing nothing but yoga and walking for years. They look and feel great. I anticipate that the longer I commit to my healthy lifestyle the more I will gravitate to yoga and walking as my only exercise.
Same here. The older (and wiser?) I get, the more I gravitate to body centred exercise rather than body versus machine or iron or unbelieveable odds!
My current activities are Yoga, bodyweight exercises and kettlebell. I also walk to work on several days and go for a countryside run once a week. I have been known to do the Insanity "Pure Cardio" occassionally - usually when my cardio is due and it is pouring with rain outside!0 -
Just like the article, I think it depends on your definition of "fitness". I absolutely believe that you can be get fit, healthy and strong by yoga alone and make improvements on them by challenging yourself. I know I can feel just great on yoga itself.
That being said though, I started cross-training this year and I find that it improved my yoga practice even more. It's like I started to do them just so that my yoga would improve! Of course just like any exercise, cross-training and balance would benefit your body & sport. Now I run. I feel as though I do yoga so that I can run and I run so that I can do yoga. Does that make sense? :laugh:0 -
I currently do yoga and a combination of running and gym equipment (aka elliptical) for cardio. This article is quite interesting and I had thought about trying exclusively yoga before, especially now that I am doing some more advanced poses and can move faster. Maybe I'll try it for a month and see how it goes. For now, though, I still have quite a bit of extra weight I want to take off so I think my current mix of yoga and cardio is appropriate for my needs.0
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Yoga isn't my only exercise but it was for a while, and I felt great about that choice - I think if you feel good about yourself and you don't have health complications then it's good to do walking/yoga as your primary exercise if you eat healthy as well as do this routine.0
