Suggestions - Incorporating Yoga Into Fitness Regime

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alexiaans
alexiaans Posts: 113 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello! I want to start incorporating Yoga into my fitness regime. My goal with Yoga is to increase my flexibility, and strengthen my weak areas.

I am seeking suggestions from people who incorporated Yoga into their already existing programs. My main questions are:

1) How often to do Yoga and for how long?
2) What type of Yoga to do with flexibility and strength gains in mind?
3) What would be the minimum amount of Yoga one could do and still make gains?
4) What type of results did you experience after incorporating Yoga?
5) After adding Yoga, how did it increase the amount of time to your already existing fitness regime?

I want to try to incorporate it in a way that I don't increase my workout sessions too much (they currently are at about 1.5 hours). I have had great results on my current regime so I would like to stick to it, but am willing to shift things around if I must to get the Yoga in.

Me: Female/Endomorph
What has worked best for my body: Weight Training 5x a week, Cardio or HIIT 2x a week, and Running 3 times a week

My current regime:
1: Run (30-40 mins) /Abs (15-20 mins) /Pilates (20 mins)
2) Legs/Shoulders (40-50 mins) / Cardio or HIIT (20-30 mins)
3) Run (30-40 mins) / Back/Biceps (40-50 mins)
4) Abs (15-20 mins) / Abs (15-20 mins) / Cardio or HIIT (20-30 mins)
5) Run (30-40 mins) / Triceps/Chest (40/50 mins)
REST then REPEAT

Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks!

Replies

  • alexiaans
    alexiaans Posts: 113 Member
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    Oops, number 4 should say PILATES instead of abs twice.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    I do yoga for about 10 minutes, mostly for stretching, on days after I run. Tara Stiles and Rainbeau Mars are two people I use on YouTube. I also adore Rodney Yee, he's got a great Power Yoga video, but it's an hour long. I'm sure he has shorter workouts out there, though.
  • alexiaans
    alexiaans Posts: 113 Member
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    I do yoga for about 10 minutes, mostly for stretching, on days after I run. Tara Stiles and Rainbeau Mars are two people I use on YouTube. I also adore Rodney Yee, he's got a great Power Yoga video, but it's an hour long. I'm sure he has shorter workouts out there, though.

    Thanks for the info.

    Have you been able to make flexibility gains with just the 10 minutes after you run? I am considering that but I want to make sure I do enough that its effective.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    I'm not really after flexibility gains, per se. I've always actually been quite flexible. Obviously, not as much now at almost 36, two kids, and being 50 pounds overweight for years, but my muscles definitely feel better, and some of my old flexibility is coming back. You can get that through regular old stretches, too.

    I think any amount will help you progress, it just might be slower. You might consider replacing the Pilates with yoga so you can do longer yoga workouts. It seems you get in plenty of ST, so skipping Pilates wouldn't really affect your progress.
  • sevencallmemom
    sevencallmemom Posts: 505 Member
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    I teach/do 3 bootcamp style workouts a day 5 days a week and usually a 5K on Saturdays. I've changed the Friday classes to 40-50 minute yoga videos because after 6 months of this schedule, I had lost so much flexibility and I didn't want the ladies I train to lose theirs as well. The first day was killer, I was in so much pain, but it's gotten better each week and I really do feel stronger as a result.
  • alexiaans
    alexiaans Posts: 113 Member
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    I'm not really after flexibility gains, per se. I've always actually been quite flexible. Obviously, not as much now at almost 36, two kids, and being 50 pounds overweight for years, but my muscles definitely feel better, and some of my old flexibility is coming back. You can get that through regular old stretches, too.

    I think any amount will help you progress, it just might be slower. You might consider replacing the Pilates with yoga so you can do longer yoga workouts. It seems you get in plenty of ST, so skipping Pilates wouldn't really affect your progress.

    Thanks! Maybe I will do that. I really love Pilates for what it does for my butt/abs though :-( It would be so hard to give it up! But again thanks for the suggestion. I have NEVER been flexible so this is on my bucket list, so to speak.

    And um, ST? What is that? lol
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
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    Hi i do yoga usually 3 days a week for 90 minutes and sometimes even more just depends on how my week is .
    Yoga has increasing flexibility, more than any other stretching or flexibility training I have ever done. Besides, the flexibility is really the bonus, the icing on the cake, as a part of the amazing overall sense of well being of mind and body that comes with a yoga practice.I also meet with a trainer 2 days a week and workout on my own 3 to 4 days a week
    I do know from doing yoga i have very good core and upper body strength and i like hot yoga as it is easer on my 50 year old body LOL
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    I started doing yoga when I first started running and found that it helped with soreness and flexibility, as I felt like I lost flexibility with increased running mileage. Then I stopped doing it for nearly a year and recently picked it up again--I am just re-learning the basic poses, I guess "hatha yoga" would be the basic stuff, and I am really enjoying it. I also have poor balance and it seems to help with that. Right now I'm only doing two times a week because that's all I can fit into my schedule, and I'm just doing DVDs at home.
  • alexiaans
    alexiaans Posts: 113 Member
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    I teach/do 3 bootcamp style workouts a day 5 days a week and usually a 5K on Saturdays. I've changed the Friday classes to 40-50 minute yoga videos because after 6 months of this schedule, I had lost so much flexibility and I didn't want the ladies I train to lose theirs as well. The first day was killer, I was in so much pain, but it's gotten better each week and I really do feel stronger as a result.

    That sounds wonderful. Congrats on all your success! I was thinking if anything, the easiest thing for me would take one day and just do Yoga as you mentioned, since my workouts are already long. This is encouraging that you have seen some gains because what has prevented me is the thought that only one day a week wouldn't make a difference.

    Thanks for sharing!
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
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    1) How often to do Yoga and for how long?
    2) What type of Yoga to do with flexibility and strength gains in mind?
    3) What would be the minimum amount of Yoga one could do and still make gains?
    4) What type of results did you experience after incorporating Yoga?
    5) After adding Yoga, how did it increase the amount of time to your already existing fitness regime?

    I do yoga 3 day a week (2 one hour classes and 1 1.5 hour class)
    I do Yin Yoga and Gentle Yoga, due to medical reasons I cannot do any "hot" yoga and anything high intensity.
    Not sure what the minimum would be, but I'm sure any would you would see a difference in flexibility and strength
    After incorporating yoga I'm less stressed, more relaxed, and more flexible and not in as much pain due to Fibromyalgia
    Since I don't really have a fitness regime, and yoga and walking are about all I do, It hasn't added any time.

    If you're looking for more muscle, go with Pilates or BarWorks. They do more core strengthening and things like that. Otherwise you would need a higher level yoga than I take obviously, probably a level 1 to start but I think you'd do fine in a 2 (my Yoga studio has 3 levels of Yoga, but they are not nationwide.)
  • WannaDizzolve
    WannaDizzolve Posts: 270 Member
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    I do a form of restorative yoga every evening. It balances out my workout routine, which looks a lot like yours, btw. If i'm at home, I go to a 75 minute class, if i'm travelling, I do a dvd. I think his name is Randy Yee. I got his beginning dvd at Target.

    The benefits of Yoga...I'm more flexible, less likely to injure myself. I also feel more calm and centered. I could totally get by on just Yoga and run/walking...

    I hope this helps...
  • BandB1979
    BandB1979 Posts: 38 Member
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    I practice Hot yoga for 60-90 mins a day 3-4 days a week. I have noticed that I have become way more flexible. Including losing 35
    lbs since Jan.

    One suggestion is to go to a center and learn the postures. Just cause they say it is low stress, if you are not doing the postures correctly or over stretching you can cause some serious damage.

    Another idea would to look up Yin Yoga. It stretches the connective tissue. I also do this also, as it helps offset Yang Yoga (stretches the muscles/Power).
  • Ragtees
    Ragtees Posts: 33 Member
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    I just started doing yoga once a week, it really kicked my butt. I'm increasing it to 2x per week with cardio and weights mixed in. For me having a personal trainer was essential to learn how to do the positions and breathing properly.
  • tacguy
    tacguy Posts: 196
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    HI,
    I do the P90X programs and yoga is an intregal part of it. I never did it before three years ago. I am 45 and now, I very rarely ever get hurt and I feel great. Here are my answers to your questions:

    1) How often to do Yoga and for how long?
    At least once a week, sometimes as much as three times a week if I am in a "recovery" week. Anywhere from 1.5 hours to 1 hour. P90X yoga is 1.5 and X2 yoga is an hour.

    2) What type of Yoga to do with flexibility and strength gains in mind?
    P90X yoga is a combination of Vinyasa yoga and Hatha yoga - moving poses, balance postures and stretching.

    3) What would be the minimum amount of Yoga one could do and still make gains?
    At least once a week.

    4) What type of results did you experience after incorporating Yoga?
    More range of motion. Better balance. Increased core strength. Increased muscular endurance. Less prone to injury.

    5) After adding Yoga, how did it increase the amount of time to your already existing fitness regime?
    It is already part of the programs I do. Its built in. Flexability and mobility training should be part of any fitness program, IMHO.

    Tony Horton says that if he could only do one workout, it would be yoga.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    ST = Strength Training, sorry! If you're worried about your butt, make sure to incorporate heavy squats with the bar! That has done wonders for my behind!
  • alexiaans
    alexiaans Posts: 113 Member
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    Thanks so much for the information! I think I am going to make sure I add at least one Yoga workout into my weekly routine. I already have the P90X Yoga DVD so I think I will start there until I find some different options. The P90X DVD REALLY kicked my butt!
  • nerdgirlnyc
    nerdgirlnyc Posts: 14 Member
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    I am just starting my journey of weight loss and I am doing yoga 2xs a week at classes that are an hour long.
    One is power yoga and one is just a yoga class.

    I feel lots of difference in my arms and flexibility and find myself using the posing I'm learning at home just for a good stretch and fun!

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