Why is a Well-Rounded Yoga Workout the Absolutely Best Workout?
I believe I have put to rest within the title of this blog the question: “Is yoga a good workout," or even "is yoga a workout?” Like I said, it’s the best and I’ll explain why. At the ripe age of 55, I have been deep into health and fitness ever since I can remember. I am surrounded by doctors (my dad, brother, and wife) and have enjoyed their perspectives. I have experimented with more types of diets and exercises than I probably could remember. Not to mention psychotherapy, meditation, and lifestyle. I’d like to share with you why, even when it’s via a yoga workout video, that yoga is supreme!
You all know that a yoga practice consists of many postures which are called asanas. These asanas are the backbone of any type of yoga class, including my own Power Yoga class. These asanas are meant to access different ranges of motion and different body parts in an attempt to care for those ranges of motion and these body parts. Have you ever heard the old saying, “You can’t take care of something you do not touch?” Please understand, if you don’t take care of something, it can’t stay well. That pretty much applies to everything, not just body parts. If it’s not well, how can you feel your best? Remember the integrity of the web depends on the resiliency of every strand. One way I want to support the claim in this blog’s title is by stating there is no other fitness experience that makes an effort to touch as many places in our body than a well-rounded yoga class. That touch creates stimulation which facilitates circulation, the prerequisite of regeneration. That alone attributes to yoga being the best workout, but there is more. You will get much variety of asanas if the main focus is a yoga ab workout or a yoga core workout as the warm-ups and cool-downs will include many other asanas.
I want to address range of motion here as well as it is barely addressed in any other type of exercise. I call range of motion “aging gracefully.” As we age and change, the body loses elasticity and range of motion, and not only is that limiting, but it also makes it easier to injure oneself which again adds to the blog’s title claim of yoga being the best as injury prevention is a valid part of fitness.
Another cool aspect of yoga is it can happen in so many different ways and in many different places like an at home yoga workout via private instruction or through a video or even live streamed classes. You may also hear about a yoga ball ab workout as ball workouts can still be yoga and guaranteed there will be plenty of different types of movement which makes it more dynamic than most exercises.
Also, yoga classes can be two hours long, or one hour, or even a 20 minute yoga workout. At Power Yoga we even have 10 minute classes. So with yoga as you might assume there is a lot of flexibility! I like to have a dynamic, basic, all-encompassing class for all experience levels.
Yet, of course there would be a yoga workout for beginners or advanced. Classes can be well-rounded so there can be elements of strength, stamina, balance, cardio, and flexibility all in one class, which covers the whole fitness paradigm and you can even add yoga stretches and breathing before or after any type of class so you are adding yoga to the other activities you enjoy.
So, the next time someone asks you, “What is a yoga workout?” let them know it is simply the best and most well-rounded workout ever!
I hope you found this blog helpful.