There has been so much talk lately about strength training, especially for women as we age. And we are completely on board! Maintaining muscle and strength is incredibly important and something we talk about all the time at Fitness Unlimited in Milton.
But with all this focus on strength, we think yoga may have gotten a little lost in the conversation.
Yoga is so much more than stretching. It builds strength, improves balance and mobility, works your core and, just as importantly, gives your body some much-needed recovery.
In other words, there are a lot of reasons to get back on your mat.
Yoga IS Strength
If you have ever held a plank, stayed in chair pose a little longer than you wanted to, or tried to balance in Warrior III, you know yoga takes strength!
Yoga uses your own body weight as resistance. Your core, shoulders, arms, legs and glutes all have to work together to support and control your body.
Is it the same as picking up a pair of heavy dumbbells? No. And it doesn’t need to be.
We believe both belong in a well-rounded fitness program. Strength training challenges your muscles one way and yoga challenges them another.
Strong Is Great. Strong AND Mobile Is Even Better.
We want to be strong as we age, but we also want to move well.
We want to be able to reach, bend, twist, get down on the floor and get back up. We want our hips and shoulders to move. We want to feel good doing the things we enjoy outside of the gym.
That’s where mobility comes in.
Yoga naturally takes our bodies through different positions and ranges of motion while also asking us to control those movements. You aren’t just stretching. You are working on strength, flexibility, stability and mobility at the same time.
And Then There’s Balance
Balance is one of those things we don’t always think about until it starts to become more difficult.
The good news is that balance can be worked on just like strength.
Yoga challenges balance and coordination throughout the practice, whether you are standing on one leg or simply moving slowly and with control from one position to another.
This becomes increasingly important as we get older.
We Also Need to Recover
This may be one of the biggest reasons we think yoga deserves another look.
We love strength training. We love HIIT. We love cycling and challenging workouts. But we can’t go hard every single day and expect our bodies to love us for it!
Recovery is part of fitness too.
Yoga gives us an opportunity to keep moving while slowing things down a bit. Depending on the class, it can help with mobility, flexibility and recovery or it can be a challenging workout all on its own.
Sometimes your body needs a hard workout. Sometimes it needs to move, stretch, breathe and recover.
There is room for both.
Find the Yoga That Works for You
Not every yoga class is the same, and that’s one of the things we love about it.
At Fitness Unlimited in Milton, we have several yoga classes to choose from – we currently offer Gentle Yoga, Slow Flow Vinyasa, Vinyasa Yoga and Heated Vinyasa Fusion.
Maybe you want something gentle that helps you stretch and move. Maybe you want to flow, sweat and challenge yourself. Or maybe you need something in between.
Over the next few months, we are going to be having some fun with our yoga program and introducing some fresh ideas.
You may see more fusion-style classes that combine yoga and Pilates, along with classes that bring together yoga, balance, core work, mobility and strength.
Fitness continues to evolve and so will we.
But one thing isn’t changing. We believe yoga deserves a place in a well-rounded fitness routine.
Haven’t Done Yoga in a While?
Come back and give it another try with our Free 3-Day Trial offer.
You don’t have to be flexible. You don’t have to know all the poses. And you definitely don’t have to choose between strength training and yoga.
Do both.
Our goal isn’t simply to be stronger. We want to be strong, mobile, balanced and able to keep doing the things we love for a very long time.
Yoga can help us get there.
