Can We Do Yoga and Exercise Together?

Exercise and yoga are the best body and mind fitness activities that should be incorporated into everyone's daily routine. Both activities help to strengthen your body and mind. While few people prefer doing exercises or vice versa, there are some people who want to include both of these regimes in their workout routine. But should they be done at the same time? Read on to know if can we do yoga and exercise together?

How do they Complement Each Other?

Gym workouts and yoga complement each other in several ways:

1. Strength and Flexibility

While gym workouts primarily focus on building strength and endurance, yoga enhances flexibility, balance, and muscle elasticity which can prevent injuries and help improve overall movement efficiency in gym exercises.

2. Balance Workout Plan

Gym workouts mostly focus on strength training which can lead to muscle imbalances. On the other hand, yoga focuses on symmetry and balance which helps correct these muscle imbalances by strengthening weaker muscles and increasing flexibility.

3. Recovery and Injury Prevention

Yoga can help in muscle recovery by stretching tight muscles, increasing blood flow, and reducing muscle soreness experienced after intense gym sessions. Additionally, yoga helps improve body awareness and alignment thereby reducing the risk of injuries during gym workouts.

4. Core strength

Many yoga poses require strong core engagement, which is essential for stability and power in the gym, especially while performing exercises like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses.

5. Improved performance

The combination of benefits gained from gym workouts and yoga can lead to improved performance in various athletic endeavors.

6. Stress reduction

Both forms of exercise are effective stress relievers, but yoga can provide additional mental benefits because of its emphasis on breath control and mindfulness which complement the physical benefits of gym workouts.

Can we do Yoga and Exercise Together?

Yes, you can definitely do yoga and exercise together. This approach is often referred to as “yogacise” or “yoga fusion”.

If you do yoga before your gym session, consider it a warm-up. Choose yoga poses that focus on active mobility to correct muscle imbalances and reduce injury risk. Hold the poses for 6-10 seconds to avoid muscle fatigue, ensuring an effective gym session.

Recommended warm-up poses

• Forward folds

• Cat-cow pose

• Cobra pose

• Boat pose

• Warrior flow

If you do yoga at the end of your gym session, consider it a cool-down. Engage in restorative and static stretching to alleviate muscle tension and prevent soreness. To maximise benefits, opt for longer holds of 45-60 seconds for cool-down poses.

Recommended cool-down poses

• Pigeon pose

• Bridge pose

• Child’s pose

• Downward-facing dog

• Supine spinal twist

Can we do Yoga and Exercise Together on the Same Day?

You can certainly do yoga and exercise together on the same day. Many people find it beneficial to integrate both forms into their daily routine to achieve a balanced approach to fitness.

You can start your day with yoga and engage in gym workout later in the day, or you can do yoga before or after workout to aid in recovery and enhance flexibility. Experiment with different schedules to find what works best for you and your body.