Studio Style. Insider Prices.
YOU'RE IN! GET YOUR REFERRAL DISCOUNT BY ENTERING YOUR EMAIL IN THE POPUP. ENTER CODE AT CHECKOUT.
GET 25% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH'S MEMBERSHIP BY ENTERING YOUR CODE AT CHECKOUT.

How Strength Building Can Enhance Your Yoga Practice

We often feel like we have to choose between one workout or the other, when, with just a little creativity, we can merge the two together. If done correctly, implementing hybrid workouts into your workout routine can create some awesome benefits. 

Specifically, strength training and yoga go hand and hand as both exercises strengthen and stretch our bodies. Incorporating yoga into your workout routine allows the body to stretch the muscles that have just gone through a vigorous strength training workout, while building strength simultaneously helps better our yoga practice. 

strength building yoga poses@lesforyoga

Yoga and Strength Building: Lower Body

When combining yoga and strength building, it’s important to balance out the two by working on the same section of the body in both workouts. For example, when we lift heavy with our legs, we want to continue using the same muscles in our yoga practice. Strength building yoga poses for the legs can include lunges, warriors and balancing poses like tree pose and chair pose. These strengthen and stretch the muscles giving the legs a full workout with both strength training and flexibility.   

strength building yoga poses@lesforyoga

Yoga and Strength Building: Upper Body

Our upper body benefits immensely from a combined workout of strength training and yoga. During our yoga practice, we use our upper body, like our shoulders and forearms, to do inversions and arm balances. Building arm muscles by lifting weights can help us with these inversions by creating a better foundation to support our bodies. Yoga positions for upper body strength can include crow pose, eight angle, or dolphin pose. 

A yoga practice can also include yoga inversions. Getting upside down not only works the upper body, but it is also a great way to work the abs. There are many benefits of yoga inversions including all around better circulation, getting the blood flowing, boosting energy and—more notable—it is a fantastic workout. 

strength building yoga poses@lesforyoga

Yoga and Strength Building: Post Workout

After a strength training workout, try immediately practicing different yoga poses while the muscles are worn and ready to be worked. You may find that some of your greatest yoga flows come after lifting weights.

Don’t feel obligated to spend hours doing strength training and yoga in the same day. They can be broken up into increments, like a 40 minute weight workout and a 20 minute yoga practice. You can even do a 50 minute weight workout followed by a 10 minute stretch. If you don’t have time for a full hour, simply cut it down into 10 minute sections and do a hybrid workout of yoga and building muscle at the same time. 

By merging yoga and strength training, you are creating a better foundation for your body to support these workouts individually and together. Even if you do hybrid workouts every once in a while, introducing yourself to new and innovative styles of fitness makes for a happy and healthy body. 


About the Author

woman yogi

Lesli Lancaster is a Vinyasa style yoga teacher in Fort Worth, Texas who teaches both in studio and online. She’s been married to an awesome man for 11 years and has three wonderful children who she stays home with when she’s not teaching. She is grateful for the opportunity to spend time with her children and teach yoga, which has brought her so much happiness, energy and passion into her life. 

Related Articles

What is Minimalist Fashion? How to Keep the Clothes You Love
What is Minimalist Fashion? How to Keep the Clothes You Love
You’ve probably heard plenty of hype about minimalist fashion by now. You can’t seem to turn a page of a magazine or scroll for a second on social media before coming across an article or post abou...
Read More
What Are the Best Pants for Short Legs? A Guide to Pants that Fit
What Are the Best Pants for Short Legs? A Guide to Pants that Fit
Women with short legs have a lot to be happy about with their body shape, but picking clothes isn’t always easy. It can be heartbreaking to see that perfect pair of pants at the store or online, on...
Read More
Top 8 Matching Workout Sets that are Perfect for Your Next Yoga Session
Top 8 Matching Workout Sets that are Perfect for Your Next Yoga Session
We know that appearance isn’t everything when it comes to choosing activewear, but we’ll also be the first to say that when you like the clothes you’re wearing, it provides a big boost of confidenc...
Read More
Top 16 Casual Weekend Outfit Ideas to Impress
Top 16 Casual Weekend Outfit Ideas to Impress
From Monday to Friday, most of us aren’t thinking much about our outfits. It’s mostly a matter of waking up with the alarm (no snooze!), throwing on some clothes, and looking acceptable enough to m...
Read More
Top 18 Tips for How to Dress in Your 30s
Top 18 Tips for How to Dress in Your 30s
After ten years of fun and finding yourself, stepping into your thirties is a big deal. You’re a little older, a little wiser, and hopefully, with way more confidence than ever before. However, the...
Read More
Plus Size Clothing Subscription and Style for Curvy Women
Plus Size Clothing Subscription and Style for Curvy Women
It’s about time the fashion industry got on board with plus-size styles and clothes for curvy women. We’re happy to see that the stick-figure styles are a thing of the past, and more designers are ...
Read More

BACK TO TOP
Sale

Unavailable

Sold Out