Have you ever heard that yoga, meditation, and strength training can benefit each other? If you were to ask me some years ago, I would say no way. I would also say that mindfulness is a waste of time, it’s all about my macros and consistently adding weight to the bar each week! While I strive to achieve my inner yogi, runner, and powerlifter, I haven’t met too many others who have the same goals as me. Over time, this idea has become less foreign. There is some research to suggest that a consistent yoga practice can lead to strength gains. This study involving healthy, young, but relatively sedentary young adults, tested numerous physical activity outcomes including the deadlift, hamstring/shoulder flexibility, and body fat percentage before and after an 8-week yoga practice. Their results were compared to a no yoga group, and the yoga group improved in all these measures, including increasing their deadlift by 13%.
Now what does this mean for the rest of us? Go out and get your yoga mat, Lulu Lemon pants and invest in some group classes if you haven’t already! Okay, maybe you don’t have to jump that far onto the yoga train but picking up an at home yoga practice a few days a week could benefit your strength gains. While there is a perception that those who heavily strength train lose all mobility, this does not have to be true at all. You can have the best of both worlds and greatly benefit from it. While yoga may translate directly to gains in the gym, meditation can help with muscle relaxation and recovery by easing stress levels and reducing anxiety. Prior to gearing up for that big lift, reverting to your meditation and breathing practices will help your focus and rid your mind of distractions. A reduction in cortisol levels also helps with pain tolerance and inflammation throughout your body. As a result, post leg day DOMS may not feel as bad. Here are a few tips to get you started. For yoga, I advise starting with a follow along YouTube channel or app. I recommend Yoga with Adriene on Youtube, or Athletes for Yoga and Yoga – Down Dog if you prefer apps. Know going into it that there are different levels of fitness, just because you may view yourself elite in another sport, doesn’t mean that will translate to yoga. Humble yourself and seek to connect. Connect with whoever is instructing you, and most importantly connect with yourself. You will be surprised to find what your body and mind are capable of. For meditation, I recommend Calm and Insight Timer. Meditation is one of the best ways to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because it will be uncomfortable. You can meditate in any comfortable position where you have a quiet space. Something that helps me is to imagine that once I close my eyes, every thought that crosses my mind is in a car passing my view on a highway. My goal is to acknowledge what I am thinking and move on. Take your time with these and give yourself permission to not be great at them starting out. It will get easier with practice. I hope these are practices you incorporate into your daily routine and assist you in reaching all your potential to complete your whole self!
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