The Yoga of Strength Training and Body Building
I was the stiffest person in every yoga class I took for two years. When Yoga practice took hold inside me, and the desire to progress in the poses, to open my body, grew strong, I was convinced that – since many people had told me this – in order for me to become flexible, I would have to lose muscle mass.
Jump ahead many years. While I’ve not turned into a bendy yogi –like those uber flexi girls that look like they were born into a circus family – my body is much more open, and postures I’d assumed I would never be able to do are regular parts of my daily yoga.
Much has been written about the benefits of resistance (strength) training. It’s beneficial for general health, metabolism and youthening. You can call resistance training anti-aging or even better, physical immortality training, and you can see how well it’s documented scientifically.
A friend who’s a fitness buff, and who became dedicated to yoga a few years ago, struggles with oscillations between the gym and the shala (yoga school). Her big question is – how to get the benefits of both? Specifically, how to get the tremendous benefits of resistance training (weight training) while still progressively deepening her yoga practice. Being a scientist, she researched the literature and documented reports.
The results she found (until now) were adamantly conclusive. It can’t be done, these reports said – they are mutually exclusive endeavors. What you do in the gym will set back your yoga practice and what you do in the shala will undermine your strength training.
I can say it’s not true. While it may be true that the challenge of increasing flexibility for someone with large amounts of muscle mass may be tremendous, it can be done. And for someone with less muscle than they would like, they can build it without harm to their flexibility. In fact, the added strength is an asset to their flexibility.
Resistance training involves taking muscle fibers out of their comfort zone, taking them beyond what they think they can do to train them that they have a higher potential. Each time you do this – and then allow time for recovery and rebuilding – the muscle fiber becomes bigger and stronger. It’s the same process we undertake with yoga. And although there are manifold benefits from the physical part of us reaching a higher potential, the greater benefit comes from that process as metaphor. Just like there are benefits in standing on one’s head. Yet a far better benefit comes from learning we can do something we previously thought we couldn’t.
Now, each time I lift some weight – whether it’s my own body or a dumbbell – I do so with the express purpose of realizing more of my potential. The term bodybuilding fits better than lifting weights. Within each session, I somehow top whatever I did in the previous session, either with more sets, a slower movement, a heavier weight or more repetitions. My body has come to expect more from me. And so have I. When we expect more from someone or something, the usual result is that we get more. I have been amazed to see how quickly and efficiently my body has responded to the increased demands. Muscles have grown rapidly. My shape has changed noticeably in the last 6 months. More importantly I feel better than ever. That I look better is a welcome side benefit.
The body – like all systems – craves balance, and will always find it given the right conditions. Greater strength – which results in greater stability – allows the body more flexibility.
My experiment has clearly shown me that not only is muscle mass not a detriment to flexibility, it’s a boon to it. My own yoga practice has continued to develop with the addition of strength training. I practice asana in the mornings like usual, then 3-5 days a week I invest an hour or less on resistance training. Another 4 days a week I walk in the afternoons.
The question I frequently ask – ‘how good can it get?’ – keeps revealing more and more delightful answers. Greater joy in the body may contribute to greater joy in every aspect of our lives. And it’s ten times more likely when we approach all we do with the smiling potential of ‘may this create more love and joy in the world.’
Radiantly Alive uplifts your world through unique, top-quality and powerfully transformative yoga experiences. We offer Yoga Alliance registered Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga certification programs and Yoga Instructor Certification. Our vision encompasses self-discovery and development, and vibrant health creation through yoga, raw foods and more.
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