Yoga then Cardio ? Cardio then Yoga?
January 9, 2008 in Flexibility, Yoga
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by clukasik
Question for you fine folks: When or how do you integrate yoga with cardio, strength, or other forms of exercise, before or after? I’m planning for 3days/week yoga but am not sure how to fit it in with swimming, spinning, stair climbing, and/or running. I feel like if I do those things before yoga I won’t have the strength to really work on my yoga practice - my quads or hamstrings or whatever works on warrior will barely hold when I’m fresh -can’t imagine how it would go after a half hour of stair climber. On the flip side, I feel like if I do cardio after yoga I will lose the peaceful mindful buzz that I leave class with. Perhaps I would then do cardio more mindfully? Or shall I treat it more like two-a-days and do yoga in the morning and move cardio to evening?
So help me out - tell me what’s worked for you?!
I’m thrilled to be adding a few days a week of yoga to my routine and am AMAZED at how unbalanced my body has become from years of more sport-specific training. I mean I’m psyhced at the opportunity to work on and correct it, not that I’m focused on my limitations - but I’m noticing that all the little muscles really struggle to function compared to the giant bully bits like my quads. Generally I feel like I’m pretty strong but in class it’s the most easy seeming thing that finds my body quaking and nearly tumbling when the little balancing guys are trying hard to hold up my giant quads 
It really seems like this imbalance might be the source of injury and discomfort for me and I’m really hoping that rounding things out will deliver improvement all the way around.
I’m finding it to be so enjoyable and challenging that I’m wondering if there’s some cool yoga retreat/intensive thing to go do this spring that they let beginners come to.
Oh, and ‘lion’s breath’? my favorite thing in the world. ‘Course I’m a Leo, so my mind visualizes some awesome stuff when I’m doing it but GAWD does it feel good. Also today we worked on the little sounds for chakras focusing on the one for the heart - “Yam” - and we were just chanting it inside to ourselves focusing on our heartbeat. I imagined (for some crazy reason) these little impish and playful panda bears (tiny baby ones) banging this great gong and yelling “Yam” to celebrate my heartbeat with the sound extending and echoing off the nearby mountains, then after they did that for a while they began to really party and were singing/yelling “Yam, yam yam” in little musical patterns and dancing. It was the most AWESOME morning I’ve had, maybe EVER. Pretty sure I was giggling to myself in class while visualizing my gong-ringing heartbeat panda bears.
Still giggling, in fact.
Workout:
- Type: Flexibility
- Date: 01/09/2008
- Time: 06:30:00
- Total Time: 1:15:00.00
8 comments
January 10, 2008 at 12:21 pm
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January 23, 2008 at 10:37 am
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January 9, 2008 at 12:07 pm
gardenmentor
I can’t really speak to your integration question & have encouraged balbert to share his experience, so I hope he does.
That said…
I have done combos of restorative yoga class (aka easy meditative class) and hatha flow (fast, cardio & strength classes). I find that I prefer the hard workout that exhausts me before a more mediative yoga class. I guess what I’m getting at is, what kind of yoga are you integrating. If you’re doing slower meditative classes, they might be a nice way to wrap up and relax after other hard workouts. If you are doing more “power yoga” (for lack of a better term; I’m not really a fan of this one), you might exhaust yourself.
All of that said, all yoga teachers (except one) that I’ve ever worked with encourage people to work at their own level and give their bodies what the body needs. So, if you keep that in mind and work at your own pace, I believe, anything is possible. You’ve just got to stay in tune with yourself!
January 9, 2008 at 2:03 pm
andreabona
This has always been an issue for me as well. If I only have 5-6 opportunities to work out per week and my goals require those workouts to be sport specific how do I fit in yoga? The answer is I never really was able to get the yoga in. I have decided that this year I will fit in one 30-60 minute session per week, even if it means giving up one of my other workouts. Working on the assumption that the flexibility will be more beneficial. This means my yoga goals are not very lofty, but I can live with that. Since starting 2 weeks ago I’ve been able to add instead of substitute so we’ll see how it goes.
Two-a-days is probably the best compromise, but even if you do back-to-back workouts your body will adjust to the additional work load. Assuming you don’t injure yourself of course your body will eventually be able to accomodate, especially if you do your “easier” cardio work on yoga days. As gardenmentor noted, it will depend on what kind of yoga you are doing and your personal goals.
Good luck!
January 9, 2008 at 2:20 pm
clukasik
Riiighht, thnaks for the thoughts, both of you. Funny, I have NO idea what kind of class it is! ha! the description is “builds strength, stamina, and flexibility while lowering stress and releasing tension” so I guess it’s meant to be all kinds in one! There’s some meditation at the beginning and end, but a pretty steady flow of poses in-between - standing, seated, lying, back bends, kicks and hard stuff, too. I think I’ll try a two-a-day with light cardio in the evening, maybe swimmming and see how that goes. and Gardenmentor - I DEF want to do a class and then dinner with you - got any Saturdays or Sundays free in the next few weeks?
January 9, 2008 at 4:29 pm
gardenmentor
Yes, let’s get together. I seem to have the wrong email for you. Ping me (email or IM) and let’s set a date!
January 9, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Lisa Sabin
If you want to burn more calories, do the aerobic work first, then the yoga. Aerobic training will elevate your heart rate and cause you to have a longer after-burn.
As far as strength training, I would do the most intense workout first. For the very same reason. EPOC, exercise post oxygen consumption is the after-burn. There is a correlation between intensity and after-burn. This is when your metabolic rate is elevated. It takes about 40 minutes to return to resting metabolic rate (RMR).
http://lisasabin.sweat365.com/2008/01/09/weights-or-aerobics-first/
January 9, 2008 at 6:32 pm
mainevelophile
I’m not sure what type of yoga I participate in at my gym. However, there is a class after spin on Monday nights. I stay for the yoga because since my muscles are all warmed up I feel I’ll probably get a good stretch and strength workout. (My goal is more flexibility before I get back on the bike in the spring.)
There is also a Friday night class. I did this for the first time last week and it was right after work without any cardio before. The only time I’ve taken this class, the Monday night instructor was filling in (who I really like), so we probably worked harder than normal for a Friday night. I’m not sure how the regular Friday night instructor will be but I’ll find out in a couple days.
So to make a long answer short, I’d do the yoga after cardio when your muscles are warm. Even when you do strength training you are supposed to warm your muscles up before hand. My only problem I find is that towards the end of class I tend to get a little cold with my blood pressure decreasing and the sweat that has accumulated on my body from the cardio. I recommend taking another light layer to put on in the event you become chilled.
Good luck and let us know how it works out for you!!