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Home > Archive > Yoga > December 2005 > Weights and yoga
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I've been doing weights for some time, and have recently become very
interested in yoga. At first i wanted to loosen up and try to cure
some back pain, but now i see yoga as my main workout.
However, i feel i still need weights to "backfill" what yoga is
missing. Specifically, i feel the "pulling" muscles are not being
worked sufficiently, and i'd like a little more muscle than even the
advanced male yogis ( such as rodney yee and brian kest for example )
seem to obtain.
So, to the point, does anyone know of weight routines designed to fit
with regular yoga practice? I did find a book by Steve Ilg that mixes
yoga, meditation, weights and cardio, but it's pretty intense and not
good for my schedule, as i have a job. ;)
My approach has been lile this following:
monday:
morning: heavy pulling workout: rows, pulldowns, curls.
evening: quiet stretching yoga
tuesday:
power yoga evening
wed:
morning: full body weights
evening: flexibility yoga
thurs:
evening power yoga
fri:
morning: pulling + flyes, shoulder workout, legs
evening: flexibility
weekend: rest & some light yoga & cardio
2-4 times a week cardio in the morning. 10+ of meditation almost every
morning.
dave
--
The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure
and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self.
--Albert Einstein
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| Howdy Dave,
For back pains there are many substantial matters before YOGA or any
other Work to do.
For instance check your MATRES I mean your BED. If it is strong enough
and flexible too. It may be O.K. But if it is not suitable.If it is not
Ortopedhic...then you must change it for sure.. i myself and many
friends we had the same problems.But after changing our beds.. We have
solved this important issue.
remember we spend one third of our life in our BEDS... So Beds are
substantial...
By the way, Albert was a Buddhist as you have given his wording above
in your post, i did not know it!!!
With compassion,
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About one year ago, I asked the help of a personal trainer to write a
program that should be used as a complement of yoga classes.
I think you shoud do the same.
In my case, I asked for:
- more abdominals, and generally more exercises to strenghten the
spine;
- asked exercises to the arms, because I feel they are weak;
- and informed that my right side was much more stronger than the left
side, and I needed to equilibrate them..
The personal trayner checked my spine, and wrote a program where I
should do many abdominals (I was right), I had to do also exercises to
the lumbar muscles (considering the structure of my spine); and all
possible exercises to fortify the back. And planned also a workout to
the arms...
Moon
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| Thank you puma, you probably are right about my bed.
The Einstein quote is genuine. If he wasn't a bhuddist, he has similar
ideas.
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| Thanks moon. I don't know any personal trainers, so perhaps i will
look for one. I figured something like this might be a common issue,
hence my looking for such on the web.
Thanks again for your kind help.
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| They usually work at "big" Health Clubs..., and are paid as an extra.
(hour)
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| Dave,
If you're going to employ the science of weight training, consider the
issue of repetition
and cycles in moving through asanas and kriyas. Anusara yoga, while
not weight-lifting oriented,
does include both shortening and lengthening (what you're calling
pulling) contractions of muscles through the brilliant technology of
bio-mechanically up to date hatha, and Ashtanga emphasizes the
repetitive cycles of asana performance. Is the issue that you need to
add weights or that you need to work more specifically with the
shortening contraction aspect of yogic kinesiology?
Dr. G.
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moon wrote:
> About one year ago, I asked the help of a personal trainer to write a
> program that should be used as a complement of yoga classes.
>
> I think you shoud do the same.
>
> In my case, I asked for:
> - more abdominals, and generally more exercises to strenghten the
> spine;
> - asked exercises to the arms, because I feel they are weak;
> - and informed that my right side was much more stronger than the left
> side, and I needed to equilibrate them..
>
> The personal trayner checked my spine, and wrote a program where I
> should do many abdominals (I was right), I had to do also exercises to
> the lumbar muscles (considering the structure of my spine); and all
> possible exercises to fortify the back. And planned also a workout to
> the arms...
>
> Moon
Weight training is a method of damaging the muscles in order to
strengthen them. The reason muscles get larger is that the muscle
fibers are damaged and the new tissue adds bulk to the muscles.
Yoga on the other hand promotes elongating muscles and builds strength
without tearing at the muscle fibers.
If you feel you need to do weight training as an adjunct to yoga, enter
it with the same mindfulness one brings to yoga. As you do reps, bring
your awareness to breath and focus on the muscle work. Work slowly and
methodically.
There is a bit of contradiction between yoga as exercise and modern
weight training when it comes to abs. Traditionally in yoga one is not
expected to have washboard abs. Look at any yoga master - Most are
very strong but when relaxed have soft bellies. In yoga there is a
focus on allowing the belly to be relaxed, so that the diaphram has
freedom. In traditional weight training there is a focus on ab work.
It also is said that strong abs translates to a strong back. I do not
think this contraversy is resolved.
>From my own experience, yoga is more than enough, if practiced
properly, to take care of any back issues. The key is to use a
combination of strenthening, toning and stretching asanas to enhance a
balanced spine. Fro example working psoas and hamstring muscles so the
legs are not straining the back. This promotes a healthy pelvic tilt.
The best starting point is to find an Iyengar certified teaching who
understands pathologies, who can modify a practice for your particular
back problem. I also suggest getting an anatomy book and learning some
biomechanics. A good yoga teacher should be teaching biomechanics in
their regular classes.
Stu
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| "Weight training is a method of damaging the muscles in order to
strengthen them. The reason muscles get larger is that the muscle
fibers are damaged and the new tissue adds bulk to the muscles. "
True, but this is a completely natural process, and is how our bodies
grow stronger. It is not specific to weight training.
If you exert your muscles in yoga, in chair or low pushup, you're
damaging fibers too.
Having six-pack abs has nothing to do with the belly being relaxed or
not, and having a six-pack ab won't "restrict the diaphragm". Six pack
abs means low bodyfat and nothing more.
I appreciate your yogic advice.
dave
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S2 wrote:
>
> Weight training is a method of damaging the muscles in order to
> strengthen them. The reason muscles get larger is that the muscle
> fibers are damaged and the new tissue adds bulk to the muscles.
I know that.
When I said, I needed some muscles; in fact I need. My structure has
got more bones than fat or muscles. In certain areas, like the knees,
haunch, shoulders and elbows, I din't have any muscle at all. So, is
very painfull to maintain some poses; and if I try too much, I may get
injured.
When I say that I may get injured in a Integral yoga class and not in a
Ashtanga classe everyone thinks is strange, but is true.
> Yoga on the other hand promotes elongating muscles and builds strength
> without tearing at the muscle fibers.
Yoga can damage my joints, if I press them too much
>
> If you feel you need to do weight training as an adjunct to yoga, enter
> it with the same mindfulness one brings to yoga. As you do reps, bring
> your awareness to breath and focus on the muscle work. Work slowly and
> methodically.
I do. The Personal Trainer also teaches that, when to breath in and
when to breath out. Some of them have training in Pilates.
>
> There is a bit of contradiction between yoga as exercise and modern
> weight training when it comes to abs. Traditionally in yoga one is not
> expected to have washboard abs. Look at any yoga master - Most are
> very strong but when relaxed have soft bellies. In yoga there is a
> focus on allowing the belly to be relaxed, so that the diaphram has
> freedom. In traditional weight training there is a focus on ab work.
> It also is said that strong abs translates to a strong back. I do not
> think this contraversy is resolved.
That's why the PT said I shouldn't be doing ABS, wihout lombar....
> properly, to take care of any back issues. The key is to use a
> combination of strenthening, toning and stretching asanas to enhance a
> balanced spine. Fro example working psoas and hamstring muscles so the
> legs are not straining the back. This promotes a healthy pelvic tilt.
> The best starting point is to find an Iyengar certified teaching who
> understands pathologies, who can modify a practice for your particular
> back problem. I also suggest getting an anatomy book and learning some
> biomechanics. A good yoga teacher should be teaching biomechanics in
> their regular classes.
>
I am having some good teachers, workshops and so on.
Not everyone has the same genetics.
In my opinion, Darwin was right. We inheriht the genetics of our
ancestors, and the skills they developed to be alive.
I have not the same genes as the yogis in ashrams, nor yours.
Yoga is not enough for me.
My metabolism beats faster than everyone else.
My ancestors were warriors during centuries.
If I was practicising, just yoga, perhaps I would be dead by now. I
have always to keep moving.
Moon
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| "does include both shortening and lengthening (what you're calling
pulling) contractions of muscles through "
Pulling is quite different than "lengthening". For example, a bicep
curl is both pulling and contracting.
dave
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