Yoga with Weight Training

 

Whoever said yoga cannot help you break a sweat could not be farther from the truth. Yoga in itself is a pretty intense workout and can burn calories at a really fast rate if done right. Most people don’t know the correct breathing technique behind each asana and that leads to poor results. This way they end up blaming yoga for their lack of results and eventually stop practicing it.

Practicing Ashtanga yoga for about an hour and a half, for at least 4 times a week can really transform your body and put you in the best shape of your life. But not everybody has that kind of time these days. So how can you maximize your results in a squeeze for time?

Yoga with weights is your answer. Pick any asana and add weights to it if you want to see yourself drenched in your own sweat in less than 30 minutes. Pick up a pair of dumbbells and just jump right into it. As for the weights, pick something that lets you move freely between your poses while adding resistance to your movements. The key is to get yourself in a zone where every contraction and relaxation of the muscles is focused and controlled so try not to go overboard with your weights.

Remember to stretch with dynamic warm up exercises before you begin to avoid catch a cramp in your muscles or between ligaments – that can put an end to your workout in an instant. Some of the asanas that you can do with weights are High Lunge with Kickbacks, Side Planks with Flies, Bridge Pose with Chest Press and Downward Dog with Shoulder Taps.

In the beginning, work to perfect your form, if you’re new to this, before you gradually increase weights, to make sure you avoid injuries and get the best results from your workouts. Break a leg!