7 Strength Training Exercises for Yoga
While strength training and yoga are considered complementary methods of physical fitness, strength training is actually key to improving your yoga practice and reducing your risk of injury.
Yoga skills depend on your ability to control your bodyweight. The ease and proficiency of your practice require adequate musculature to support the movements. As you build muscle strength and stamina with weight training, you can perform yoga bodyweight exercises more efficiently and without strain.
How Strength Training Improves Yoga
Different methods of strength training can significantly enhance your practice. Below are specific benefits of strength training for yoga with exercise examples.
Improved Muscle Strength
Strength training builds muscle strength, which increases stability throughout the body. By strengthening key muscle groups, such as the core, shoulders, and legs, you can hold the yoga postures with less strain and more control.
Strong legs help maintain stability and grounding in standing and balancing poses. Squats target the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, which are key for standing poses like Warrior I, II, and III.
Strength Training Exercise Video - The Squat
The squat targets key lower body muscles for standing poses like Warrior I, II, and III.
Enhanced Joint Support
Strengthening the muscles around the joints provides better support and protection, reducing the risk of joint strain or injury. You can safely attempt more advanced positions. Strengthen the muscles and joints surrounding the shoulders to reinforce them for moves like chaturanga!
Strength Training Exercise Video - Side-lying Shoulder Trio
Reinforce the shoulder joint from 3 different angles.
Increased Muscular Endurance
Endurance training enhances the ability of the muscle to hold a position for longer periods without fatigue. You can sustain challenging yoga poses enabling you to practice longer. The Forearm Plank trains the muscles of the entire core, plus the legs and upper body, to hold the body in a static position for an extended period. As you maintain optimal spinal alignment, you prepare for poses like Triangle and Side Angle that require the torso to be aligned.
Strength Training Exercise Video - Forearm Plank
The Forearm Plank trains the muscles of the entire core, plus the legs and upper body, to hold a static position for time.
Better Core Strength
A strong core supports proper alignment and balance in yoga postures. It helps stabilize the body during dynamic movements and complex postures, leading to improved technique and reduced risk of injury. The Dead Bug series builds deep core stability, aiding in abdominal exercises like Boat Pose, which also requires balance.
Strength Training Exercise Video - Dead Bug
The Dead Bug trains the deep abdominal muscles for core stability and balance - think Boat Pose!
Improved Posture and Alignment
Strength training can improve overall posture and body alignment by correcting muscle imbalances and strengthening key areas. Achieving balance in opposing muscle groups results in better alignment in the yoga poses.
Posture Plus exercises like horizontal abduction and external rotation with bands strengthen upper back muscles to keep your back straight in seated positions like Wide Angle Seated pose and when doing forward bends like Downward Facing Dog.
Strength Training Exercise Video - Posture Plus with Stretch Bands
Focus on posture with exercises that strengthen the upper back and shoulders.
Enhanced Balance and Coordination
Strength training exercises that focus on balance translate well into yoga practice, making it easier to perform challenging poses and maintain stability during transitions.
Do both static balance exercises (like single leg stands and tandem stance) and dynamic balance exercises (like tightrope walk and Balancing Walk). Your Tree and Half-Moon Poses will progress.
Strength Training Exercise Video - Balance Walk
Reduced Muscle Imbalances
By targeting and strengthening underdeveloped muscle groups, strength training equalizes muscle strength across the body. This balanced muscular development improves your ability to perform yoga poses in proper alignment and with good control. Doing unilateral work, one side of the body at a time, is a good way to spot which side is weaker and needs more help.
Try doing a High Lunge on both sides to see which side is stronger and more stable. Then even out your muscle development with unilateral work, like the stationary lunge.
Strength Training Exercise Video - Stationary lunge
A unilateral exercise, done one side at a time, is a good way to spot which side is weaker and needs more work.
Enhanced Recovery and Injury Prevention
As you strengthen muscles, tendons, and ligaments, you promote faster recovery from strains and reduce the likelihood of injury. You reinforce the joints for greater stability and safe practice.
Remember, as you build muscle strength and stamina with weight training, you can master yoga bodyweight poses with more control and greater ease.
See related article: Strength Training and Yoga: Double Up on Fitness. The information presented in this article should not be construed as medical advice. It is not intended to replace consultation with your physician or healthcare provider.
For expert guidance on strength training techniques, step by step photos depicting how to perform the exercises and a selection of well-rounded workouts please check out the book Strength Training Exercises for Women by Joan Pagano .