Weightlifters, this is why you need to integrate yoga into your exercise routine

yoga, weightlifting

Shlloka Joshii, classical hatha yoga teacher, diet and lifestyle expert tells indianexpress.com, “Practices such as yogasanas and angamardana can help counter the inflexibility that often accompanies athletes or gym-goers (Source: Freepik)

Strength training is one of the most effective and important forms of exercise to build strength and endurance. However, for a weightlifter, incorporating yoga into a training regimen might not seem like an obvious choice.

An ancient practice that helps create a balance between the body and the mind, yoga offers a myriad of benefits that can significantly enhance a weightlifter’s performance and overall well-being. It is not just about flexibility and relaxation; it also builds core strength, improves balance, and enhances mental focus, all of which are crucial for weightlifters aiming to excel in their sport.

Shlloka Joshii, classical hatha yoga teacher, diet and lifestyle expert tells indianexpress.com, “Practices such as yogasanas and angamardana can help counter the inflexibility that often accompanies athletes or gym-goers who do too much weightlifting. From the yogic vantage point, injuries happen when the body leans towards “sheeta” or cold. But hatha yoga and kriya yoga helps the body to lean towards “ushna” or warmth. Hence, one seldom hears of yoga practitioners succumbing to injuries.”

Who should integrate yoga into their routine?

Joshii recommends Hatha Yoga practices such as Angamardana and Yogasanas for athletes or weightlifters who are at a relatively heightened risk of injuries. In Angamardana, she says, you use your own body weight and momentum to increase muscle flexibility over time. “It is just a twenty-five-minute process as taught today, and in terms of health and well-being, it can do miraculous things. It helps build flexibility without bringing rigidity to the body; it builds sinews in the muscles, preventing issues like ligament tears.”

What should a weightlifter do if there is no injury but the muscles feel tense? 

If the muscles are rigid and tense without any damage or injury, Joshii asserts, it means you are generating acids in the body. Maharishi Patanjali said “sthiram sukham asanam.” This means your body and mind are at ease, your energy is vibrant and balanced.

Among yogasanas, asanas such as Padahastasana, Konasana, Trikonasana, Vrikshasana, Uttanpadasana, Shalabhasana, Makarasana, Naukasana, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Paschimottanasana, Janushirasana, and Matsyendrasana are recommended.

yoga, weightlifting

Yoga offers a myriad of benefits that can significantly enhance a weightlifter’s performance and overall well-being. (Source: Freepik)

“Always remember, these practices are very subtle and powerful, and hence should not be learned through a book or the internet on your own. If not imbibed properly, they can lead to more harm than well-being. So learn these practices under the guidance of a certified Classical Hatha Yoga teacher for the right impact,” she cautions.

How much time does it usually take to master yoga?

“Usually, after 12 to 18 months of intense practice, you come to a point where you are in a full asana, you are not breathing deeper, just normally, without any aberration in breath and pulse rate,” remarks Joshii. This means your body is coming to ease. If it comes to such an ease, there will be no disease, no stress, no tension.

Benefits of practicing yoga regularly

The discipline of yoga also brings in resilience, Joshii promises, helping one deal with the erratic nature of a sporting outcome. “As you continue yoga sadhana, the need to go somewhere or expect something diminishes. You begin to treat this moment as an end in itself. Your involvement with life increases, without entanglement,” she adds.

Additionally, yoga activates the pineal gland, which is scientifically known to control and moderate one’s moods and experiences. Thus, with stable pineal gland secretion, being in a pleasant mood within yourself will not be a problem, Joshii explains.

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