Am I doing yoga or exercise?

If you are feeling confused, you’re not alone.

You might have practiced yoga that felt just like a workout. Fast-paced flows, sweaty poses, and barely any time to breathe — and left wondering if that was really yoga.

When hearing the word ‘exercise’, we often think of going to the gym, running, or doing a physical fitness routine that involves lifting weights or using bulky equipment. Yoga, on the other hand, is often misinterpreted as a practice in which someone is sitting cross-legged or in another position for long periods, combining meditation and minimal physical exertion.

Yoga is a holistic practice that aligns your body, mind, and inner awareness — far beyond the realm of exercise; and there are different forms of yoga [Yoga Classes] to benefit you physically and mentally. In our previous blog [Spring Renewal], we talked about how yoga is not a one-size-fits-all practice and about choosing the one that be

st fits your needs. Yoga is also self-sufficient. You basically only need a yoga mat and the space to do it.

Here are some of the differences you may not know

Although comparable in some aspects, there are differences between general exercise and yoga.

Exercises such as weight training, jogging, and aerobics are isotonic. The movements are usually rapid and involve dynamic repeated muscle contractions against continuous resistance. Although isotonic exercises are meant to strengthen voluntary muscles and make them well-shaped and healthy, they also require a lot of physical energy.

Isometric exercises in various yoga practices (e.g., Asana, Mudra/Bandha, Pranayama) focus on smaller changes in muscle length, slower movements, and postures with an emphasis on proper breathing to increase energy. Yoga is more calming than regular physical exercise, causes less fatigue, and helps improve bodily functions like breathing, heartbeat, and digestion. A deep state of relaxation can also be achieved while strengthening your involuntary muscles.

Both exercise and yoga affect your nervous system. Exercising involves the sympathetic nervous system, which reduces digestive secretions, contracts blood vessels, and speeds the heart. Yoga involves the parasympathetic nervous system, counteracting the physiological effects of the sympathetic nervous system by stimulating digestive secretions, dilating blood vessels, and slowing your heart rate; thereby producing a feeling of relaxation. If you’re trying to conserve energy, yoga promotes constructive metabolism instead of breaking it down from exercising.

Some physical exercises can overwork your joints, resulting in a possible high-risk injury that could affect your muscles and ligaments. The low-impact movements and postures used in yoga have a low risk of injury when properly engaged. So, if you’re not focused on achieving a muscle physique, you can still benefit from muscle-strengthening with yoga.

Exercise or Yoga: Which is more flexible?

Your well-being is not only connected to how you do exercise or yoga, but also your approach to it. Both exercise and yoga share similar benefits. However, exercise (i.e., a traditional workout routine) is limiting because the focus is on muscle contraction, tension, and muscle growth, and less about flexibility and stretch. If you’re someone who enjoys exercise, yoga can complement your routine by nurturing your nervous system, mind, and inner vitality. Yoga uses active stretching and balance to improve your mobility and strength. Combining breathwork and balance with strength and mobility, yoga improves muscle tone, flexibility, and range of motion.

Take a deep breath into yoga

Mainstream exercise mainly focuses on maintaining and improving the physical body. If you have ever gone to a gym, you have probably noticed people huffing, puffing, and grunting through their exercises towards a fatigued ending, forgetting the importance of breathing correctly. Unknowingly, many people have a habit of holding their breath during intense exercises, which can lead to a rise in blood pressure and other negative consequences. Even taking short shallow breaths can prevent the lungs from filling because there is not enough oxygen being delivered to the muscles.

In yoga, breath (pranayama) is more than just a function of the body. It connects the mind, body, and spirit and is a vital part of the practice called Prana, the "life force." Consciously and mindfully coordinating the breath with movements in asanas nurtures your physical and mental well-being, and your prana energy. Yoga techniques like pranayama can improve lung capacity and respiratory function, helping to manage conditions like asthma.

Yoga is your path to better health

Practicing yoga makes it a valuable tool in preventing various diseases. It can boost your immunity and help manage chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome and respiratory disorders.

Here are more ways yoga can help you stay healthy:

• Helps reduce stress: Yoga is known to reduce stress levels. The movements, postures, and breathing involved in yoga have a positive impact on overall health.

• Improves cardiovascular health: Yoga may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by helping to lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular function.

• Boost your immune system: According to the World Health Organization [WHO] yoga can boost the immune system to help fight off infections and diseases.

• Improves mental health: Yoga can also improve mental and emotional well-being by reducing anxiety and depression.

A regular yoga practice leads to better self-care and inner peace while nourishing your mind, body, and soul. It can also connect you to a supportive yoga community where you can learn [Yoga Classes] and grow. So the next time you step on your mat, ask yourself — am I moving from effort or awareness? That’s where the true yoga begins.