Along with helping you feel more relaxed, flexible and balanced, yoga can also burn calories. If weight loss is your goal, try more vigorous forms of yoga. According to "Glamour Health and Fitness" magazine, a 60-minute power yoga class can burn about 414 calories for a 130 lb. person, while 60 minutes of general yoga classes burn about 150. Always consult with your physician before you begin a new exercise plan.
Tips
Depending on how you practice yoga, you can burn enough calories to make an impact on your weight loss efforts. Following breathing cues and maintaining engaged core muscles throughout a yoga sequence makes your workout more intense and effective. To practice using your core, contract the muscles just under your belly button and within your pelvic floor region. When doing so, make sure that your breathing remains smooth and even.
Types
"Yoga Journal" contributing writer and instructor, Baxter Bell, MD, emphasizes that people who want to lose weight with yoga should use vinyasa-style sequences. Vinyasas are combinations of poses that change on inhales and exhales. More vigorous styles of yoga, such as Ashtanga, use strengthening poses and vinyasas which help burn more calories.
Poses
A challenging yoga pose is usually preceded by a sequence of complementary or preparatory poses. For example, an arm balance pose, such as crow, could follow a yoga routine that includes planks to warm up abdominal and arm muscles. Balance-oriented half moon pose could follow triangle and warrior three. Gradually increasing the intensity of the poses practiced builds strength, makes you sweat and burns calories. Power yoga classes often use routines that work students up to challenging poses.
Popular Sequences
Most forms of hatha yoga incorporate some form of sun salutation a and b. Both of these are sequences of poses usually practiced at the beginning of class. Sun salutations a and b are similar except that the b set has two more poses. They can be powerful yoga routines for weight loss because they use vinyasas and weight-bearing poses, such as plank. You can follow sun salutations with creative combinations of challenging poses, such as warriors and inversions. The yoga sequence designed by Bikram Choudhury for Bikram yoga is another popular weight loss routine.
Considerations
MayoClinic.com's Dr. Donald Hensrud says that you can use yoga for weight loss, but also encourages aerobic activity and a limit of calorie consumption. Yoga's purpose is to help you live more harmoniously. For some yogis, it is the teachings of yoga on how to handle stress, relax and feel good, more than the exercises, that leads to weight loss. Allow yoga to make internal, not just external, changes in your body and mind.
Member Comments