Though it makes no use of free weights or weight machines, yoga qualifies as a weight-bearing exercise because it uses the body's own weight as resistance. Certified yoga instructor Suza Francina maintains that "while other weight-bearing exercises tighten the body and wear out the joints, yoga increases flexibility and 'lubricates' the joints by giving them an internal massage."
Skill Level
Even beginner yoga positions are weight-bearing. Seated and standing poses place body-weight resistance on the legs, feet and hips. Inverted or partially inverted poses, such as the plank pose or downward-facing dog, offer weight-bearing resistance to the arms, shoulders and hands. More advanced poses place almost all of the body weight on one specific body region, "Yoga Journal" magazine explains on its website. An example is the firefly pose, in which the hands and wrists support the entire body weight and the legs are extended forward.
Body Regions
Arms and legs are not the only body areas that can bear weight in yoga. There are poses which have the shoulders, elbows, neck and even the head as the supporting base of the position, such as the supported shoulderstand and the supported headstand.
Effects on Bones
Weight-bearing yoga postures encourage bones to retain calcium, as well as stimulating and distributing synovial fluid, which lubricates joints between the bones, Francina explains in her book "The New Yoga for Healthy Aging." Higher calcium levels lead to greater bone density and increased bone strength.
Effects on Muscles
Resistance is what strengthens muscles, since it forces the muscles to create new muscle fibers and neurological changes. Yoga's weight-bearing resistance provides this increased muscle strength along with enhanced flexibility.
Preventing Injury
While practicing yoga can be a way to prevent injury, you should also take care to do each yoga exercise properly so you don't sustain a yoga-related injury. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends warming up first, starting slowly and going at your own pace, asking questions if you don't fully understand a pose, and stopping or taking a break if you experience pain or exhaustion.
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