Both aerobic exercises and yoga provide health benefits, including stress reduction and physical conditioning. In a study of men and women ages 40 through 60, yoga practitioners had significantly lower arterial stiffness than the sedentary group, on a par with the aerobic group. A University of Georgia research team published the findings in the January 2008 "Dynamic Medicine." Performing yoga or aerobic exercise regularly helps to maintain agility, strength and endurance at all ages.
Yoga Benefits
People over 40 who practice yoga experience less age-related deterioration of cardiovascular function. Researchers who studied 50 people who had practiced yoga for five years found that the subjects had lower pulse rates and better systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to a sedentary control group. The researchers from the Government Medical College in Nagpur, India, published their findings in the April 2003 "Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology." A lower resting heart rate indicates better cardiovascular fitness. In the University of Georgia study on arterial stiffness, researchers reported that the yoga group had higher levels of physical activity than expected, including some aerobic exercise.
Aerobic Benefits
Aerobic exercises provide a vigorous workout for your cardiovascular system and can reduce your resting heart rate by making your heart more efficient. Just as yoga breathing exercises improve lung capacity, the deeper breathing required by aerobic exercises improve lung function. Aerobic exercises include power walking, jogging, running, aerobic dance, bicycling and rowing. Aerobic exercise reduces your risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease and cancer, elevates mood, reduces the risk of depression, improves your stamina and helps your body burn calories more efficiently for weight loss or weight maintenance.
Bones and Muscles
Yoga and weight-bearing aerobic exercises such as power walking, jogging and dance protect your bone health and can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. When you support your body weight during exercise, you strengthen your bones. Both yoga and aerobic exercises contribute to functional fitness -- your ability to perform day to day tasks. Because yoga and aerobic exercises condition your muscles, routine physical activities such as carrying groceries and climbing stairs require less effort when you perform either of these forms of exercise regularly.
Considerations
Yoga can improve your flexibility and balance, which reduces your risk of injury and helps protect you from potentially debilitating falls as you age. Practicing yoga regularly results in relaxation, improved posture, a greater range of motion and helps your blood circulation and lymphatic systems, according to an article on the Baylor College of Medicine's website. Yoga, even the most strenuous forms, isn't a substitute for aerobic exercise. Keeping your heart rate elevated during aerobic exercise improves your cardiovascular health and elevates your metabolism.
An exercise program that includes yoga, vigorous aerobic exercise and weight lifting provides full-body conditioning to maintain flexibility, cardiovascular health, bone health, physical strength and a healthy weight throughout your lifespan.
References
- "Dynamic Medicine"; The Influence of Physical activity and Yoga on Central Arterial Stiffness; Courtney M. Duren, et al; January 2008
- "Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology"; Effect of Yoga on Cardiovascular System in Subjects Above 40 Years; J.R. Bharshankar, et al.; April 2003
- President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; Fitness Fundamentals; March 2011
- Baylor College of Medicine; Adding Yoga to Workout Regime Can Improve Health; Glenna Picton; November 2010
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