Running has long been considered by practitioners and researchers as one of the best cardiovascular workouts you can do. Practitioners of Bikram yoga say it's also an intense workout for your heart. Some claim it's as intense as running. However, there is scant research conducted that directly compares the levels of cardiovascular benefits of the two exercises. Anecdotal evidence, however, strongly suggest Bikram yoga provides benefits similar to running.
Heart Health
The heart is a muscle. According to the National Emergency Medicine Association, like any muscle, the more you work it the stronger it gets. Cardiovascular exercise is one of the best ways to work the heart. A healthy, strong heart pumps more blood with each beat than an unhealthy, weak heart. That means a healthy heart beats fewer times to move as much blood as an unhealthy one. Maintaining a minimum number of heart beats is good because between each beat your heart gets to rest, according to Baptist Memorial Health Care.
Running
According to cardiovascular researcher and author J.D. Cantwell, running conditions the cardiovascular system. He describes running as a "highly aerobic activity" that promotes heart health and cuts the risk of death from heart disease. He adds that running reduces blood pressure and helps burn calories so you can maintain a healthy weight, further improving cardiovascular fitness because excess weight stresses the heart.
Bikram Yoga
Bikram yoga provides a cardiovascular workout, but not the same way as running. Bikram yoga is a series of 26 yoga poses executed over 90 minutes in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The exercises coupled with the heat contribute most significantly to an increased heart rate. According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, your body "goes to work" in heat by having the heart beat faster so increased blood flow causes you to sweat.
Comparison
"Running Times" writer Scott Douglas compared the two exercises directly by wearing a heart-rate monitor for both exercises and noting his heart rate during each. The first 45 minutes of the yoga session made his heart beat at 115 beats per minute, or bpm, the same bpm he experiences during an easy run. The second 45 minutes sent his bpm to a high of 135 while the average was about 125 bmp, or the same as a more strenuous run. Douglas adds the only difference for him was that holding 26 poses in intense heat felt much harder than running.
References
- National Institutes of Health; Cardiovascular Aspects of Running; J.D. Cantwell; October 1985
- National Emergency Medicine Association; What You Should Know About Your Heart Rate or Pulse; 2003
- Baptist Memorial Health Care; Blood Pressure; 2006
- Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety; Hot Environments - Health Effects; July 28, 2008
- ABC-of-Yoga.com; Bikram Yoga - The 26 Pose Yoga in Heat; Jenni Bagus
- "Running Times"; Heart Rate and Bikram Yoga; Scott Douglas; February 8, 2009
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