Yoga Before Or After a Workout? (Which is Better)

Pros

It’s okay to do yoga before a workout, but only when you use it as a warm-up routine.

However, this will still depend on the type of yoga you plan to do. For example, the sessions shouldn’t have static stretches but only dynamic stretching.

Pre-workout yoga may be helpful for exercises that rely more on flexibility and strength, like sports that require a high degree of motion, such as figure skating, gymnastics, and ballet.

Some forms of martial arts may also benefit from improved flexibility despite a power reduction. For instance, performing an effective kick may require a wide range of motion rather than power.

Doing the warrior pose also makes for a good pre-workout activity, as it can improve your endurance and relieve tension in your neck and shoulders.

If you must do yoga before your workout, try to wait at least a few hours after your yoga practice before going to the gym. Then, start working out in a slow and controlled manner and don’t go all out immediately.

Cons

This might be a shocker for some of you, but several studies have shown that pre-workout stretching isn’t necessarily helpful.

Despite what we’re taught to believe, pre-workout stretching won’t help you alleviate muscle soreness post-workout, prevent injury, or improve your performance.

And since yoga involves a whole lot of stretching, doing it before exercising may hamper your workout performance.

So if your yoga practice involves static stretching, it may cause a temporary loss of muscle strength. And if you hold that static stretch for over 45 seconds, it will impact your muscles even more.

However, it may help your workout if your yoga practice involves purely dynamic stretches. This is when you don’t hold the stretch; instead, you keep moving the body part.

This is especially helpful if the dynamic stretches are similar to your workout movements but at a lower intensity.

Doing yoga post-exercise offers far more benefits. Here are some of them.

Pros

Helps with post-workout muscle recovery

Doing yoga after working out helps your muscles heal by increasing blood flow into them, which ushers in essential nutrients and oxygen that your active tissues require [1].

This, in turn, results in a quicker repair of muscles damaged during your workout.

The same applies if you’re doing cardio. But if your favorite spin class comes after your yoga class, that’s fine too.

You can treat your yoga practice as an activity to warm up your muscles and get you in the right headspace to kill your cycling class.

But if the class type is a heavy vinyasa flow or high-level strength class, you might want to skip that as it may tire you out.

Lowers cortisol levels

Cortisol is a natural stress hormone that increases during moderate to high-intensity workout sessions.

High levels of this hormone can cause:

• High blood pressure
• Suppressed immune system
• Muscle weakness
• Increased risk for diabetes

Luckily, practicing yoga can help reduce the amount of cortisol in your body.

Regulates your heartbeat

Working out makes your heart beat faster, and you need to stabilize it once you’re done.

Doing yoga after a high-energy exercise routine helps you transition better into a normal resting phase through deep and slow breathing.

Deep breathing helps with that by stimulating the vagus nerve in your body. This plays an important role in the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps preserve energy by slowing your heart rate.

This counteracts your sympathetic nervous system that is triggered during exercise to produce stress responses [2].

And the result? A slower heartbeat and a drop in blood pressure.

The word “yoga,” which translates to “union,” is most commonly associated with the union of the body and the mind.

But when it started in India, it meant the union of the human consciousness to divine consciousness.

“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”

- B.K.S. Iyengar, Father of Yoga

There are hundreds of styles of yoga, so you won’t run out of options in case you don’t enjoy the first class you try.

Here are the different yoga types that will suit you based on your objectives, physical condition, and skill level.

1. For beginners

If you’re a beginner, look for an Introductory or Level 1 yoga class on YouTube or at a studio near you.

2. For those with injuries

Go for Iyengar yoga. This type of yoga focuses on the alignment of the bones and muscles in your body. It also uses props to help you achieve correct posture while preventing injury.

3. If you like it slow and relaxed

Opt for Yin or Restorative yoga. Both of these practices hold relaxing postures lasting from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, helping you achieve maximum peace and relaxation.

4. If you want something that fits all levels

Hatha yoga might be perfect for you. Most gyms and studios offer this “one-size-fits-all” type of yoga. It’s the umbrella term for all yoga postures.

Expect this one to be a bit more active than an introductory class but not as active as a Vinyasa class.

5. For those who prefer an athletic approach

If you’re looking for an opportunity to challenge yourself, a Vinyasa class would be perfect for you.

This flow class will usually have Sun Salutation A and Sun Salutation B as the main flows.

A yoga “flow” is a series of postures practiced two or more times in a row and repeated on each side.

6. If you’re going for the sweat

Visit a Bikram studio. Bikram is a series of 26 postures performed in a room usually heated to 105 degrees. It is simultaneously your cardio, strength, and flexibility training, so it’s pretty intense. But your body will surely thank you for it.

7. If you like the sweat, but without Bikram yoga’s bootcamp style

Enroll in a “hot yoga” class. Hot yoga is usually a Vinyasa class in a heated room. It’s also pretty athletic, but the flows are flexible, allowing you to play with your difficulty level.

8. If you want to focus on meditation and mantra

Go for Kundalini, a form of yoga that involves chanting, singing, verbal mantras, and meditation.