Stay Fit with Yoga: Full Body Workout
March 8, 2018
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The general belief is that yoga is amazing for relaxation and flexibility but not exactly a tool for staying fit. To achieve that, you’d need to combine it with an activity known to keep you fit, like weight lifting or running. Or isn’t that the case after all?
Many who practice yoga for a long time have kept their body fit without needing to combine it with other activities. With that in mind, here’s a simple yoga routine that provides a full-body workout. The postures will challenge your balance, stability, strength, and stamina.
Downward Dog
Start in a push-up with your hands shoulder-distance apart and your feet hip-distance apart. Push through your palms and shift your hips back. Pull your ribs in and drive your heels towards the floor.
The pose looks like an inverted V. Hold it for 5 slow breaths.
High Lunge
From the previous pose, lift your right leg and step your right foot forward to get into a high lunge. Drive your back heel behind you and sink your hips down. Relax the shoulders and extend through your fingertips.
Hold this pose for 5 slow breaths.
Low lunge
Now drop your back knee slowly towards the floor and get into the low lunge. Return to the high lunge.
Repeat the two poses 5 times.
Warrior III
From the low lunge, push off of your back foot and lift your back leg to the same height as your torso. If you cannot maintain balance, modify by extending your arms out like a “T”.
Hold the pose for 5 slow breaths.
Hand-to-Big-Toe
From the previous pose, swing your back leg all the way forward and extend it straight in front of your arms. Draw your ribs.
Hold for 5 slow breaths.
Standing split
Swing your left foot back and reach your hands toward your right ankle. Lift your leg behind as high as you can.
Hold for 5 slow breaths.
Easy Twist
Step your left foot back and come into a runner’s lunge. Your arms will be on either side of your front foot. Left heel goes in a back extension. Your left palm stays on the floor while you lift your right arm up to twist to the right.
Hold for 5 slow breaths.
Side Plank
From the previous pose, put more pressure on your left palm and step your right foot to meet your left. Come into a side plank and extend your right fingertips up.
Hold your breath for 30 seconds.
Push-ups
From the side plank, bring both your palm on the floor. Squeeze your butt and tighten the legs. Do five push-ups.
If you need to modify, put your knees on the floor.
Once completed, move into the child’s pose to rest.
Plank-ups
From the child’s pose, get back into the push-up. Now bring your right forearm down, followed by your left. Place your right palm on your floor, followed by the left one to move into a full plank.
Move between forearm plank and full plank for 30 seconds.
Once completed, move into child’s pose to rest.
Bird-Dog
Get back into a pushup. Lift and reach your right arm forward and then pick up your left foot. Keep the hops level to the floor. Hold for a second and then switch. Alternate between the two poses for 30 seconds.
Once completed, get back into the child’s pose to rest.
Ideally, you should do the full-body workout on the right side and then the left side. Repeat on both sides.
Remember to do this simple yoga routine at your own fitness level. Rest longer if you need to or complete only once the full sequence. Then you can work on improving your fitness.
Want to work on your fitness during a yoga retreat? Choose among the many fitness and yoga retreats available on our website.