yoga and cardio: the perfect mix?



This blog post was written by lululemon and posted on June 26, 2010 at 12:34 pm

cardio and yoga
Can you get buff doing only yoga, or is cardio needed too?
ask a yogi online

you asked

These pictures are amazing. I have a few yoga instructors who have the most amazing bodies say that they only do yoga, no cardio. How do you feel about that? I do a lot of vinyasa flow classes and definitely work up a sweat, but I still feel like I need to do some cardio after. What are your feelings on this? –Valerie

a yogi answers

I love cardio! I was an elite adventure racer for some time and I still run marathons and compete in triathlons. There is nothing like getting the endorphine rush from running or feeling like I’m deep in meditation during a swim. For me, yoga is the perfect compliment to anything I do. If you want to run, go for it; bootcamp, go for it; Tour de France, go for it! Yoga is only going to enhance your performance! - Ted

you asked


What is the best yoga/cardio mix? Should I alternate days I spin, for example, with days that I do yoga, or is it okay to do both in one day? If I do both in one day, should I do yoga first or cardio first? - Jackie

a yogi answers

Hi Jackie, It’s totally fine to do cardio and yoga in the same day! I do it all the time. If possible do your cardio first then yoga. It’s much better for your muscles and your mind! You’ll feel more relaxed too!

- Ted, lululemon Malibu ambassador

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

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6 Comments »


Actually it’s my experience of doing cardio and yoga the same day that if you are not doing yoga right after your cardio workout it’s much better to do yoga first.

Try for yourself and find out what works best for you :)

Comment by Gvessi — June 26, 2010 @ 4:07 pm


Reminds me I need to add yoga into my training plan!

Comment by Kerri — June 28, 2010 @ 11:01 am


“If you want to run, go for it; bootcamp, go for it; Tour de France, go for it!”

It is *very* refreshing to see this kinda attitude. Yoga provides a series of benefits various types of conditioning can’t, and vice versa (yet many yogis don’t seem to want to admit it).

Awesome!

Comment by matt wiggins — October 13, 2010 @ 2:29 pm


still leaves the question of whether you can be fit from JUST yoga though, or if you actually need cardio to make that happen. i still have that q anyway.

Comment by drexel — January 13, 2011 @ 1:02 pm


No one thing is going to keep you in peak performance shape. The best thing to do is switch it up a lot, or your body will fall into a slump so to say. the more surprises you throw at your muscles the better! So do yoga one day, cardio kick boxing another, spin/running another,and even old fashioned lifting works great too! So have fun with it, the more things you are doing the more motivated (mentally) you will be, when you do the same thing over and over people tend to get bored and are more likely to skip workouts. hope this helps!

Comment by Katie — May 3, 2011 @ 7:41 am


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Comment by Klara Avella — May 18, 2011 @ 6:22 pm


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